Diving deeper into Defectors by Paola Ramos has been a wild, eye-opening ride. First off, I didn’t even realize she’s Jorge Ramos’ daughter! I mean, Ramos is a common last name—I even have it in mine—but still, it caught me by surprise.

One part that really shook me was her conversation with an Afro-Dominican salon owner in Washington Heights. As she shared her fears about walking home late at night, it was a gut-punch moment. When asked why she was afraid, her answer hit hard and instantly reminded me of the colonized mindset many Latinos still hold, myself included at one point.

It made me reflect on my younger self—the times when I viewed immigrants through a dehumanizing lens, when I thought, “I’m not like them.” But reading, learning, and listening to other experiences helped me shed that mindset.

Ramos doesn’t hold back as she explores how Latinos cling to whiteness, often to the point of denying their own roots. One moment that stood out was an Afro-Dominican activist recalling his dad’s friend yelling racial slurs at a Black boxer, only to claim “soy blanco oscuro” when called out. Like… what?!

This journey through Paola’s interviews and insights is teaching me how deeply rooted our fear of not belonging is—and how much it shapes our identity, politics, and the ways we navigate the world.

💬 Join me as I unpack this journey and share my reflections. This conversation is just getting started!

📚 Mentioned Book:

• Defectors by Paola Ramos

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