Dear Anne,
I have read that the term “BIPOC” seeks to highlight Black and Indigenous people and their unique relationship to white supremacy, but I don't understand why Latinx people aren't included in that. I understand that Black and Indigenous people have experienced horrific things in this country due to white supremacy but it seems like Latinx people have as well, especially as is seen with what's going on at the border and the dehumanization of migrant workers. Can you help me understand why they are included in the later "POC" category?
– Wondering About the L in BIPOC
Dear Wondering,
Thank you for your question. You’re not alone in your curiosity about the origin of the term BIPOC!
First of all, we want to make clear that as white people, we always have to be open to learning and adjusting our language according to the preferences of people who are being referenced. Controlling who can be called “white” and how “non-white” people are referenced has been used again and again to serve white supremacy and influence who has power and who doesn’t.
Secondly, we’ll just be honest: We don’t know why there isn’t an “L” in BIPOC or all the factors that went into coining this term, but we’d like to explore the question.
While the term BIPOC (Black, Indiginous, people of color) can be traced back to 2013, the recent emergence of the term into national discourse has led to numerous articles written in just the past few months, including this one from the New York Times and this one from Vox. But while the pieces explain why BIPOC gained prominence as a term, there isn’t an explicit explanation of why Latinx communities aren’t given a letter in the acronym.
While “people of color” emerged as a people-first term to supplant denigrating references, many have found the term to be homogenizing—serving to turn vast populations of color into one monolith. Thus, BIPOC emerged as a more specific term, explicitly naming Black and Indigenous people alongside other communities of color. And while Black and Indigenous as terms are connected to the early constructions of race, Latinx can be viewed not only as a racial identity but an ethnic identity—referring to people of Latin American descent. For instance, there are Black Latinx people, and Indigenous Latinx people, just as there are Black French people, or Indigenous Canadian people. So Latinx can be seen in any and all components of the term BIPOC.
Race, used to categorize people by physical traits, characteristics, or appearance, is socially constructed and not a fact of biology. “White” Europeans constructed the idea of race to dehumanize African people who were kidnapped from their homeland and enslaved. Developing the concept of race helped European invaders codify chattel slavery and anti-blackness in the American colonies and destroy unity between lower-class whites and African people as well as to justify the removal of Indigenous people from their own land so it could be stolen by white people. Definitions of race were created and manipulated from the early days of U.S. history to the advantage of white colonizers--from the “one drop” rule used to define who was Black and could legally be enslaved to maximize labor and profits, to the “blood quantum” rule used to minimize Indigenous sovereignty, promote assimilation, and reduce the U.S. government’s treaty obligations. Recognizing the violence perpetrated against Black and Indigenous people since the beginning of our nation’s formation is critical to helping us recognize their current forms in the U.S.--and be more nuanced in our discussions of race and racism.
Latinx people have also experienced racialized violence and discrimination in the U.S., including mob violence, lynchings, segregation, and mass deportations--and the unconscionable family separations, detentions, and inhumane treatment of migrant workers you mention. Yet some would argue that the stories of Latinx cultures, contributions, civil rights struggles, and victories are not being highlighted as much as those of Black and Indigenous people, especially in some parts of the country.
It is important to remember that using any term to group a number of humans together needs to be done with care. Be open to learning more about why a term can be harmful or uncomfortable for individuals or groups. Consider using the most specific term possible when referring to a particular group so as not to invisibilize the uniqueness of their experiences and identities (e.g. refer to a Black-centered organization as such, instead of calling it BIPOC-centered). And know that every individual has the right to decide how they identify.
Just as people called for more nuance than the broad banner of “POC,” we’re seeing a continued push for people to embrace a greater level of specificity—lest BIPOC replace POC to only become equally as reductive.
In solidarity,
Anne
PS: You may be interested in some of these resources:
MLOV Many Languages One Voice (MLOV) is an immigrant-led and immigrant-based movement organization, building power within the District of Columbi
DC Latino History Tapes Now Online -Hola Cultura 2016
Latino DC: Local, National & Global Stories Come Together -Smithsonian Latino Center
Sanctuary DMV is a volunteer-run org standing in solidarity with immigrants and marginalized communities in the DMV area to resist policies and policy proposals that target and aim to deport millions of undocumented immigrants and discriminate against Black, Indigenous, Muslim, Latinx, and LGBTQ+ people.
“Ask Anne” is a project of SURJ DC to help answer questions about race, racism, and white supremacy. Our goal is to take labor off people of color, make the anti-racist movement more accessible, and bring more white people into racial justice work in DC. Anne Braden (1924-2006) was a white anti-racist organizer, journalist, and educator in racial justice movements in the South. She worked from the perspective that white people have a self-interest in dismantling white supremacy. We hope to honor her legacy with Ask Anne. See the Anne Braden institute for Social Justice Research page for additional resources about Anne.
Are you a white person living in DC with questions about race, racism, or white supremacy? Write to us at surjdc+askanne@gmail.com with your question, a preferred pseudonym, and subject line “Ask Anne.” Your name will not be printed. We’ll publish a selection monthly.