Being Black In Colombia | It's Not What You Think! | Expat Interview Ep. 5 

Because they realized that you and your family were not from Colombia! But if your were originaly from Colombia, I don't really think that they will be friendly to you and your whole family!!

@@mrxx506 That's interesting.

Columbians are people from Columbia, South Carolina.

You mean black people are treated poorly, but everyone else with lighter complexion isn't treated poorly.

I agree, based on what I've seen in person and the Colombian news, the indigenous of Colombia are pretty much at the bottom of the hierarchy (which is sad because the majority of us descended to some degree from them [and of course many of us also have some African and Spanish lineage] but many like to highlight the Spanish lineage and ignore the rest) . Also, I believe what Kuro meant to say is afrocolombians are treated and looked down on as "poor" people, in other words, the opposite of wealthy with no real purchasing power and destitute; based on my observation I believe that to be fairly accurate as well. On the other hand, if you are American (black or white), many colombians will perceive you as rich, and that has the potential to be dangerous. My own family, when I go visit them in Colombia from the U.S., they swear that I'm rich, lol I think racism in Colombia definitely exists. But! It's a Colombian version of racism, which, for an American (or any outsider) it may be hard to distinguish. Also, the American idea of racism doesn't really translate to Colombian racism...it's just a different culture over there, a different view, a different way of thinking (e.g. - a black American may think they're a victim of racism in Colombia when they're actually not, and vice versa, when they actually are being racially profiled or victimized they may not even pick up on it). Moreso, I've noticed that classism is more of an issue over there than racism.

Or just being well educated

text, better not lose that money though.

ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-QEDb2ROF1Ko.html

in Colombia and in latin America, classism is a worse issue than racism

@@jorgebm2086 poor excuse to recognize racism and the real problem. Brazil has tried that same excuse for yrs.

Thanks a lot :D

@@SpanishwithEddy you are hilarious. Maybe you do, but the general public does not. Racism is very real here. Even more so for Black Colombians. I am treated much different when people find out that I am American. When I was trying to start a business people wouldn't even want to rent to me. Then they find out you're American and the whole scene changes.

@@jamalpeoples3736 yep so not about your skin color just about the economics

@@brendan1675 But when he had money and they thought he was local, he was treated differently, so its NOT about money.

@@jzk2020 yeah there definitely is a LOT of racism against Black people in Colombia. being perceived as a gringo mitigates it. but if you're AfroColombian it's a whole nother matter.

are you white? if you are not afro colombian you can't speak speak on the experiences on black colombians....

@The Narrow Gate Ministries Nah

They shoulda had a talk with you to brace you about reality of non-whites in US. Sad but thats real

You are not dark.

COLOMBIA IS WORST THAN U.S. THOSE GUYS ARE RETIRED AND NOT DOING ANYTHING.

@@JessOrozco😂 damn I’m sorry to hear that

I had that experience

Is it different than ecuador? Here the people arent very warm

They sound like Dominicans.

To the guy in the video >>>>> Do you hear people calling Jamacians African Jamacians or Dominicans African Dominicans.... We don't like to be called Africans or African Amer... just call us Black Ameri... we have nothing to do with Africa, we don't even look African, Africans sold us off , West Africans can't even grow Afros or Long full beards because where really not the same group of people, African culture and AA culture are totally different. Calling us AA is like calling a chinese guy a east indian asian or a english guy from england Italian or better yet a Columbian a Brazilian.

So, you trying to say educated black Columbians face no racism and have the same opportunities their white counterparts experience ...totally equally?

My "black GF" refers to herself as afro colombia sometimes...I think it stupid...she is just colombian. Is his GF afro-swiss? Or just Swiss. Enough with identity politics.

@@stevenjustice8258 Yeah, but that's her feeling proud of her racial/cultural roots.

​@@macman9689 That's a very good question. I feel here in Colombia we don't see many black business owners or higher-up executives because of the disparity of black people vs white living in cities. What I mean is this: if you're a black person living in the city. You have access to the same opportunities and education as a white one. The problem is that there are fewer black people living in cities and more living in poorer areas far from cities with no access to good education nor internet (Such as Choco or some small towns far away from the cities).

COL O MBIA WITH O. GOT IT.

Lamont Davis the other "ism" in Colombia is Classism therefore only the lower class is going to be discriminated, not matter what color is your skin. Are you a black, white, Chinese, Arab, Colombian millionarie? Welcome to the club

Thanks a lot for the comment :D

"Columbia" is there University lol

Thanks for the comment :D

@@JM-qv7fe All Muslims welcome to Colombia!

