The Urgent Call to Invest in Latino Media
What Late-Stage Capitalism Has Done to Labor Day and the People Who Labor
In The Community
Latino history is vital to the American narrative–there’s no America without Latino contributions. Despite this, Latino storytelling and history are increasingly being sidelined in educational institutions. The issue deepens when we look at the emerging trend of book banning.
What Is the Modern Book Ban?
Book banning is the act of removing books from reading lists, libraries, or bookstores based on content disagreements. Often done under the pretense of safeguarding children, most of these challenges come from parents and library patrons. However, elected officials, school boards, and even librarians can also be champions of imposed ignorance. After all, they know knowledge is power.
In March 2024, the American Library Association (ALA) reported that “the number of titles targeted for censorship at public libraries increased by 92% [in 2023] over the previous year.” This is alarming for multiple reasons:
- Censorship: Book banning is fundamentally a form of censorship. Although the First Amendment protects against government censorship, private individuals or organizations face limited restraint. This makes book banning a primary example of legal censorship in the U.S.
- Democracy at Risk: At the core of democracy is the free exchange of ideas. By constraining this, we challenge the principles on which the U.S. was built. Censorship often paves the way to tyranny, allowing a small group to dominate the narrative.
- Stagnation: Book bans impede societal progression by avoiding challenges to prevailing beliefs. To quote English writer George Orwell from his eerily prescient dystopian novel “1984”: “The best books are those that tell you what you know already.” Do we aspire to a society that shuns diverse thought? Book bans lead fully in that direction.
- Marginalization: Such bans further alienate underrepresented communities. With Latinos already underrepresented in literature, these bans exacerbate the problem.
Latino Representation: The Understated Crisis
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Even beyond Latino literature, there's a broader attack against critical theory. This crusade aims to stifle discussions on racism, sexism, and systemic inequality. In a single school year, 1,477 books faced bans, according to PEN America. A startling number of these pertained to LGBTQ themes, protagonists of color, race, and racism.
A Spotlight on Banned Latina Authors
Amidst the unsettling rise in book bans across the U.S., Latina authors have found themselves at the epicenter of this censorship storm. These authors not only highlight the complexities of Latino heritage but also bridge gaps in understanding, creating stories that resonate across boundaries. Many invaluable works by Latina authors have been banned, including:
- “The House of the Spirits” by Isabel Allende: Spanning generations, this saga chronicles the lives of the Trueba family in Chile, accentuating the mystical powers of its female characters. Challenges against it cite reasons like its "pornographic" nature and alleged attacks on Catholicism.
- “The House on Mango Street” by Sandra Cisneros: Through vignettes, this novel paints the life of Esperanza Cordero, a young Chicana in Chicago. Bans have been enforced based on claims that it instigates skepticism against "American values."
- “Out of Darkness” by Ashley Hope Pérez: Set against the backdrop of 1930s Texas, this novel delves into the love between a Mexican American girl and a Black teen. Challenged for its graphic nature, it's deemed "sexually explicit" and has earned a place on the Top 10 Most Banned Books list.
- “The Poet X” by Elizabeth Acevedo: The narrative revolves around 15-year-old Xiomara, who channels familial tension into her poetry. Accusations against it range from being "anti-Christian" to violating religious safeguards.
- “How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents” by Julia Alvarez: This novel charts the journey of the Garcia sisters, uprooted from their Dominican heritage, as they grapple with a starkly contrasting life in New York, touching on themes of identity, family, and culture.
- “Like Water for Chocolate” by Laura Esquivel: This enchanting novel narrates the intriguing history of the De La Garza family in Mexico, where love, tradition, and magic blend seamlessly. It delves deep into themes of forbidden love, family obligations, and the transformative power of food.
- “Bless Me, Ultima” by Rudolf Anaya: Set in New Mexico; this narrative introduces us to Antonio Marez and Ultima, a healer. As Antonio steps into manhood, Ultima becomes his guiding light, illuminating his path through childhood bigotry, familial crises, and the mysteries of spirituality.
The increasing trend of book banning, especially of Latino literature, is a pressing concern. Not only does it threaten our democratic principles and societal growth, but it also amplifies the marginalization of already underrepresented communities. Our society's richness lies in its diversity, and by stifling these voices, we risk losing an integral part of our narrative. It's time to reassess and recognize the value of all stories, regardless of their origin.
The terms "old money" and "new money" aren’t new. At first glance, they’re just an observational comment on the accumulation of wealth. But if you look deeper, the implications are a lot more complex than that. “Old money” and “new money” actually reflect the ongoing class wars that reinforce racial inequality in this capitalistic society we inhabit. But how do these terms intersect with systemic racism and racial hierarchies, exactly?
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What Is "Old Money" vs. "New Money"
Before diving into the crux of the issue, it's essential to understand the underlying connotations both of these terms carry. "Old money" typically refers to families or individuals who have maintained their wealth over several generations. These families often pride themselves on traditions, lineage, and sometimes even blue-blooded ancestry. In contrast, the term "new money" is used to describe people or families who've acquired wealth in their lifetime, often through innovation, entrepreneurship, or sudden fame.
The problem isn't the definitions but the values and assumptions attached to them.
