Introduction to Special Issue on AfroLatinidad: Theory, Research, and Practice

AfroLatinidad: Theory, Research, and Practice focus on ways for scholars and practitioners to center AfroLatinidad in theory, research, and practice. In recent years, there has been an increased acknowledgement of the racial diversity among Latinxs in the U.S. and Latin America, including the recognition of AfroLatinxs. However, there remains a significant gap in scholarship output as it relates to AfroLatinxs in the psychological research. This special issue is the first publication dedicated to AfroLatinxs in a leading national ethnic minority psychology journal and represents a significant advancement regarding representation, inclusion, and analysis of AfroLatinx populations in the psychological, educational, developmental, and social research. AfroLatinxs are likely to experience oppression within the non-Latinx and Latinx community due to their phenotypical characteristics (e.g., skin color, facial features, hair texture). It is therefore critical that researchers and practitioners utilize scholarly inquiry to understand the unique issues faced by members of this community. Rooted in intersectionality theory and building on additional frameworks that center race in the Latinx experience, the invited contributors examine how colorism, racism, and other forms of oppression impact the lives of AfroLatinxs. In this introduction, an overview of the events leading to this special issue is presented, followed by a description of the historical and contemporary racial landscape in the U.S. and Latin America in regard to AfroLatinxs, highlighting the ongoing sociopolitical challenges facing this population.