I've noticed that many Africans throughout the entirety of Africa are not happy with their situation there and trying to get out...many people if African descent are unhappy with there situations all over Europe in England and France and Germany etc. Of course many are also unhappy with their situation in Asian countries too. I wish the whole world wasn't filled with people making African and peoples of African descent so miserable. I especially can't stand non-Africans that think that African peoples have played any role whatsoever in their unhappy situations all over the world. Those people are racist.

@@JM-qv7fe Yes All Muslims, Christians, Jewish etc.. except bad people from any religion, and yeah except the racists people also.

@@albertomolano Thank you brother!

@@JM-qv7fe There's not a big muslim population here but there's a fair share of arabs that have done very well in this country.

Have you considered going to visit a predominantly black country after your Colombian trip? There are many wonderful places to visit that are virtually devoid of white people ruining everything. Pretty much all of the countries in Africa today are very safe and prosperous lovely places to go on holiday. These days they all have state of the art infrastructure and medical facilities. Rampant violence, rape, murder, slavery, political turmoil, poverty, starvation, civil wars and all of that are a thing of the past. Today the world looks to Africa and African Americans as leaders in a diverse range of fields. I predict we will see an actual Wakanda style utopian Africa complete with flying pyramid spaceships within our lifetime.

gfunkera1what Amen! Yes, ! I just came back from Ethiopia. It was a life changing experience. I will be returning to Africa in the summer. ❤️

Thanks, means a lot to us! That would be great, looking forward to that.

Nayele when are you going? I’m moving there in October

To the guy in the video >>>>> Do you hear people calling Jamacians African Jamacians or Dominicans African Dominicans.... We don't like to be called Africans or African Amer... just call us Black Ameri... we have nothing to do with Africa, we don't even look African, Africans sold us off , West Africans can't even grow Afros or Long full beards because where really not the same group of people, African culture and AA culture are totally different. Calling us AA is like calling a chinese guy a east indian asian or a english guy from england Italian or better yet a Columbian a Brazilian.

To the guy in the video >>>>> Do you hear people calling Jamacians African Jamacians or Dominicans African Dominicans.... We don't like to be called Africans or African Amer... just call us Black Ameri... we have nothing to do with Africa, we don't even look African, Africans sold us off , West Africans can't even grow Afros or Long full beards because where really not the same group of people, African culture and AA culture are totally different. Calling us AA is like calling a chinese guy a east indian asian or a english guy from england Italian or better yet a Columbian a Brazilian.

s.j d indeed the dominican republic play a huge role in the Latin american slave trade. the only reason why colombia had more slaves is because Cartagena colombia became a huge slave hub for most of south America. but Santo Domingo definitely had one of the biggest slave concentrations in the Americas.

Colombia abolished slavery before the US. Colombia also had a black president in 1886, which to be fair was not included on the expresidential portrait rooster until 2016. Black population in colombia is less than 10% while it's 13% in the US.

Jose Pardo actually the 10.6 percent you're speaking of refers to people known as afro Colombians who are straight descended of lucumi and carabali slaves vs the 13 percent of Americans known as African Americans who are mix. if we're going to compare regular or mix blacks, colombia is estimated to have about 32 percent.

@@j.lizbardo I recently did genetic testing as a white-looking Colombian and I'm about 20% black. Once we have more genetic testing of the population as a whole we'll probably discover large amounts of the population with black DNA, even in more European looking people. We truly are a very mixed and diverse nation :)

I recently researched the imformacion in this comment and WOW. You're 100% accurate. Everything you said here checked out. Colombian black roots are way deeper than what people think. Thanks for the imformacion.

WEPAAAA..^)

Precisely what I was thinking also.

Well said. Pretty much whatever you're looking for, you will find it or it will find you. Of course you have to exercise some degree of intelligence and sense anywhere you go in this world. If you look for trouble, you will find it. If you look for the good in people you will find it. If you're any good, you'll draw that out from those you come into contact with. Dios te bendiga. =)

Dwayne Bell but you are not a native columbian so you really can't speak for how racism is truly in their country

@R F there are other videos where the local people state there is extreme prejudice. They treat foreigners differently..especially Americans

@@dmcarden The culture is not racist like the US or in Europe. First of all, there's no superiority complex in Colombia like other places. I'm not talking about individual racists, about the general culture. No Tucker Carlson, homeless racist crazy whites, college students who hate on other races, etc.

