Black Thoughts: A Political Ideological Perspective for Afro Latinos --

Part V: Politics & Bullsh*t

By Kevin Alberto Sabio

It's election season...time to get your vote on!

I had recently got into a situation with an associate of mine that left me a bit disturbed. This associate had sent me several emails soliciting my help in a grassroots campaign to help support Sen. Barak Obama's Democratic candidacy for president. After being annoyed with the numerous emails that this person had sent me, I finally replied that I was planning on supporting the Cynthia McKinney-Rosa Clemente campaign, considering that I've followed both women's political careers for some time now, and feel that they are more viable candidates as far as my political interests are concerned. This associate replied back that, "I hope that your vote isn't wasted, and McCain ends up winning."

WHAT?!?!?! Huh?!?!?!

Since when is having an alternative voice a bad thing? Considering that this person is supposed to be a member of the "conscious" community, that response really bothered me. From what I know about former Congresswoman McKinney and Ms. Clemente, they both have a proven track record of fighting for their communities and constituents respectively. What has Senator Obama done for our community other than being born half Kenyan?

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Sara Wajid writes in The Guardian about the documentary on the life of Afro Cuban singer Lupe Yoli: " 'La Lupe' was a cult figure in pre-revolutionary Cuba, a musical legend who pioneered salsa. Her flamboyant stage persona and soulful torch songs brought her international success in the 1960s and 1970s and made her a gay icon in the Latin world. But after a series of tragedies she became a devout Christian, vowed never to perform again and died in poverty and obscurity in her early 50s.

"Now, 16 years after her death, a documentary, La Lupe - Queen of Latin Soul, has sparked renewed recognition of her place both in musical history and as a feminist icon. The documentary includes rare footage and interviews with the salsa greats, and, since being shown on television in the US, has been screened in many countries. And it is only one part of a major posthumous comeback for La Lupe. Earlier this year, Fania Records (the salsa equivalent of Motown) released Dance With the Queen, an album of club remixes of her songs, and this summer saw publication of a novel, The Island of Eternal Love, featuring a character based on her."