I SWEAR I JUST SAW THOSE SAME KELIS PANTS IN GOODWILL YESTERDAY…HALLOWEEN SHOPPING PEOPLE!!!

Kelis can get away with anything shawty!

^No she can’t

Hahaha! Second!!

G-ROC…HUMMMMM….UHH NICE NAME…

@ DROCK

How do you get your pic to show as your Gravatar? I want to upload a pic.

Those Ross women really have some eyes on them. And Jaleel White.. WHAT??? How is he paying his bills? He looks nice though. Only Kelis could pull off that crazy outfit.

Dania ramirez is some kind of fine. New Heroes actress.

@ The Real Essence 1

Yeah like being cast as Uhura in that new Star Trek re-boot going into production in a few months. I would’ve preferred Meagan Good myself.

Damn, that chick in the first picture has man hands and looks as if she was about to kiss Kelis. Kelis was only interested in the phone…she was probably texting her boo…Nas!

zoe is pure dominicana!!! she is not black.. bc some ignorant asses cant figure out what she is she exploits their stupidity.. good for her!! let her make her money, stop hating bc these big wigs dont want to use a black chick for a black chick role.

Is Kelis pregnant?

Mmmm, Larenz Tate can get it….

I love her style…Kelis that is

dominican beauties and kelis is gorgeous.

Leave Kelis alone, I love how she does what she wants.

Kelis is a cutie, I like her style. When is her next hit going to drop???

yeah, Larenz Tate can definitely get it…

I love…

them…

so much….

….Right NOW TROIS-TROIS-TROIS

I cant hate Kelis anymore. Yes she took my man, but her style is unrivalled. Her hair? No words!

Kelis be raw….her style is unique and different and i give her props for not looking like your “average” chick in the game!

Zoe and Kelis look cute. Does Zoe have any movies coming out?

Do you have to be African American or African to act in black roles. Don’t black people live in all locations of the world. Why can’t she be proud of her Hispanic culture and still be black.

Everytime someone brings up race they just sound stupid. There are black people in the DR just like there are black people in Cuba or El Salvador. Just because you speak another language doesn’t mean that you aren’t black. Jesus Christ!!!!

I love Skate Board P!!!!

Kelis is sloppy and that doesn’t equate to having style.

whhhhhhatttttttttttt d nice is still alive?! lol yeah umm larenz is look quite tasty

Agreed with Eye. The Race Question is SO STUPID. Black does *not* equal African American. Black is Black – whether you’re French, Canadian, American, Dominican, Jamaican. You’re Black. Your ethnicity (Hispanic, American, European) is something different. You can be a Black Brazilian, Black American, Black British, Black Caribbean. So, therefore, Zoe is just as much Black as she is Hispanic. One has nothing to do with the other. It’s such an ignorant line of thinking! Get a world history book!

@E.M. Diva

You betta say that gurl.

@ E.M. Diva & Eye

You right. Then y’all won’t mind if they casts Meagan Good to play a Dominican or have Sanaa Lathame to play Celia Cruz.

The issue was that in prior interviews Z. Saldana is always denying shes black. So perhaps, you should tell her that.

Eye,

With a name like that I would think you were able to see how much original and edgy style Kelis has. Granted, this pic of her here isnt her best but we all have off days. She is dope. She reminds me of Erykah Badu and Lauren Hill back in the day in terms of style, NOT TALENT. Visionaries!

Kelise = A FREAKIN’ MESS but hey, she snagged Nas didn’t she?

Jaleel White: Looks like he is fighting off some disease process like Sickle Cell or something I will pray for him just in case. But just incase he just looks a sweaty mess….I have to say DAYUM. What happened to Stephon from Family Matters that I used to wait for on TGIF lol?

The people we find cute when we are adolecents SMH and LMAO!!!!

BlackFriday,

For that juicy piece of gossip, the next bus that rolls by I am putting you in front of it. What kind of salacious slander is that?

