#LatinosBreakTheMold #WhatLatinosLookLike

#WhatLatinosLookLike, 

was provoked by the theory that Hispanics are identifying as white in larger numbers as part of a process of racial assimilation resembling that of Italian or Irish descendants: a theory that both the New York Times and Slate addressed in June 2014 (Benedetti, Huff Post). By re-presenting the quickly created, ever changing, and widely circulated selfie with a more traditional, time sensitive painting approach and hanging it on an art gallery wall, I want viewers to also slow down and more deeply engage the politics of identity negotiated in a portrait, from ethnic identity to social activism.

 In an email Shareefa Carrion shared with me, "Well I am muslim, born and raised. My mother is African American, Mi Papi es Puertoriqueno. He was born and raised in PR. And the family moved to NY when they were kids. My mom and dad met in Fresno, CA. and was married soon after.

I was born in Sacramento, CA. Most of my family( my fathers side) was in NY and they have moved to california. So I spend most of my time w/ them, Mainly summers eating homemade arroz con pollo! my favorite dish. When I was a baby, my tia would take me to PR to visit. I still have vivid memories of my family there.

As an adult, I am learning more about my heritage and language. And now that I have children I am teaching them their family history. I plan to go to PR soon to visit family and do some research on my family genealogy. Rumor has it, My great, great, great grandmother in PR was an actual slave. So I would love to do more research on that and our family name.

I have a latino Organization called ALMA- Atlanta Latino Muslim Association. I try to help other latino's who have reverted to Islam by giving them info in spanish about islam and what they should do as a muslim."

#LatinosBreakTheMold

Shareefa Breaks the Mold and does not fit into a stereotype. The beautiful thing about being Latino is that we are, in a way, a reflection of the world's diversity. There are Muslim Latinos, Afro-Latinos and white Latinos —and we are all equally Latino. Some say our culture is what connects us, and some say it's the languages we speak.

Visit link below and learn how diverse Latinos really are:

http://testkitchen.huffingtonpost.com/latinos-break-the-mold/