The Importance of Black Narratives
On Saturday, February 8th, we celebrated the 25th anniversary of Pam Sporn's acclaimed film, "Cuban Roots, Bronx Stories: An Afro-Cuban Coming of Age Story," with a special screening and event. This collaboration brought together the Bronx Heritage Center, Third World Newsreel, Grito Productions, the Bronx County Historical Society, the Latinx Arts Consortium, and the Bronx Music Hall.
"Cuban Roots, Bronx Stories" stands as one of the few films exploring AfroLatinidad from a Black Cuban-American perspective. It traces the historical journey of one family, from Jamaica to Cuba during the early 20th-century sugar boom, to the turbulent 1960s Bronx following the Bay of Pigs Invasion, and their eventual return to Cuba in the 1990s.
The evening featured an electrifying performance by Bobby Sanabria and Sexteto Ibiano. "Ibiano," a Yoruba word meaning "soul," perfectly captured the Afro-Cuban essence of their music. A pre-performance conversation explored the importance of Black narratives, setting the stage for the musical performance. This theme was further developed in a post-screening panel discussion, "Black Stories, Enduring Narratives," which delved deeper into the power of these narratives, celebrating the film and emphasizing the importance of preserving these vital stories.
While we had hoped to be joined during the panel by esteemed Black Latina writer, intellectual, and lifelong Bronxite, Janel Martinez, she was unable to attend. However, she generously shared her insights for the panel discussion, which resonated deeply with the audience and are shared here in an interview format.
What do you think are some of the unique challenges and opportunities in preserving Black stories and narratives?
JM: While I would love to center the unique opportunities, which is where I'll begin, there are definitely challenges – many stemming from a lack of understanding around identity, both of the Black diaspora and the Latin American diaspora. The opportunity to archive our narratives from our own lens and perspective is powerful. As shown here with “Cuban Roots/Bronx Stories,” viewers have the opportunity to see and hear firsthand from a Black Cuban-American family setting roots down in the Bronx, specifically in the 60s and 70s. Not only have Pam, Pablo and their family archived their family history for generations to revisit and learn from, but have done the same for Bronxites who want to learn about our borough's rich history. This is a Black Cuban-American story that parallels that of Garinagu (from Honduras and Guatemala), Dominicans, Puerto Ricans and other Black Diasporans who came to the Bronx during this time and after. To have this documentary cemented in the AfroLatine film canon means so much for storytelling and visibility. There are a number of challenges that come with Black storytelling but a big one is external institutions having a say in which stories get told and how they're framed. This, coupled with a lack of understanding of our varying lived experiences and identities, places our stories under unnecessary scrutiny. Creating, documenting and funding our own stories independently isn't easy, however, many times we take that route to maintain the authenticity of our stories.
The Bronx has a unique and vibrant history of Black communities. What is something you can share about why the Bronx is important for our community?
JM: I was born, raised and still reside in the Bronx. This borough has produced the most brilliant authors, creatives, documentarians, journalists, scholars and activists. (No shade to our neighboring boroughs, but this has been my experience.) And what I love about us, is that we don't forget about where we come from – oftentimes, we stay and further cement the roots we have here. We understand the importance of community. Even as our borough undergoes attempts to uproot Bronxites and erase portions of its history, we remain.
How can these stories be used in an educational setting? How can people use this story and others? Why at this particular time?
JM: “Cuban Roots/Bronx Stories” is a documentary that should be shown in classrooms and taught across disciplines. At a time when book bans and the scaling back of DEI initiatives are a present reality, showing this documentary – and works like it – showcase a commitment to supporting Black storytelling and archival work.
Intergenerational storytelling and archiving are so important for Black communities throughout the world. When we talk about storytelling, what role do these intergenerational relationships play?
JM: There's a moment in the documentary when Pablo is looking at photos with his tía in her old home. It's an experience many of us, particularly those of us who have flipped through photos before camera phones, can relate to – looking through images, revisiting family stories or hearing others for the first time. I love that moment because that's how stories get passed down. How oral tradition makes way for newer forms of archiving our stories and histories. It's not always in front of a camera or over a recorder, it's sometimes over a favorite meal, during a discussion after the passing of a loved one, or when something reminds you of a moment from the past and you feel led to share. That's the beauty of intergenerational storytelling. The newer generations are a continuum of the older generations, and we each need one another to preserve our stories.
Janel Martinez is a writer, communications specialist and the founder of award-winning blog, Ain't I Latina?, an online destination celebrating Afro-Latinx womanhood. The Bronx, NY native is a frequent public speaker discussing media, culture and identity at conferences and events for Bloomberg, NBCU, New York University, SXSW, Harvard University and more. She’s appeared as a featured guest on national shows and outlets, such as MSNBC's The Culture Is: Latina, BuzzFeed, ESSENCE, NPR and Sirius XM, and her work has appeared in Adweek, Univision Communications, Oprah Daily, Refinery29, Remezcla and The New York Times, among others.
The Honduran-American has been nominated for the 20th Annual Rosoff Award in the 20-Something Category and won the Afro-Latino Festival of New York's Digital Empowerment Award and, in 2018, was recognized at City Hall by the New York City Council, the Black, Latino and Asian Caucus and the Bronx Delegation to the NYC Council for her contributions as a woman of Garifuna descent.
She penned "Abuela's Greatest Gift" in the YA anthology, Wild Tongues Can't Be Tamed, published by Flatiron Books. Currently, Martinez is working on her next book project.
