Too Black to be Spanish Too Spanish to be black

I started beauty blogging specifically because I couldn’t completely relate to any of the bloggers I came across at the beginning of my natural hair journey. Even though I was searching for hair tips like most when following a blog it is the chemistry or connection you feel to the blogger that keeps you coming back to their videos or post.

I enjoyed and still do, watching SunKissAlba. She is a beautiful Dominican blogger with gorgeous curly locks. (She is an advocate of natural living, is very knowledgeable and offers great tips, https://www.youtube.com/user/SunKissAlba.) It was an instant connection because of the cultural similarities, I even had the pleasure of meeting her in person. But yet we are also very culturally different. She is a perfect example of what most people define as a Latina woman, tan skin with fine curls “pelo bueno” in the words of an average Dominican.

I am Black Latina making our experience as Latina women totally different from each other. Dark skin is not what the average person thinks of when describing a Latina often making it difficult for us to feel like we belong because in a sense we feel rejection from both cultures. Too dark to be Latina but too Spanish to be Black.

Miss Rizos is another beautiful Dominican blogger whom I have a lot of admiration for. Not only because she is dark like I am but because she has and continues to break a lot of the cultural barriers and myths in the Dominican Republic in regards to “pelo bueno/pelo malo,” good hair/bad hair. She has helped many love their curls/kinks/afro which ever way you choose to call it.

Loving your kinks has little to do with hair and everything to do with self-love. Miss Rizos is all about empowering natural beauty.  Check her out at http://missrizos.com/

Many Dominicans or Latinos choose to ignore their blackness. But truth is while we are “mixed” with African, Taino, some European blood most of us have more African blood. Despite some people’s denial Dominican culture is a complete influence of African culture from our foods, to music, dances, traditions . I truly don’t understand why people stress color so much or why people feel so strongly about denying their blackness, Black is beautiful in every sense of the word; the versatility in our hair, the glow in our skin, the charisma y swing (swag). I am proud of being an Afro-Latina/Black- Latina but before any race I am a creation of God, my color does not define me.  I am human with unique qualities and virtues which is what makes Emily, Emily.

I  shared a post about my experience as an Afro-Latina back in 2014, it’s linked it to this post for those who haven’t read it.  https://unveiledglamour.com/2014/10/02/the-awkward-in-between/

Pictured below is a lovely group of Latinas with different skin colors, hair textures and all uniquely BEAUTIFUL (I am the one in all black with blue flats) ❤