In celebration of Black History Month, the Latino Community Foundation is honored to shine a spotlight on Dr. Sonia BasSheva Mañjon, a vital member of our board and a powerful voice within our leadership team. Dr. Mañjon’s perspective as an Afro-Latina, a cultural anthropologist, and a passionate advocate for social justice helps add to the cultural richness of the Latino Community Foundation.
Latino Community Foundation: What does it mean to you to be Afro-Latina?
Dr. Mañjon: Being Afro-Latina means I come from strong, resilient, artistically, and culturally beautiful people. I’m Dominicana, a cultural mix of enslaved African people, Tiano natives, and Spaniard colonists. While many Dominicans choose only to recognize the colonial influences, I embrace my African and Indigenous cultural influences, especially from a matriarchal lineage. A significant component of my research as an academic and cultural anthropologist focused on the generational significance of Mujeres Dominicanas.
Latino Community Foundation: How do you celebrate Black History Month and what does it mean to you?
Dr. Mañjon: I do not limit my recognition and celebration of my Blackness to one month. While I appreciate sharing information for those who limit their curiosity to “Black History Month,” it further divides us into months on a calendar. I feel the same about Hispanic (I hate that term) Heritage Month or Women’s History Month. It ghettoizes our significant contributions to this country’s cultural, historical, and socio-economic landscapes. As an Afro-Latina, I, unfortunately, am only highlighted during one of these months, as if I don’t exist during the other months of the year.
Latino Community Foundation: How can we use Black History Month to promote understanding and build a more equitable society?
Dr. Mañjon: Black History Month already fosters an understanding of African Americans’ contributions to society. Building a more equitable society is the challenge as we face an era of pre-dictatorship, war on our civil liberties, sanctions against women and their right to control their bodies, attacks on our institutions, elimination of DEI initiatives, and just plain ole disrespect of the 99% of us who make this country what it is. We need to use everything we have in our artillery to combat those who seek to silence and eliminate us. Black History Month and every other culture, gender, and gender identity designated month need to organize around finding commonalities, points of interest, and support for this homeland war that is being waged against us all. It is only by coming together as a majority of people of color, women, LGBTQIA+, and other disenfranchised people that we build a more equitable society.
Latino Community Foundation: What role can individuals play in promoting and celebrating Black history and culture?
Dr. Mañjon: Black history and culture is global. We have to first agree on that fact. We live in an age of information accessibility through our cell phones, computers, and libraries in oral, visual, and written formats. As individuals, we must depart from our comfort zones, move into more diverse groups and communities, share our stories and experiences, and organize around common goals. We must celebrate our stories constantly and continuously, not just during “the designated month.” Most importantly, we must stand up and show out, as Kendrick Lamar did during Super Bowl 2025 so eloquently and bodaciously.
Dr. Sonia BasSheva Mañjon’s words remind us that celebrating Black history and culture is not confined to a single month, but rather an ongoing commitment to recognizing the interconnectedness of our shared human experience. We invite you to join us in honoring Dr. Mañjon’s vision and embracing the richness of Afro-Latino heritage, not just during Black History Month, but every day.
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