¡Aqui Hay Hombre! Interrogating Dominican Machismo

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2020 has been triggering AF, from a pandemic that has left our world grieving, a movement for justice for Black people everywhere to the constant issues that are destroying our communities. There is one issue that I personally have been feeling deeply for close to five decades it is a conversation long in coming. I have needed to spiritually and intellectually ready myself to have this conversation. The first time I heard the expression, “¡Aqui Hay Hombre!” came when I was in the Dominican Republic sitting on a bus staring lovingly at a person who wasn’t a man, then repeated to me (with venom and fury) as I walked hand in hand with a woman who was my love interest, and then countless times a Dominican man feels his manhood threatened and uses the words “¡Aqui Hay Hombre!” words intended to let a woman know that HE is here—“that there is a man here!” And in shouting these words we “women” should heed the warning and know our place. I have personally experienced violence, sexual assault and abuse at the hands of Dominican men who believe it is their right to take without holding themselves accountable. I have fought men physically winning some (getting out alive) and have lost some fights (my dignity being stripped). This series of conversations with Dominican men will not be an easy one but I hope is a first step towards healing what has consistently been taken from us as women at the hands of Dominican men (and the people who raise them). This event is in honor of all of the courageous women who have recently shared their stories of abuse publicly—from one survivor to another this conversation is for all of us. And to Dominican men—ALL men of color you are absolutely needed to be part of this healing. If you are really about THE WORK!!! If you are really PRO-WOMEN!!! I pray you show up willing to lean into the discomfort and ready to do the work to dismantle misogyny and patriarchy in our communities. Join me next week for the IG LIVE SERIES: “¡Aqui Hay Hombre! Interrogating Dominican Machismo” from July 6-11, 2020. 🌪⚔️⚖️🔧🔨⛏🔪⚙️⚒🛠⛓#dominicanmachismo #healingblacklatinx #toxicmasculinity mi bella @ysanetbatista thank you for these powerful flyers!!! 🙏🏾

A post shared by LA SANTERA®️ (@_lasantera) on Jul 2, 2020 at 5:56am PDT

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