Z. Saldana doesn’t deny she’s black. She doesn’t want to label herself as one thing. I actually watched her say that in an interview. She has African and Hispanic ancestry. What difference does it make anyway? She is who she is? If you really think about it she’s not Black or Hispanic… she’s both and to only claim Black would be denying the other side that contributed to her being.

Come on Kelis lost with this outfit. Whomever says this get up looks good must be on crack.

@Lil Bit

Hey i’ve heard that b4, Boricua, what does it mean? If you don’t mind me asking.

Chudney Ross looks like Danny Devito when he played The Penguin in Bat Man Returns. Google image it and see.

Lil Bit,

Funny you should say that. I am Haitian and I never thought that about Dominicans. I am not exactly sure about the relations between nations but apparently migrant workers from Haiti in the Dominican arent treated well. But thats with everywhere isnt it?

^^^^^I know this is gonna sound weird but I love learning about different cultures. I’ve always been like that too. I just don’t want to miss out on having a really great relationship with someone b/c I can’t see past their skin color. So many people need to look beyond the surface.

I don’t know about those pants, but I will say all of those sisters in that picture are real pretty.

This is totally off topic but am I the only black person who doesn’t like being called ‘african american’? I mean I’m not African. Other than where the continent is and a few countries within it I don’t know anything about Africans. I want to and I have some friends who are African but I just feel weird about the whole thing.

@AND…

My friend doesn’t like to be called african american either. He’ll always go on to correct people, and tell them he’s a Black American.

@kigali, Eye is short for a name that you would never in your wildest dreams have the spunk to think of much less wear as your label. Kelis is corky, kinda like Courtney Love’s husband. Don’t be such a follower. She really doesn’t know what her look is and therefore confuses style. This isn’t inovation it is purely confusion. She did way too much acid back in the day and sometimes it shows. Just by her being a grown ass woman and staining her shirt shows you just how corky she is……

NEXT!

This is in response to “The Real Essence.” Just because someone is proud of their heritage doesn’t mean they can’t have friends outside of it. Where the heck do you live that you are so ignorant? How many roles in Hollywood are specifically written for hispanic women? Not very many. So if you want to succeed, you have to play the role. And just so we’re clear, Dominican people are part of the Diaspora. Check your history books.

zoe saldana is half puerto rican and half dominican. daniel is all dominican. kelis is puerto rican, chinese and black.

dont beleive me do the research. i know becasue i must have read so many articles on all these girls for years. like daniel her fiance is jessey tererro he direct music videos like 50 cent, sean paul, soul plane. how i knew zoe was what she is was in a article in domincian times and she was on 106 n park and said it. as for kelis she said it in a source magazine when it use to be popular.

Pharrell looks like he’s ready to take a bite of that! I put 50 on it that he hit it that night!

@Lil bit

Dominican’s are not Haitians who speak Spanish- u need to read a History book!!!

Poor Steve Urkel. That one role ruined his whole acting career. And now Kanye is swagger jacking Urkel’s style-big goofy glasses and just last night he was spotted wearing orthopedic shoes. Stars are always trying to set wack @ss trends. First Kanye then Beyonce with the BIN LADEN look and now Kelis is wearing pajama pants to parties. . . . . I hate to see whats next! http://www.stylerazzi.blogspot.com

I heart Kelis sooo much!!! That girl has a style of her own and marches to her own beat…

How can you say Kelis even has a style? Call it what you want but I call it tacky. She tries to be eclectic and it’s not. She’s trying too hard. Why is she even still around?

OK, here we go…Dominicans are NOT Haitian… Isla Española (Spanish Island), later turned into Hispaniola. La Navidad is now northern Haiti. Dominican Rep. was established by Europeans in the Americas and they were enslaved by Spanish settlers after the Tainos died out from smallpox. The Spanish brought Africans into Hispaniola to work as slaves. The Spanish lost the western part of Hispaniola when the French whipped that a$$ hence the separation of Hispaniola. DR was Spanish ruled and Haiti was French ruled. Before their current names Haiti was Saint-Domingue; and the remaining Spanish section of the island was called Santo Domingo which is now Dominican Rep.

