Color Complex: Sammy Sosa's Changing Face

Don't blame Sammy Sosa. Blame Rafael Trujillo. The late Dominican dictator's rule (1930-1961) left generations of his countrymen without families, hope, and a demonized view of Afro-Dominicans and Haitians. During his reign he ordered the execution of tens of thousands of Haitians (The Parsley Massacre) and opened the doors to Jewish refugees from Europe in hopes of adding more Caucasians to his mostly Afro-Latino isle. His self-hatred was ever clear when Trujillo powdered his skin to appear lighter. So, in retrospect, Sosa is simply carrying out the racist ideologies that have permeated Latin America for centuries.

Afro-Latinos exist in large numbers in Latin American countries beyond the Caribbean, yet they remain disenfranchised. Colombia is home to 15 million Afro-Latinos yet its most popular stars are fair-skinned (Shakira and Juanes). The aspiration to appear more European is even prevalent in the world's largest beauty pageant--Miss Universe. Even though 18 Latin American countries participated only one contestant appeared to have African ancestry (Miss Dominican Republic).

Many Latinos are still under the Spanish Conquistador's spell--white is better. Our grandparents and even some of our parents encourage us to marry to mejorar la raza (improve the race). Meaning you should marry a white woman to make sure your child is at least has a 50 percent chance to be fair-skinned. Latino men are subconsciously trained to date and marry lighter-skinned women. We hear it in our homes as children and see it on Spanish-language media. For example, telenovelas (Spanish-language soap operas) always have European-looking Latino actors in lead roles while Afro-Latinos are lucky if they grab a role as a maid.

Sosa isn't much different from Juan Doe in Mexico who buys Crema de Belleza-Manning to lighten his skin to attract light-skinned women. In an interview with Univision's Primer Impacto Sosa said, "I want to clarify on your show that I am not a racist person." In between laughs and smirks, Sosa tells the reporter he's going to start to market the skin-lightening cream. When asked if he's rubbed the cream all over his body, Sosa chuckles once again and said, "No, because I only put it on my face not on my whole body. If I did that then I would have a problem. I would have to call 911."

Yet, Sosa's situation isn't a laughing matter.

Jesús Triviño Alarcón is the Senior Online Editor of SITV.COM , the online component to the Latino cable network Sí TV.

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SORRY OSKAR..I DO NOT K NWO WHAT ROCK YOU HAVE BEEN HIDING UNFER, BUT COLOMBIA HAS THE SECOND LARGEST BLACK POPULATION AFTER BRAZIL OF ALL LATIN AMERICA....AND YES YOU ARE TIED UP WITH SKIN COLO AND RACISM? WHY THE BLACKS OF CHOCO COLOMBIA ARE BEING KILLED OFF AND SO MANY BEING DISPLACED BECAUSE OF WHO THEY ARE??????

rodney , January 27, 2010 11:53 AM

why blame trujillo ? sammy is a grown man! sammy should blame himself. thats like if a normal 100lb petite woman gets 46dd breats implants and then she ends up blaming her exboyfreind for that. she did it to herself. people need to grow up and they need to be happy in their own skin! what ever happened to that saying "be happy in the skin you;re in" security comes from within its called "inner happiness" and "inner confidence"

dontblametrujillo , January 25, 2010 6:34 PM

vegna ekki:)

Drottvemrit-tool , January 20, 2010 3:27 AM

Life started in Africa...he's imitating a mutation that's imitating him...

J , December 30, 2009 1:26 PM

The concept "White Supemacy" is an ignorant concept. It was ignorant to come up with and it's ignorant to uphold. But it gave light skinned people a reason to feel significant, which would not have happened in days prior. Along with the empty concept of white supremacy came the law of not allowing dark faces to read, because we would then be able to discover a more profound look of self without depending on the philospohy of what a color respresent and relying on color to give quick determination of the ability or fairness of a person.

Anonymous , December 17, 2009 10:04 AM

Do not be angry at foreign people for their dislike of dark or black skin ...they were made to hate it by europeans the same as africans and black americans ... we are just now beginning to have pride in ourselves ... so once we began to act as if we are attractive (without putting other people down as whites have done) then people will began to treat us the way we treat ourselves

cheryll , December 16, 2009 11:28 PM

The pigmentocracy (merit based on skin color) rules all over the world. It's the same here to a certain extent. Watch your local news; aren't most of the newscasters light-skinned? And look at the female entertainers. I have nothing against Rhianna, but she doesn't have the greatest voice. If she were a brown or dark-skinned girl, would she be getting all this acclaim? Same with Beyonce. Once again I have nothing against her, but if she were dark skinned, would we be hearing about her all the time? I

I am an "oldhead" who remembers the days of beautiful dark-skinned actresses such as Brenda Sykes, but it seems those days are gone. How sad.

MST , December 16, 2009 1:22 PM

He is the only one who has to rest with his decisions.

puerto rican flower , December 16, 2009 9:53 AM

It is crazy, but it doesn't surprise me at all. I use to want to find ways to lighten my skin, but I love my dark skin and I love me. I've listened to conversation where families (creole) do not want their children to date dark skin women/men because it will mess up the look of the family. Alot of men here perfer light skin women, and even on television or videos like Rick Ross..However, I will tell any dark skin woman to hold your head up..If they are hung up on that then that is their loss. We are beautiful and my beauty and the love I have for me will not be determined by their insecurties or hang ups.

Mary , December 16, 2009 7:53 AM

Who says lighter is better? I understand cultural mores but having a strong sense of self and loving oneself regardless of outside influences is key. I work in corporate America and "I am the darker sister." I am often asked, how did you get this position/role? (being of a darker hue)
I smile and say. "God is with me!"
Love yourself!

And to Sosa, I would say, "Bless your heart!" Don't you realize that you have already made it, dark skin and all.... Noone can take away your acheivements because of the color of your skin.

CD , December 14, 2009 5:36 PM

He looks like a ghost.SMH..he really distroyed his skin..another brother gone over board...damn:-(

Ms. 1908 , December 14, 2009 9:49 AM

I have 1 ?.. Y do so many lught skinned people tan?? End of discussion!

gotcha , December 14, 2009 9:12 AM

In India all the rich people or movie stars are fair skinned it all goes back to coloniasm my mother is from the caribeann and she talks about this sometimes.

Rosalie , December 13, 2009 5:41 AM

Another FOOL!!!

Anonymous , December 10, 2009 7:14 PM

Well, I am a dark skinned African American woman, and I have never had a problem with my dark skin, it was other people who had a problem with it.

Lisa , December 10, 2009 3:55 PM

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