Yalitza Aparicio and Tenoch Huerta speak out against racism

After the killing of George Floyd in the U.S., actress and activist Yalitza Aparicio shed light on racism in Mexico and said that although racism in Mexico still exists, people deny it.

During a discussion on racism , Aparicio said: “We’ve been silent for many years and we’ve been waiting for an opportunity and for people to realize that we’re here, it’s time to talk, to raise our voice and to say it’s enough.”

The activist said she is willing to do the hard work and raise her voice so that future generations no longer face racism .

A few weeks ago, Aparicio reflected on the importance of art and diversity, as well as the classism and racism she has experienced as an indigenous woman , in an article for The New York Times; however, many criticized her.

During the same event, actor Tenoch Huerta said Mexico swept racism and classism under the rug. The actor added that Mexicans don’t discuss these taboo issues because “that would affect many of our foundational myths, such as the ideas of ‘ mestizaje ’ and the ‘race of bronze,’ that would be severely affected if we accept that there are classism and racism.”

Huerta added that many people have trouble accepting their racist behavior and that we all have said hurtful things.

Moreover, Huerta said Mexicans see racism in the United States, as in the case of George Floyd, but thinks that things like this don’t happen in Mexico.

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Racism, an organizational system

For Mónica Moreno , a sociology professor at Cambridge, racism is an organizational system used to distribute power, privileges, opportunities . She adds that “when we talk about racism we’re not only talking about prejudices , which is important, but that is just one level; this is an organization that crosses all other aspects of our lives.”

Yásnaya Aguilar,

a researcher, writer, and linguist, said that it is hard to reconcile the diversity of cultures and the idea of Mexico and explained that “the idea of Mexico was created to homogenize and create only one identity and that was done by extracting cultural elements from communities that are systematically oppressed.”

Aguilar said that thanks to that, indigenous identity is labeled a race and not a political one; furthermore, she added that “nationalism and racism go hand in hand because the nationalist thinking is homogenizing and believing in one thing is rejecting indigenous communities.”

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