Black is a Race- Zoe’s race is black her ethnicity is Dominican…. I have always wanted to explain that to her and so many of my other dumb a$$ Hispanic sisters. And for anyone who saw her on 106PArk, she doesnt speak ANY spanish. Yes, I am a Black Cuban- American {see how that works?? Race, Ethnicity and Nationality}. Not ALL Puerto Ricans were Taino and Tainos existed on several Carib Islands after coming from South America- so then my puerto ricans, are we ALL Boricua?? Which is by the way a SMALL section of the island where the Tainos lived, Boriken. Nonetheless, some ishh jumped off when Cris Columbus arrived and the Spanish basically killed off the Taino- history shows the geneology of very few survived to maintain and multiply their race soooo sorry you are probably not at all a descendant of the Taino people, maybe you have some of the cultural influence, but thats all, let it go!! PR’s kill me with that Boricua nonsense. Finally, can we knock of all this Latina/o bull?? I cant believe they made a magazine repping hispanics as Latin, although Spanish is Latin, so is Italian,Portuguese and any other Indo-European language spoken in the Roman Empire, of which there are many dialects. I love my hispanic people, bless your sweet maduros!! But I hate that so many of us take credit for what we dont deserve and hold on to false- truths about our history and cultural evolution… Frontin like we like that crappy music J.Lo tries to sing, she’s talentless- just lucky enough to strike when no one was paying attn to her. We only celebrate her dumba$$ cause we are desperate and she’s all we got. I love this stuff, I can go all nite!!

well, i love kelis! her style is just so one of a kind and she is not a follower or tryin to look like a white woman *coughBeyonce* i love her and her music!!!

i agree with whoever said they were as much hispanic as they were black…people just dont have to be 1 thing…these are multicultural women representing how beautiful women in the Black Diaspora can be, all over (kelis-puerto rican, asian, black) zoe (dominican,black) daniela (dominican,black)

@CubaLinda

There is not a such thing as race. So that is wrong

im feeling this convo on race….these are the type of conversations that need to be on television shows instead of crappy booty shakin videos!

CubaLinda: thank you for informing some of those people on the board. Did Zoe actually say she’s not Black? Man, those black people in the carribean & South America have some serious inferiority complex.

Thanks @ CubaLinda

Very informative..

kelis is too fly!! i luv luv luv her!! there are times where certain things she wears only she (or the odd person) can pull off, but majority of the time, i’d rock what she’s got on!

Where has Bill Bellamy been hiding? I need to see him in a new movie or show.

Lol @ Pharrell looking at the booty.

Sac Pase Kilgali. Nice break down Cuban.

I’m shocked Kelis is dressed like that.

@Lil Bit

@CubaLinda]

Thank you so much for educating some of us not so hip-to-other-cultures people. This is the reason I love having friends from different backgrounds. You learn so much and have so much more respect for them. Now if only my people could do this. ETHNIC PEOPLE ROCK!!!:)

(Is that PC? If not I meant it in a good way.)

@ CubaLinda and anyone who wants to answer

“Yes, I am a Black Cuban- American {see how that works?? Race, Ethnicity and Nationality}. ” I loved that part. Question so I should refer to myself as Black American or Black African- American?

@ Miss L

Look retard the bottom line is this….If Zoe’s going to rep her hispanic background & tell interviewers she’s not BLACK then she need to stick to roles on TELEMUNDO there are waaaay too many talented beautiful black actresses out here hro her to be STEALING roles meant to be portrayed thru the eyes & or life of a sista-ya dig?

Why is it BLACK PEOPLE are never on spanish tv shows unless portraying maids, cooks, butlers ect {this was told to me by an avid spanish soap opera viewer} yet the dark hispanics are soo quick to rep their heritage {SMH}

Also miss missy, I hear Alfre Woodard up for the movie role of Celina & hispanics are upset! So go preach your tired non-sense to an un-enlightened black person cuz I’m way too advanced to be fooled by YOU!

