Launch of the #CentAmErasure Series: What is Central American Erasure?

A thread

Central American erasure looks different according to the different identities of our community. This phenomena results in the dismissal, degradation, or literal erasure of the Central American identities, according to nationality, race, ethnic/language groups, or a combination.

It may also infringe on personal,
social, legal, and political identities. Central American erasure strives to facilitate further categorization under other identities or remove nuances from our community; this is to make categorization, “easier” for a society that is not for us.

This is a problem within the Latinx community, as well as non-Latinx. It is easier to make and perpetuate assumptions, as well as group us into other groups that are “close enough.” We can see this through Chicanx exclusion, Latinx ignorance, and non-Latinx denial of experiences.

That time people think that migration is solely a Mexican issue.
That time people don’t recognize that Afro-CentAms exist.
That time people ignore indigenous groups and see them as a community that no longer exists.
That time people don’t understand why you don’t speak Spanish.

That time people assume you only eat tacos.
That time people assume you’re Mexican or that your country is “close enough.”
That time history courses, Latinx studies, and the media overlooks Central America.
That time people don’t see it as a region to begin with.

This is what Central American erasure looks like, and we need to push back, and not agree to their assumptions, denials, ignorance, exclusion and more. This is why @centamcollective is here. This is why you are here reading this. And it will end!

#centralamericantwitter