Latinx Erasure, Censure, and Buffoonery

Here’s a first look at a new series We’re launching!

Latinx Erasure, Censure, and Buffoonery is a series by Dr. Grisel Y. Acosta, which gathers various texts and/or artifacts of the phenomenon in the United States. It is a direct response to the recent calls for a wall between the U.S. and Mexico; recent calls for the deportation of people of color from the U.S., especially those of Latinx descent; and recent calls for the censure of multicultural classes that studies have shown have successfully advanced all students, regardless of race.

Dr. Acosta would like to show a correlation between the anti-Latinx rhetoric and actions, with various forms of erasure, censure, and buffoonery of Latinx subjects in the media. It is Dr. Acosta’s theory that the two work hand in hand in making the general population of the U.S. comfortable with inhumane treatment of the Latinx population, but if the media depictions were more accurate and controlled by the Latinx population, perhaps the general population would be more uncomfortable with the anti-Latinx rhetoric/agenda. In other words, the Latinx population will not be respected, listened to, and treated humanely, until routine depictions of the Latinx population in the media, first of all, exist, but secondly, actually represent the reality of the Latinx population.

Right now, at best, media representation is minimal and often based on negative stereotypes, but at worst is overtly anti-Latinx and most often controlled by producers, editors, and corporate interests who are not of Latinx-descent. This representation has always been easy for some of us to see, but in order to make the thing obvious, the best way is to collect the data in one place and show everyone our analysis of it. Dr. Acosta’s goal is to have, within about a year’s time, at least 300 “days” of Latinx erasure, censure, and buffoonery. The term “days” is not meant to specify actual days, one right after the other. Some entries will have several “days” worth of information, and other entries will have just one specific analysis.

Find the first installment of the series is at Dr. Acosta’s Blogspot and come back here for the rest.


Day 1

After hearing about our current State of the Union and subsequent language about the statements made in it, where immigrants were again equated with violent behavior, and after thinking a lot about what has been happening around me, I finally have something to say…

Keep reading here.

Dr. Grisel Y. Acosta is an associate professor in the English Department of Bronx Community College—City University of New York, where she teaches Latinx literature and creative writing. Her most recent works are in The Reproductive Freedom Anthology, Basta! 100 Latinas Write on Violence Against Women, Paterson Literary Review, In Full Color: A Collection of Stories by Women of Color, Chicana/Latina Studies: The Journal of Mujeres Activas en Letras y Cambio Social, English Kills Review, The Kenyon Review, and VIDA: Women in Literary Arts. She is the recipient of grants/fellowships from The Aspen Institute, Creative Capital, Kweli Journal, and CUNY, and was most recently awarded BCC's Latinx Faculty of the Year award. Dr. Acosta’s work is inspired by the punk and house movements of the 1980s, her native city of Chicago, and her Cuban and Colombian background.

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