The vast majority of "old money" families are white and that’s due to the historical advantages and opportunities afforded to them, often at the disproportionate expense and exclusion of people of color. Considering the U.S. context, centuries of systemic racism - from slavery, Jim Crow laws, to discriminatory lending practices - have actively kept Black, Latino, and other communities of color from accumulating generational wealth. By venerating "old money" and its associated sophistication or class, we inadvertently celebrate a system that thrived on racial inequality.
The dichotomy often casts "new money" as flashy, ostentatious, or lacking in class. This not only undermines the hard work, innovation, and resilience of "new money" individuals but also disproportionately impacts people of color, who, due to systemic barriers, are more often in the "new money" category.
How Do These Terms Reinforce Racial Inequality
The terms "old money" and "new money" reinforce racial stereotypes precisely because of the images they invoke and the underlying assumptions they reinforce. "Old money" often brings to mind generations of wealthy, white families who have inherited their wealth, living in grand mansions and belonging to exclusive social circles. This image suggests a sense of tradition, stability, and entitlement to wealth.
On the other hand, "new money" typically conjures up images of flashy, self-made people—such as tech moguls, entertainers, sports stars, and entrepreneurs—who have recently acquired wealth. They’re often outsiders to the traditional elite and many of them are people of color.
This contrast subtly implies that wealth for people of color is something new, temporary, or obtained through unconventional means or sheer luck. It reinforces the idea that true, lasting wealth belongs to the white elite, and creates a distinction about who truly “deserves” wealth depending on how it’s acquired and the color of their skin.
Language is powerful. The way we name and categorize things can shape perceptions, influence opinions, and even determine value systems. By perpetuating the "old money" vs. "new money" narrative without a second thought, we’re endorsing the racial biases they carry.
We can choose to celebrate new beginnings, innovation, persistence, determination, and diverse paths to success. We can recognize that wealth accumulated without the shadow of oppression has its unique value. And most importantly, we can remember that in the age of information, the stories we amplify and the names we give to things can either perpetuate systemic racism or challenge and change it.
In this digital age, we have the power to rewrite narratives.
Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz is a towering figure in the literary canon of the Spanish-speaking world. Born in the mid-17th century, in colonial-era Mexico, she was a woman far ahead of her time, breaking barriers in areas like education, women's rights, and even expressions of sexuality. Today, her legacy is an inspiration for women, educators, and the queer community around the globe.
A Self-taught Scholar
Born in 1648, Juana Ramírez de Asbaje, later known as Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz after becoming a nun, was a child prodigy who taught herself to read and write. She developed a deep love for learning, despite women's education being frowned upon in her era. Sor Juana's craving for knowledge was insatiable; she allegedly begged her mother to allow her to disguise herself as a boy to attend the university, which was closed to women.
Her self-acquired education led her to become one of the most educated women of her time, a scholar of wide-ranging topics, including theology, philosophy, music, and natural science. In her convent enclosure, she compiled a vast library, making it a sanctuary of learning that defied the restrictive norms of the time.
Advocate for Women's Rights
Sor Juana was unyielding in her fight for women's rights, especially the right to education. Her most famous work, "Respuesta a Sor Filotea" (Reply to Sister Philotea), is a passionate defense of women's right to knowledge and education. She argued that women had the same natural rights as men to knowledge and learning, an idea that was revolutionary at the time.
In her writings, Sor Juana exposed the hypocrisy of the patriarchal society that chastised women for wanting to educate themselves while simultaneously blaming them for not being knowledgeable. Through her intellectual achievements and passionate advocacy, she became a trailblazer for women's rights and a pioneer of early feminist thought.
Queer Expression in Her Poetry
Sor Juana's poetry is not only celebrated for its lyrical brilliance and intellectual depth but also for its exploration of feminine sexuality. Many of her poems present strong homoerotic subtexts, offering a fresh perspective on female sexuality that contrasted starkly with the dominant narratives of her era.
While the term 'lesbian' did not exist in the 17th century, her love poetry often includes female muses and objects of desire. Poems like "Rosa Divina Que En Gentil Cultura," with its sensuous imagery and feminine symbols, later led critics and scholars to interpret them as expressions of queer identity.Divine rose, that in a gentle upbringing,
with your fragrant subtlety, are
the purple-tinted teacher of splendor,
and a snowy lesson for beauty.
Gesture of human architecture,
an example of vain kindness,
in which Nature decided to join
a joyful cradle and a sorrowful grave.
How arrogant you're in your splendor,
as you disdain the risk of dying,
and then, withered and hunched,
you give gloomy signs of your expiration,
with it, a well versed death, and foolish life,
you deceive by living and teach by dying!
The lesbian interpretation of her poetry remains contentious due to the historical and cultural distance. However, there's no denying that her vivid explorations of female love and desire are highly unusual for her time and she challenged traditional 17th-century norms. Whether Sor Juana identified as a lesbian or not, her verses resonate with many people in the LGBTQ+ community and have made her an important figure in queer literature.
A Lasting Legacy
Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz left behind a legacy that resonates with people worldwide. She broke barriers at a time when women were actively discouraged from seeking education and knowledge. Her brave advocacy for women's rights marked her as a precursor of feminist thought. Moreover, her provocative poetry challenged the dominant heteronormative narratives of the time, making her a significant figure in queer literary studies.
To this day, she’s a powerful symbol of resistance against the subjugation of women and the denial of their rights to education and the expression of their sexuality. Her life and work continue to inspire and empower women, educators, and members of the LGBTQ+ community around the world, affirming that knowledge, courage, and authenticity are boundless, regardless of time and place.
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