Meeting Seeks `Common Ground' For Harvard's Latinas, Black Women

About twenty-five members of the Harvard black and Latina communities gathered in Loker Commons last night to participate in a discussion which focused on black-Latina relations and the role of women in these communities.

The meeting, organized by Lizbeth F. Alatorre '00-'99, president of Latinas Unidas, and Edidiong N. Ikpe '00-'99, president-elect of the Association of Black Radcliffe Women (ABRW), was intended to complement a panel discussion featuring Professor of Afro-American Studies Cornel R. West '74 and Princeton professor David Carrasco that was held in Sanders Theatre on Tuesday.

According to Alatorre, the discussion was created to find ways of fostering black-Latina relations on campus.

"I was concerned about the breakdown of the black-Latina alliance," Alatorre said. "We will be leaders in the communities...We should get some things on the table, see each others' faces."

The meeting began as participants introduced themselves and commented on black-Latina relations in their home towns.

Some students, especially those from New York, described very positive relations between black and Latina students in their home towns.

One student from the Bronx said, "There's more of an alliance [between black and Latina students], but not with Orientals. Latinas and blacks somehow stick together."

However, students from other areas of the United States said they felt friction between the black and Latina communities.

"The biggest tension has been on the political level," said one student from Los Angeles. "There is a question [as to] where these limited resources are going to go."

The participants also questioned whether racism within their own cultures creates tensions between the two communities.

"I do see that Latinos have stereotypes that they believe about blacks," said one student. "We are viewing each other through lenses we get from somewhere else."

As they spoke about their home towns, students at the meeting discussed feelings of obligation to return to their communities after graduation and serve as role models.

However, many also expressed concern about being able to fit back into their home towns after having experienced life at Harvard.

"You don't really fit in anywhere," one student said. "How do you find ways to go back to your community?"

The discussion then turned to the issues associated with being a female in the black or Latina communities.

"I think being a female adds to the facilitation of alliance formation," one female student said. "We all have a lot of things in common, struggles...and at the woman level. And by nature I think women are more naturally bonding."

However, women from both groups

But women from both groups agreed that theyidentify themselves first as members of theirethnic groups and then as women.

Finally, Ikpe brought the discussion back toHarvard by questioning interactions on campusbetween the black and Latina communities. Mostparticipants agreed that it is necessary to "openup these communities to everyone."

"People fear what they don't understand, and ifit's closed off to them, they'll fear it," onestudent said.

They concluded by deciding to sponsor moreinter-ethnic social events to foster futureinteractions.

"Hopefully the next component is to have socialevents," Ikpe said. "That will help us to get toknow each other."

Ikpe and Alatorre were both pleased with thecourse of the discussion.

"I think it went very well; it was one of themost interesting discussions I've been torecently," Ikpe said. "I learned a lot; we learnfrom each other and that's what makes thediscussion so special.

But women from both groups agreed that theyidentify themselves first as members of theirethnic groups and then as women.

Finally, Ikpe brought the discussion back toHarvard by questioning interactions on campusbetween the black and Latina communities. Mostparticipants agreed that it is necessary to "openup these communities to everyone."

"People fear what they don't understand, and ifit's closed off to them, they'll fear it," onestudent said.

They concluded by deciding to sponsor moreinter-ethnic social events to foster futureinteractions.

"Hopefully the next component is to have socialevents," Ikpe said. "That will help us to get toknow each other."

Ikpe and Alatorre were both pleased with thecourse of the discussion.

"I think it went very well; it was one of themost interesting discussions I've been torecently," Ikpe said. "I learned a lot; we learnfrom each other and that's what makes thediscussion so special.