One other thing before I’m done….I LIVE IN NYC BROAD! I KNOW ALL ABOUT HOW DOMINICANS FEEL ABOUT BLACKS. I’VE VACATIONED ON THAT ISLAND WHEN I WAS YOUNGER & DIDN’T HAVE MUCH DOUGH CUZ IT’S A CHEAP GET AWAY I ALSO KNOW THAT THEY DISCRIMINATE AGAINST PEOPLE ZOE SALDANA’S COMPLEXION {it happened to my friend who is dark skinned}

My question…..Why is SHE so quick to point out a nationality that DON’T care for HER????!!!

Think before you respond or else!!!!

I can tell you a WHOLE bunch about Cuba!!My father’s mother left Cuba & came to Harlem when she was a teen.

Folks dislike Fidel Castro mainly because he didn’t like they way white skinned Cubans mistreated the dark skinned Cubans.

In the 40′s & 50′s Cuba was a shining star & labeled the play ground for the very rich & famous {look this up} Of coarse only white Cubans lived lavishly while blacks lived as servants & domestic help. When Castro came in he basically said everyone would be equal so the whites revolted & eventually left the country {coming to MIAMI}

All those down in MIAMI are anticipating Castro’s death hoping & praying that poor man dies so they can go BACK to CUBA & take over!!!!

Now that’s the story I’ve been raised on I’m sure there are other factors involved Castro is no saint I’m sure, but I do believe his intentions to dissolve the racism was pure.

First let me say, I am NOT trying to preach. I don’t know enough to do that but I am trying to learn. I just googled some stuff and according to several different archaeology and sociology of race sites. Ethinicity is a social identification that is self recognized. These articles also coincided by saying someone can belong to more than one ethnicity and can change ethnicities over time.

@ And

Because you are researching this stuff can you tell us how many races actually exist. i must admit it’s been a while since my studies of this during under graduate day’s so correct me if I’m wrong…are there not THREE {3} ORIGINS OF RACE?

Black

Caucasian

Asian

@ “The Real Essence 1″

It never ceases to amaze me how Black Americans are so quick to point out race issues in OTHER countries— as you just did your post. Black people are discrimated in the Dominican Republic, your dark-skinned friend was treated poorly in the D.R., you live in NYC and you know how Dominicans feel about Black people, Puerto Ricans don’t like Black people, Black people from Cuba never want to admit that they’re black, and on, and on, and on.

I hear this all the time from Black Americans.

And the funny thing about that is that racism in Latin America, or Europe, or Canada, or Africa is NO DIFFERENT from the racism that exists in the United States against Black people in this very day and age. Jena 6, anyone?

YOU come from a racist country that historically and systematically oppresses Black people— and you still call yourself a Black American. Zoe comes from a country that (as most countries) also has issues with race and oppression of Black people — and she still calls herself Dominican. What is the difference? None.

And moreover — when it comes to Black people outside of the U.S. trying to “deny” they’re Black — have you ever considered the multitudes of Black Americans that are quick to mention they’re “part Cherokee”, or they’re “great grandfather was white”? Or how about the way Black American television (BET, for example) glorify light-skinned Black people over dark-skinned Black people? How about the history of the brown paper bag rule and organizations like Jack and Jill that historically only accept kids who are “lighter skinned”? How about the obsession with “good hair” vs. “bad hair” — not to mention the hundreds of people I’ve met in my lifetime who insist they are “Creole”? What is that– besides trying to deny or lessen your Blackness? And what I’m describing is strictly American.

The U.S. is no better, no more progressed, and no less racist than any other country in Latin America or beyond.

So if Zoe is Dominican, she’s Dominican! And if you’re American, you’re American! This country is not the mecca of racial symbiosis! So get over it!