GOOD JOB not marrying american

Thanks, really appreciate your comment. Enjoy your stay in September!

the guy in the white shirt looks like Jim Jones

You should go visit a predominantly black country. Haiti , Congo or Somalia are all excellent places to go visit or even live permanently. I'm planning to live in Zimbabwe when I retire.

You will love the city and the people enjoy!

@EZE THE GREAT - Why the shouting? No need to shout, old boy!

Welcome to Colombia, I hope you enjoy the country (sorry about my english)

We as Colombian people consider ourselves to be of European, American (Native American) and African ancestry and the mix of the three of them. That is our ethnic background, which makes us proud of. Culturally we are a fusion of elements that combined perfectly define our Colombian identity. We consider ourselves as very heterogeneous and different among ourselves, but that's what Unites and enriches us. We Colombians embrace our diversity as richness and are very proud of it, and we want to share it with the rest of the world!

Therefore the title should be 'being African American in Colombia', being Black in any country is specific to the Black population of that country.

God bless you, we know there's many good peoples like you around the world

Your white, no where near native to Colombia. If you take a ancestry DNA test it will prove you are white. White skin moved to Colombia over the decades. Fact not fiction, stop hating truth and pushing lies. Black and brown fit in easily as spoken in this video. White do not anywhere.. what's the percentage of pale skin in the world less then 20% lmao the other 80% plus colored

I love Colombia! I want to visit this country🥰😍😍😍😍😍

@Me R: The degree of advancement and wealth has nothing to do with the degree of justice, morality, opportunity, or the nature of a social order in any nation.

To the guy in the video >>>>> Do you hear people calling Jamacians African Jamacians or Dominicans African Dominicans.... We don't like to be called Africans or African Amer... just call us Black Ameri... we have nothing to do with Africa, we don't even look African, Africans sold us off , West Africans can't even grow Afros or Long full beards because where really not the same group of people, African culture and AA culture are totally different. Calling us AA is like calling a chinese guy a east indian asian or a english guy from england Italian or better yet a Columbian a Brazilian.

Thanks a lot :D

In general, people in Bogotá are kind of rude if you compare them to the rest of the country. And it’s a common general behavior, as in they will treat you the same no matter your race haha.

@@sarahg2553 In any country in the world, people in big cities tend to be more aggressive or distrustful.

So you by virtue of having been born in the U.S. and having US dollars in your pocket, fly across the globe to a foreign country where go to a nice restaurant in the best neighborhood and are served a probably very good meal by a nice polite staff...nobody gives you a dirty look or gets up and changes tables further away from yours, you're not refused service or treated poorly by anyone ...but you think white people looked at you weird because no black Colombians have money to eat at a nice restaurant. I'm really sorry that happened to you. You'd think that in the year 2019 you'd be able to fly around the world eating in fancy restaurants in the best neighborhoods and at least be able to enjoy your meal without white people ruining it by looking at you like that. So sorry thoughts and prayers

gfunkera1what no no......it wasn’t anything that deep.....it was a small thing I noticed......it didn’t seem like hate or anything......I didn’t feel uncomfortable at all. It seemed more like genuine confusion. Now....colorism in Latin America is a real thing.....noticing all the dark skinned people working in the back of the house, parking cars, loading airplanes and occupying the lowest barrios.....but that’s a different subject

This is a very stupid video, so wrong and many was

No it's not! It's a very informative video for a person who experiences racism in their home country. The last thing a person wants to do is travel for leisure and experience even more racism. Especially if it can be avoided.

Yes, Colombians with money are usually the ones who have the racist undertones in some of their behaviors. Not White supremacists though. They never had one-drop rules in Colombia. No lynchings. You had free slave towns. African descendance is prized in Colombia. We know it's true worth!

To the guy in the video >>>>> Do you hear people calling Jamacians African Jamacians or Dominicans African Dominicans.... We don't like to be called Africans or African Amer... just call us Black Ameri... we have nothing to do with Africa, we don't even look African, Africans sold us off , West Africans can't even grow Afros or Long full beards because where really not the same group of people, African culture and AA culture are totally different. Calling us AA is like calling a chinese guy a east indian asian or a english guy from england Italian or better yet a Columbian a Brazilian.

Literal

@Yryyyys: Channels like Univision and Telemundo don't show a latin America in which black people are treated or seen as full citizens. When they are visible at all, black people in those places seem to dealing with the same issues which are allegedly ONLY present in race obsessed Europe and North America. And 50 years behind.

We're glad it helped!

