Communities of color share a history of colonization, oppression, and exploitation. American history has traditionally erased the narrative of communities of color, such as the Southeast Asian and Mexican undocumented communities. My research is informed by historical movements to understand the concept of solidarity where communities of color fight for the same cause, such as the Third World Liberation Front and the 2006 United States immigration reform protests. The purpose of my research is to explore the emerging solidarity between Latinx and Southeast Asian undocumented students at places like the AB540 and Undocumented center at UC Davis to gather their perspectives on the concept of solidarity. Through a narrative inquiry and testimonios methodological approach, I will be conducting recorded semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions. Implications of solidarity between undocumented communities of color lead to potential outcomes that will uplift future changes by mobilizing and organizing to advocate for their community’s needs. These two communities are distinct from one another with a surface view of cultural difference but deal with parallel socioeconomic issues within American society despite the miscommunication and misunderstandings of one another’s communities created by the dominant narrative. With America’s increasing mass deportation force, understanding avenues of solidarity between the Latinx and Southeast Asian undocumented communities are essential to provide an understanding of how to sustain, strengthen, and improve upon their relationship in facing future hardships, which will contribute to the immense solidarity among communities of color, and allies.

Refugees are people who have been forced out of their home countries t get away from war, persecution, or natural disasters. In 2016, many Congolese refugees came to America to escape war in their home country. Many of these refugees are women who come with their children. Transitioning to life in America for these Congolese refugee women was not easy. Many of them experienced language difficulties, acculturation, assimilation, poverty, depression, etc. This study explored the needs of Congolese refugee women after transitioning to living in America. Using a qualitative research design, 20 participants were interviewed. 20 semi-structured were conducted. The interviews were coded and analyzed thematically. Major findings and themes within the answers were many refugee women needed bus tickets to get back and forth to places, money for things food stamps did not cover (soap, shampoo,etc), help finding a job that will accept their health conditions ( back problems, swollen feet, swollen legs, etc), money for rent and buying houses, and help bringing relatives over to America.

Ariana Brown, a Black-Mexican San Antonian poet describes the complexities of her experiences of Afro-Latinidad stating, “I am descended from slaves. I want to know where I come from, but I can only trace my history in one direction—so I am here, in yet another Spanish class, desperately reaching for a language I hope will choose me back someday” (“Dear White Girl in my Spanish Class”). Afro-Latinx people like Brown navigate layered identities within racialized communities that are not immune to anti-black and anti-immigrant sentiments. Historically, Black and Latinx communities have been pitted against each other for limited resources in various areas including education and employment. These racialized experiences of discrimination and anti-blackness in the Latinx community are noticeable in public representations of Latinidad whereby whiteness is celebrated and preferred and blackness is obfuscated. This paper is part of a larger project that seeks to understand representations of Afro-Latinidad at the San Antonio African American Community Archive and Museum, El Museo del Westside, and the San Antonio Museum of Art. This paper will provide a preliminary historical overview of literature that examines the complexities of Black-Latinx relations in Texas and how the perceptions of each other have impacted public representations of Afro-Latinidad. Through this research, I will create a local exhibit that seeks to ameliorate the misrepresentations and erasure of Blackness in the Latinx community and of Latinidad in predominantly Black spaces in order to create a bridge whereby the lived experiences of the Afro-Latinx community are celebrated and acknowledged.