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These Racist Spanish Words Remind Us of Anti-Indigenous & Anti-Black Sentiment Still Alive
Because we’re long overdue to end the harm in our communities
No me digas ‘negrito’ porque no soy un bebé.
Don’t call me ‘little Black boy’ — I’m a grown-ass man!
~ Elder, Loíza, Borikén
Growing up in New York City, I’ve known many of these racist Spanish words and terms. Some of them I’ve been called. Others I’ve heard said by someone around me.
The thing is, it wasn’t until moving here to Borikén (our original name) in November 2021 — when I started to learn more about our vibrant Indigenous Taíno, Iñeri, and African heritages — that I became acutely aware of the harmful under (and over) tones.
Some will accuse me of being ‘word police’ (as one reader wrote in response to my article, Considering the Racist Language Still Used Today). Others will likely chime in with their constructive thoughts. And of course, there will be some folks who remain oblivious.
This is written for everyone willing to be part of the conversation, those of us who are fiercely proud of our rich Indigenous and African roots.
About a month ago, conversing with an Afro-Boricua acquaintance whom I generally…
