Crystal Roman, founder and CEO of The Black Latina Movement

This week, we’re featuring CEO and founder of The Black Latina Movement Crystal Roman. The actress, innovator and mother of two caught up with Ain’t I Latina?  to discuss why she started The Black Latina Movement, why she prefers the term Black Latina and what audiences can expect this fall. 

Ain’t I Latina?:  Crystal, you’ve been at the forefront of content creators who are making sure the Afro-Latina story is being told. What inspired you to create The Black Latina Movement in 2008?

Roman: The Movement totally chose me. It was a snowball effect. I was an actress at that time for about seven years, and I wanted to get into writing. I wrote what is now the company’s signature piece Black Latina (The Play) as an outlet of my frustration of being in an industry that boxed actresses into categories based on a look. That along with my own personal plight of this dual identity really created the platform for the success of the play, which in turn sparked the creation of the Movement as a company.

As an actress, you’ve experienced firsthand the bias that exists when it comes to representation of Afro-Latinas. Oftentimes directors don’t cast Afro-Latinas in the ‘Latina’ role, only African-American roles. How have you dealt with that sort of discrimination? How has it fueled your work?

I can completely relate because the opposite was often done to me. I am of olive complexion, so automatically I would get cast for a ‘Latina’ role knowing that there may be an African-American role I could play and bring to life. But because of my look, I wouldn’t get considered for the role. So the problem definitely existed the other way around with other Afro-Latinas not cast for African-American roles. I have combated this by intentionally going against the rules. Casting actresses that don’t fit this ‘typical’ mold the industry places on us.

You’ve released a selection of theatrical work, including Black Latina, Memoirs of a Black Latina and Colors of Love, which turned into a web series. How is the Afro-Latina experience weaved throughout each work?

Memoirs of a Black Latina is a film adaption of the stage play Black Latina. Black Latina discusses head on the social and economical highs and lows of this double identity. Colors of Love is a more visual piece, while it doesn’t deal with the socioeconomic issues as Black Latina, Colors of Love gives Black Latina women/actresses the opportunity to see themselves in front of the camera as the main characters dealing with issues women across the board deal with.

Recently, you and I spoke about the importance of highlighting intersectionality. Why do you feel it’s so important for people to understand that all Latinas aren’t the same?

It’s important because then and only will the world understand who we really are. When you present a face that only represents a portion of the community, it causes a ripple effect that has deep rooted scars. Self loathing and hatred seeps in and dissatisfaction of underrepresentation in the media forces young girls to question their beauty and value. Leaving the sentiment that the Latina that is displayed more is the better representation of the group. It’s this old slave mentality and brainwashing to flush out the ‘blackness’ and show the lighter, ‘better’ versions of Latinas. Once people understand our diversity, they can learn the broad spectrum of just what really is a Black Latina. Love it, embrace it and carry on! This is far from easy, but the process has to start somewhere.

Pages: 1 2