Asked if he had ever corrected his record of being Puerto Rican prior to the news conference where he was introduced as lieutenant-colonel governor, Mr. Delgado said in a statement that he was “raised” nurtured as a blend of heritages”, including “Latino origin”.
“It’s the background I grew up on and how I identified,” he said in the statement. “My mother’s maiden name was Gomez and she grew up identified as having Latina roots.”
Bronx Representative Ritchie Torres, who has identified as Afro-Latino, said racism and colorism may also play a role in how Mr. Delgado’s description of being Afro- Latino.
Mr. Torres, who supports Mr. Delgado, said: “I find it curious how often blacks among us are questioned about our Latino identities. “As an Afro-Latino, I have been told many times that I don’t look Latino, whatever that means, and therefore I must be Latino less authentic than people with fair skin. brighter.”
Zaire Z. Dinzey-Flores, associate professor of Latino and Caribbean Studies at Rutgers University, says she understands why some Latinos are upset about the appointment. As Afro-Latino in the United States, she said, there is a complex mix of race, language and culture.
Prof Dinzey-Flores said: “Experience tells you what you see, how you see things, how you present problems that may not be seen or realized. Choosing someone from Afro-Latino for a constituency to be represented in government, she added, should be “authentic” capturing that experience, not “checking the box”.
Melissa Mark-Viverito, a former New York City Council speaker who was born and raised in Puerto Rico, concurs, saying that Mr. Delgado’s statement about Latino heritage “raises questions and concerns. of people who let loose certain identities and aren’t completely honest.”