Black is black – whatever country you are from. And, as world history shows, every country that was affected or somehow involved in the slave trade has racial issues against Black people. And Black people– in the world, regardless of nationality — have internal issues regarding race and skin color.

So, give me a break… It’s all very hypocritical.

@E.M. Diva

Louisiana Creole is a blending of three different ethnic influences: the west European, west African, and includes a significant input from the Native American. You might not understand that but I live in Louisiana right now and I am black american however my last name is Creole. If it were not for that I would have never know that I have French and Native American heritage. No one is trying to ‘deny or lessen their blackness’ (at least I’m not) I just want to know where and from whom I come from so that I will know my ethnicity and be able to identify with a culture, as Zoe is trying to do.

AND…The Creole experience in Louisiana is a close cousin to Creole cultures world-wide. The nearest examples are found in the Caribbean: Cuba, Haiti, Guadeloupe and Martinique. The Indian Ocean holds: Réunion, Mauritius, Seychelles and Goa. In South America, the Guianas and Brazil are recognized as Creole countries.

All these places have similar ethnic mixtures, strong links in cuisine, architecture, music, folklore, life-styles, religion, family values and colonial economies. Louisiana is just one small member of this Creole family that stretches across the globe, but is the only part found in the United States.

@The Real Essence 1

Here is what I found.

In the past, physical anthropologists spent years defining sub-races within three major categories: Caucasoid, Negroid, and Mongoloid.

When it became evident that physical traits, like skin color or eye form, were related more to geography than anything else, they switched to “geographical races:” European, Asian, African, and then “local races:” Meditterian European, Alpine European, etc., and finally “microraces:” polynesian, melanesian, etc.

But, once the humane genome code was cracked, it became abundantly clear that there is only one race: human.

@ LilBit

I was forced to learn about my history and culture b/c growing up I was forced to be one thing or the other. I was sooo confused about what to be when asked “what are you?” until eventually I would lie and reply to correspond with the group of people I was with- not wanting to feel “different”. I got tired of having to defend being Black with a Castillian Spanish name and then defend being Hispanic with brown skin and thick textured hair… Finally, I just went off to find out why I couldn’t be one or the other and learn to accept that for many of us, it’s not that simple. BTW, I hate applications, I always get so nervous around the Ethnicity/ Race section b/c even there, there is no category to describe my background…. Imagine growing up having to think of yourself as “other”- that lead to a huge identity crisis. So I hit the books and got educated on the topic so that when I had to curse out a Puerto Rican for telling me I wasn’t Hispanic b/c of my color/ hair, I could do so with precise accuracy on the topic while speaking Spanish for affect… Yeah, there are some really ignorant Cubans out their in SF acting like they are strictly European, but in Cuba, the culture screams Africa!! And despite a modest 11% of the population being Black {the majority are mulatto @ 51%}, Cubans in Cuba are traditionally aware and proud of African heritage- esp. the music.

This is like the best blog ever, the only one I’ve ever participated!! So many opinions on a relevant, conscious issue, let’s take this debate on the road yall!! Even the people who disagree have gems to contribute b/c it sheds light on what discrepancies exist in our history and we can address that…

Look I don’t know about all that “Réunion, Mauritius, Seychelles and Goa. In South America, the Guianas and Brazil Creole”

Who cares anyway bottom line is this…when the “man” look at ya all he see’s is the N word.

Note to Zoe & the rest of you’s: If you look BLACK you is BLACK stop adding all these extras cuz it don’t matter. Zoe looks like a chocolate sista so she is BLACK that’s it!

@ And…

Right on!!! Said beautifully….

@ anonymous

Please go back to where ever you came from. We were doing just fine before you got here talking all this craziness. You are contributing to the madness. If you don’t like that some people in here are trying to get a better understand of the different cultures around them go to the Crunk and Disorderly site. If may be better suited for your needs,”If you look BLACK you is BLACK,” and grammar.

