Afro-Mexican Activists Fight for Constitutional Recognition in Mexico

By Sameer Rao Nov 10, 2015

Mexico is one of only two Latin American nations (Chile is the other) to not officially recognize its black population in its national constitution. This exclusion of Afro Mexicans from the nation’s governing document and other aspects of the post-revolution Mexican national imagination has lead to a structural erasure of Afro-Mexican voices to this day. Now, a group is fighting for their constitutional recognition. 

According to a ReMezcla piece by Walter Thompson-Hernández—a researcher whose social media project on "Blaxican" Angelenos was featured here earlier this year—advocacy group México Negro recently launched a campaign for Afro Mexicans to be officially recognized in the national census. That recognition would reportedly open up channels to long-denied resources: 

“We are joining senators and deputies to be recognized in the Federal Constitution and the missing federal states, so that the Mexican state pays off its historical debt with Afro Mexicans,” explained, Sergio Peńaloza Perez, the leader of Black-Mexico. The bill also plans to be launched later this month in Oaxaca, Mexico at the 16th annual meeting of black peoples taking place on November 13-14th.

(H/t ReMezcla