I am a proud America Afro-Latina. Yes, all three. I am America, of African descent and Latina.
There are a lot of us out there, trust me.
I love Black History Month because it is the opportunity to learn new things that encourage and uplifts people who look like me. Not a common thing.
However, as an Afro-Latina I've come to realize that we don't speak much of the Afro-Latino's in history whom have also made a big impact on this world.
So in commemoration of the same I've opted to share 4 weeks of Afro-Latino's in History.
I begin this venture with the an Afro-Latina from my time. She was a woman that we all respected, admired and loved.
She was ...
Celia Cruz, was a Cuban singer and one of the most popular Latin artists of the 20th century. Cruz rose to fame in Cuba during the 1950s as a singer of guarachas, earning the nickname "La Guarachera de Cuba". In the following decades, she became known internationally as the "Queen of Salsa" or "The Queen of Latin Music" due to her contributions to Latin music in the United States.
Recording hits such as "Quimbara", "Guantanamera", "La Vida ed Un Carnaval" and "La Negra Tiene Tumbao", Celia Cruz made a name for herself in all realms of Latino Tropical Music.
Celia, however, was not just an amazing and talented voice. She was also a philanthropist. Celia Cruz founded The Celia Cruz Foundation which is a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising funds for underprivileged students who want to study music. Celia Cruz was a devout supporter of music education in the Hispanic community. The Celia Cruz Foundation is still in existence.
Having been raised in her era I was able to savor the flavor and soul of Celia Cruz' music and character. It was a pivotal part of my upbringing and taught me what it was to have the Latin essence. Today and forever I will be a devoted fan of Celia Cruz, her music, her soul and the imprint she left on all of Latino America, the Caribbean and around the world. She showed me what it was to be proud of my brown skin and my roots. Thank you, Mr. Cruz! 🥰