And Found: “In the past, physical anthropologists spent years defining sub-races within three major categories: Caucasoid {White}, Negroid {Black}, and Mongoloid {Asian}”

Exactly what I said!!! And if you really want to go further the original race was Negroid- Africa is the birth place of civilization fools!

Everyone is BLACK so why are so many ashamed to claim what is so very apparent I agree with Anonymous; Zoe looks like me.. I’m black so she’s BLACK!!

@The Real Essence 1

You are right. I loved my World Civ class when the professor said that people originated in Africa. All the white people looked stunned and I burst into laughter. They were like ” Wait I’m negro. Oh noooo.” (no one really said that but they looked like they wanted to). Zoe is a beautiful person. Whatever she wants to be is fine with me.

Why are black folks the biggest culprits of this “adding on” affect? We act like something is wrong with being african american?

I’m proud to be black, african american, afro-american or whatever the term is these day’s…. Why can’t the rest of my race be proud?

@iamlegend

It’s not all black caribbean/S.American people sometimes it’s black Americans. When I tell black Americans I’m from the caribbean, they look at me and say “oh you’re not black”

You know, all this talk about race reminds me of a song I learned as a child in Vacation Bible School.

“Jesus loves the little children,

all the children of the world,

green and yellow, black or white we are precious in His sight,

Jesus loves the little children of the world.”

Thought I’d share.

@The Real Essence 1

I am going to post for you the same thing I posted for E.M. Diva.

“Louisiana Creole is a blending of three different ethnic influences: the west European, west African, and includes a significant input from the Native American. You might not understand that but I live in Louisiana right now and I am black american however my last name is Creole. If it were not for that I would have never know that I have French and Native American heritage. No one is trying to ‘deny or lessen their blackness’ (at least I’m not) I just want to know where and from whom I come from so that I will know my ethnicity and be able to identify with a culture, as Zoe is trying to do.”

wow if i saw kelis looking like that i would not of taken a second glance.

@ Skin Color Cocoa

Zoe attempted to quote a Spanish phrase to Julissa on 106 Park {both Hispanic women} and struggled, they both admitted they’re not fluent in the language… I don’t know her so I cant confirm whether she can or cant speak the language, however, since she said she didn’t, I will take her word for it. Learning a script in Spanish is fairly simple if you have some exposure to the language, cue cards, a coach and memorization skills. Toni Braxton recorded a song in Spanish and does not speak conversational Spanish and coincidentally, the late Selena, was not fluent in Spanish and recorded many songs in the language which is how she became better verse in Spanish and she is celebrated by Hispanics no less.

@ Real Essence

Fidel Castro is the most misrepresented and politically disputed person solely b/c he refused to submit to the capitalist practices of the US. You are right he kicked out the riff raff who were exploiting his country which were mostly Italian Mafia types and Big Wig Politicos- the US was denied the opportunity to assert their control by divide and conquer tactics and ultimately lost billions in political and corporate strong arm influence. Castro saved Cuba from US control and the people are grateful to him for that {for the most part}. Cuba leads most countries, including the US, in universal health care and education. Since the ‘50’s the US has been trying gain the confidence & trust of the Cuban people to orchestrate a revolt against Castro… The US has been partial to Cubans who illegally migrate to American soil by granting them “asylum” and allowing them to reamain while Haitians seeking the same status are considered “illegal refugees” and deported immediately. There is no reason for this obvious preference other than to lure Cubans into the American system to the detriment of Castro and his reign on Cuba. I fear his brother, Raul’s appointment as Cuban Prime Minister should Castro die, Raul is itching to get in to bed with commercializing Cuba and allowing a corporate presence to emerge. Most Cubans who flee are fascinated with a capitalist society and the economic policies of the US that bring disparity our citizens. It’s appealing to them that in the US, I can have a life of luxury and spoil if I can afford it- while someone else doesn’t have adequate medical, housing etc… The rich get richer and the poor don’t get a goddamn thing!!

