Racial Innocence

Unmasking Latino Anti-Black Bias and the Struggle for Equality

“Profound and revelatory, Racial Innocence tackles head-on the insidious grip of white supremacy on our communities and how we all might free ourselves from its predation. Tanya Katerí Hernández is fearless and brilliant . . . What fire!”—Junot Díaz

The first comprehensive book about anti-Black bias in the Latino community that unpacks the misconception that Latinos are “exempt” from racism due to their ethnicity and multicultural background

Racial Innocence will challenge what you thought about racism and bias and demonstrate that it’s possible for a historically marginalized group to experience discrimination and also be discriminatory. Racism is deeply complex, and law professor and comparative race relations expert Tanya Katerí Hernández exposes “the Latino racial innocence cloak” that often veils Latino complicity in racism. As Latinos are the second-largest ethnic group in the US, this revelation is critical to dismantling systemic racism. Basing her work on interviews, discrimination case files, and civil rights law, Hernández reveals Latino anti-Black bias in the workplace, the housing market, schools, places of recreation, the criminal justice system, and Latino families.

By focusing on racism perpetrated by communities outside those of White non-Latino people, Racial Innocence brings to light the many Afro-Latino and African American victims of anti-Blackness at the hands of other people of color. Through exploring the interwoven fabric of discrimination and examining the cause of these issues, we can begin to move toward a more egalitarian society.

Loved this book

Very informative. I used it as a reference book for my ethics class and it was very moving. I enjoyed the stories and the case brought up on various victims. Very eye opening to issues still floating around today. Truly recommend for all ages and races.

Grateful for this book

I am so thankful that this book was written (and the narrator did a wonderful job by the way). This is something I've experienced so many times in my life, but didn't have the full cultural understanding. Grateful for the author sharing her story as well as the research of these legal cases.

Compelling

Dr. Hernandez nicely explicates anti-black bias among Latinos in an effort to help eradicate racism.

Finally feeling seen and heard

Thank you for this book that validates so many generational experiences my ancestors, elders, children and I have all had as Dominican Afro-Latinos. Pa’lante ✊🏽

getting to the crux of the matter

thank you for this enlightening discussion on race relations in and outside the Hispanic community. I have watched and listened for years to the way Hispanics delineate themselves internally yet pretend to be a homogenous "family" to the world.
this was an excellent listen. thank you.