If you have not seen it yet, you should check out the new mural in U Street (in the alley between 13th and 14th Streets and U Street). A landmark for Afro-Latinos in DC, this mural features the culture and the struggles of the Afro-Colombian community in their home country. It is beautifully constructed into several sections that narrate their legacy and current history of displacement. Joel Berger, with the input from several Afro-Colombians and a grant from the DC Council for the Arts and Humanities, used his experiences and the pictures he took during his travels in Colombia to display the lives of this Afro-Latino community in what used to be called Black Broadway. In contrast with the exhibition of Colombian hearts placed around the city, this mural tells a more somber history that specially affects Blacks in this Latin American country. The inauguration on September 12 attracted members of the DC community who were able to taste Colombian food and watch folkloric dance performances.
The inauguration was a wonderful opportunity for members of the Black community to learn about Afro-descendants from Latin America, to observe the cultural similarities, and join in brotherhood/sisterhood. Events like this also showcase the Black legacy of Latin American that usually goes ignored in the media (such as Univision where you hardly see any Blacks).
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