Love all three, but Kelis’ pants are just a mess

YOU BLACK PEOPLE ARE SO STUPID. PEOPLE SPIT IN YOUR FACE AND BASICALLY TELL YOU YOU’RE NOTHING BUT YOU ALLOW THEM TO HAVE CONTINUOUS ACCESS TO YOUR LIFE, YOU FAMILY, YOUR CREATIONS, YOUR SUCCESS. MY GOD!

@ dj

I don’t know who you’ve been around but noone has ever spit in my face. STFU.

@ And…

I totally agree with you and I think, in essence, we’re coming from the same place.

If you ARE creole, then you’re Creole. If you’re Caribbean, you’re Caribbean. If you’re from a Spanish-speaking country or an English-speaking country, or a French-speaking country– then so be it and it doesn’t mean you are not Black because Black does not equal Black American. And while there are many people (in Louisiana, for example) who actually are Creole, there are quite a few who are not and claim it for reasons that boil down to color-struck-syndrome. My point with that is that being color-struck and internalizing racism is not an Afro-Latin thing… but a Black thing in general. We all do it – regardless of being American born or foreign born. It’s the global state of affairs.

@ CubaLinda

You sure know your stuff- I had no idea it was THAT deep…thanks for hipping me to the real deal.

Back in the day Communism was the four letter word now I’m not so sure what my thoughts are.

@ E.M. Diva

I feel you. There are some people here who are all to quick to throw that “I’m part Cherokee Indian” in like it makes them special or some ish. I don’t consider myself creole or african just a Black American. The reason everything is so strange to me is that out of the four children my grandmother had the eldest has “good-hair” super curly, the second (my mother) looks biracial b/c of her skin tone but her hair screams Zimbabwe, and the last two are the same brown skin tone with regular hair. All four kids have the same two parents.

What exactly makes us Black?

My family is from the Caribbean (Trinidad and Tobago to be exact). I myself look Black but I have cousins who look white, some look East Indian, some mixed with “black” and Indian, some black and chinese, and it goes on and on. Now we all came from the same grandmother who is “black”. I also have many friends from other islands and even here in the U.S. whose family structure looks the same.

So tell me should they call themselves black when they don’t look it? Are people automatically black if they are part black? If someone is half black and half something else, why do they have to deny the other part of them and only identify with their black side? Why can’t we be proud of both?

Why do we make a big deal out of things that should be so insignificant?…like skin color and hair texture. We are all so mixed up that it shouldn’t really matter to us.

If Zoe wants to say she is Hispanic, that’s her business.

As DJ tried to say…we are allowing other people to have access to our lives by making things that are not important, important.

I believe that our culture is what matters most…

I MUST SAY….I ENJOYED BEING SEMI-EDUCATED ON RACE. I THINK EVERYONE WHO CONTRIBUTE VALUABLE AND HELPFUL INFORMATION!!

@ And… in response to DJ

I am with you, no one has ever spit in my face. Dj, find better friends…

@ Jmills {And… submitted this knowledge earlier}

In the past, physical anthropologists spent years defining sub-races within three major categories: Caucasoid, Negroid, and Mongoloid.

{It was then reiterated by Real Essence:}

“In the past, physical anthropologists spent years defining sub-races within three major categories: Caucasoid {White}, Negroid {Black}, and Mongoloid {Asian}”

