My name is Alexis and I am currently in Buenos Aires, Argentina for the summer (or winter depending on where you are) for a fellowship with Cultural Vistas (which if you're a student or professional who likes travelling for free, you should definitely check out!). Like anyone travelling to another country for the first time, I did as much research on Argentina as possible. Pinterest became my best friend and travel blogs my specialty.
As a Black woman attending a Historically Black College/University (HBCU), the illustrious Howard University, I attempted to center some of my research on Black spaces/historical sites. To be honest, what I found was less than encouraging. Granted, I didn't expect much with the little bit of Argentinian history I knew, which included former president Carlos Menem saying in 1996 "no hay negros en Argentina" (there are no Blacks in Argentina) which is completely untrue.
Like many countries in Latin America, Argentina has a complex and, at many times, problematic relationship with race. There is substantial evidence that the government actively engaged in the racial cleansing of African peoples in the country during the early 1900's . But despite that, there are still traces of Mama Africa's influence in Argentine culture, including its people.
Back to the research...
So basically in my research I found a few organizations such as Movimiento Afrocultural and Africa Vive that are centered around affirming blackness in Argentina. I also found that very few Black Americans (or Black people in general) had documented their experiences in Argentina. And that brings us to the birth of this blog. With La Morena en Argentina, I hope to document my experiences as a young Black woman navigating my way through a country with a rich culture and complex history. Hopefully I can help a few wanderlusters on the way.
Ciao!
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