Colorism In Puerto Rico

It is evident that the United states of America is very racialized and has been since the beginning. Coming from a country that is of one culture, it is a culture shock when someone comes to America and everyone begins to categorize them racially. Hispanic is a very broad term, mainly because one can identify with any race within that. Puerto Rico and Cuba are both islands in the Caribbean they share many similarities but differences as well. A major theme that stood out to me in reading this chapter was the treatment and conditions of people based on skin color.
Feagin defines color coding as “Social stratification or discrimination based on skin color” (2011). Throughout history, we have seen the disparity in treatment between darker and lighter individuals this is no different in Puerto Rico. The pressure to identify with a certain race often leaves many Latinos confused about their racial identity. Colorism and lack of representation have really impacted the way many Puerto-Ricans see themselves. Many people in these countries tend to not acknowledge their African ancestry for a multitude of reasons, some as simple as just not knowing. According to Feagin, “Several researchers have recently shown how African ancestry is systematically played down by Puerto Ricans” …show more content…
In many societies, the skin color disparities in who gets represented are often evident in government, media and also education. Author Julissa Senices wrote in the Journal of Applied Rehabilitation Counseling titled The Complexity of Hispanic Identity “Colorism (a primary factor in the social construction of race) was linked directly to the development of Hispanics' identities. Within the Hispanic population, those with lighter skin tones are idealized while those with darker hues are deemed inferior.” This rhetoric mimics slavery. The widespread notion of skin color determining a person's worth is problematic therefore colorism should be