Unfortunately, being just black has become associated with negative connotations and therefore insulting to most. There is a long stemming socio-political misrepresentation of Blacks and in my opinion a modern day form of oppression- however we perpetuate the oppression thru ignorance. The classifications and distinctions of being Caribbean, African, Hispanic, East Indian etc.has been a subliminal effort of Europeans to keep us from sharing solidarity. Ethnic stratification is imperative to European supremacy otherwise collectively Blacks would prevail because we out number them by far. We are put against one another and trained to believe that we really are different b/c we hail from various countries & nations. Most groups outside the US are taught thru media, to believe the worst about Black- America so there becomes a deliberate effort to distinguish themselves from the very group they belong to {the Black race}. Black America is given the worst representation and it is no accident. If we all integrated despite ethnicity and nationality, we would be a threat and an unbeatable force. However, we spend every defining moment assuring that we are not tied to being a part of a particular subset of the Black race. So Bajans don’t want to be called Guyanese, who don’t want to be called Trinidadians, who don’t want to be called Jamaicans, who don’t want to be called Africans, who don’t want to be called Hatians, who don’t want to be called Dominicans, who don’t want to be called Cubans who don’t want to be called Puerto Rican AND NO ONE WANTS TO BE CALLED BLACK. We have allowed these classifications to permeate our existence to the point where we are ignorant of how much more we share with one another based upon our African ancestry. It is so funny to see people talk about what they do in their culture as though all descendants of Africa don’t share those qualities; all Hispanics think they are the only culture to eat platanos meanwhile Africans eat plaintans for breakfast as a side and Haitians eat them just the same but they call it Banan. We really sound ignorant denying our connection from one ethnicity to the next when the examples we use to distinguish ourselves are the same examples that prove how we are bound culturally.

I am proud of my Cuban heritage, but I am fearlessly protective of my image as a Black woman!! That is the image that I walk with EVERYDAY and when you see me that is the only assumption you can make of me so I rep that to the fullest… I am deeply offended by other Caribbeans and Hispanics that do not share that sentiment if it appropriately applys. I would never correct someone who called me Black, b/c they are as accurate as can be, however if a relevant topic ensues or asked about my name, I would be just as proud to talk about Santa Clara, Cuba…

Thank you to CubaLinda and E.M. Diva and others who responded in an educational/helpful/classy way. I’m glad to see that others share my view on this forum share my view.

To “The Real Essence”, I can sit here and type a dissertation in response to everything you said, but the “broad” comment and the threats gave me an impression of someone, well, for lack of a better word, lowly…and I have no time to get into an online debate with someone I don’t even know. I hope the exchange from everyone else, who responded with class and an objective view has provided better insight and education for you. And if name calling, threats etc. make you feel REAL ESSENTIAL, do you.

@CubaLinda–

Damn, girl! Where was your butt when I needed help in my Spanish History studies??? Lol!!!!

Is it mucho gracias or gracias mucho??? Naw, I’m just kidding!

Good job!

@ Platinum

This knowledge comes with a price… All the reading has helped me get the history down to a degree, but I still can’t seem to figure out these men. Who’s got the goods on that!!

@ CubaLinda–

Sweetheart, let me put it to you this way– we as women may one day (in the very present future lol!)

be able to match social & economic standards, grasp corporate success, obtain independent monetary status with the opposite sex all while being a mother to his children and holding down the structures of everyday family living. However, until men can truly appreciate and respect us as the beautiful creatures that The Creator has willed us to be- we will never seem to be equated as a partner–in every sense of the word.

You remember this–

Like my grandmother always said–”be the person you want to attract, God will do the rest!”

I wish you well in your quest to find a lifetime partner equal to someone as yourself!

@ Platinum

Thanx and same to you…!!

ok first of zoe is not dr n black she is full latino of (afro y taino input) dania is full dr as well (afro y spanish) 2nd dr n haiti are different haitians descend from afro,french,dutch,etc. n dominicans come from taino,arawak,spanish,and afro infuluence same as cubanos and boricuas

you people are so stupid, not everyone has to dress the same last time i looked we are are not clones, so what if kelis is wearing stripey trousers. its not like she used your money. so get over it!!!!!!!!!!!

exactly who are you to tell someone how they should categorize themselves , i see my self as black since both my parents are black but if someone is of mixed race it is up to them how to categorize themselses if at all, its no one elses business. people who bring this up usually have biiiiiiiiiig issues themselves trust me! get a life, there are far more important things in life to think about such as, why is usher married to a man? and how does beyaki get away with those outragous lacefronts!!!!!!!!!!

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