Ah I've been to Quibdo and people were nice, the problem was the poverty and extremely corrupt politicians there. Colombia's Gov is the 1st responsible on racism as they don't invest in education, healthcare and infrastructure, they are like this all over the country, but let's say the corruption is higher in afrocolombian majority cities

Thanks for your comment. At the coast people are way darker compared to the Andes. Both are living in Medellin, where black people are not as common as at the coast. Which makes a big difference when it comes to racism.

@@HowToExpat nowadays common in the poorer comunas due to forced displacement. However, in the traditional cultural region, there have been little to no black people, that's historical. The reason being that in the colony, appart from the gold-rich towns, the rest of this region was very poor, so, there wasn't a significant slave population here during the colony, plus, the wide range of climates and unaccessible geography encouraged the arrival of colonizers from Spain that reminisced about their homelands or that didn't want to be harassed, that married the mixed population that existed here, since indigenous people here suffered a lot the diseases and weren't as big as a population as it was, for example, in what today is Bogotá, which is why the population has mostly leaned to their european DNA.

Not true! racism and elitism is horrible in Colombia, also against native Indians , the majority of white Colombians are pretty horrible, racist extremely religious, meaning they ask Jesus for forgiveness after doing horrible acts...

@@zurima2012 You're sick and a racist lady!

Scott Williamson No! You are! I know how racism works in Colombia and all South America !

Regardless of policy the whites control everything so u can't be judged on merit bcos of attitudes like yours.

Go to fox network with that BS😁

Thanks a lot

just believe the documentary. colombians love money 💰. American dollars are very appreciated there don't matter where it come from. The issues arise when you don't have money and get confused with the locals.

It's pretty simple. We Colombians hate cartels, so even if a black guy is into drug staff, he won't be treated nicely. Not because of their skin color he/she will be discriminated against.

That's a great idea. We just made one for american football. But we surely have to make more about traditional Colombian activities.

@Clarin 2019: Great suggestion. California is not Florida or NYC or Montana...

Ben Sassay, I sure can't tell if someone looking like me is avoiding me like the plague because they hate being Black.

you forgot to explain how race relations are more advanced in Colombia and comparing to which countries.

Not really, black Americans don’t feel the racism in Colombia because they are treated as foreigners, but Colombian blacks definitely feel racism

@@francisconovoa3554 of course. Only a fool would disagree with you.

You have to understand that a lot of the racism in America is being extremely exaggerated by the media and politicians because it is a useful tool. Many Black Americans buy into it, but if we are honest then we have to admit that most of the danger that Black Americans face is 95% internal from other Blacks. I've lived in the South for over 50 years, and I haven't been called the N-word or harassed by police in 30 years. What's more, I come from a place where the Black population is only about 3% of the total population, but I have been all over the South in my work profession

1. The independence was a criollo conspiration to get rid of the overseas Peninsular surveilance, to do whatever they wanted. It was the culmination of the centuries-old conflcit between the encomenderos (who where all spanish emigrées, many of the first ones being former conquerors) and the royal administration, who had to get on the former's tails to prevent their abuses. 2.The independence was a huge setback in minorities rights, meaning, rights of native americans and africans. The reason being, this made the Leyes de Indias no longer effective in Spanish America, in this particular case, in what today is Colombia. These laws contemplated fairness of treatment for native americans and african slaves. The former, many whom had helped the spanish conquer the territory by hoping a change by throwing down the currently dominant pre-columbian dominating political enitties, were able in many cases to retain their lands, their inheritances (encomiendas led by native americans were basically caciques being recognized by the spanish administration), the local nobility was often recognized and many of the first prominent members of the new society here were mestizos because of that, which is why the elites in most of these countries today have some non-european blood. Some even got to europe, for example, some of Moctezuma's descendants today, are Counts or Dukes in Spain. In our country, a royalist hero with a clear native background is Agustín Agualongo, who was the only mestizo elevated to General in that war. Meanwhile, Manuel Piar and José Padilla were sold out by Bolívar and the other criollos they had fought alongside in the war in fears of a popular rebellion, the former because his mother was half-black, the later because he was a pardo (was tri-racial, I guess we can imagine him like the average costeño today). The latter, slaves, had better treatment compared, for example, to anglo colonies. Slaves in the 13th colonies usually fled to the Spanish-controlled Florida due to this and because emancipation was edicted for them. They established the first free black settlement in the US there, which was Fuerte Mosé. The previous discriminating social institutions that existed previosuly were reinstated shortly after, the previous example with Piar and Padilla are the best evidence of this. The natives got it worse because they lost their territories and were pushed back, remember that today's settlements weren't there 150 years ago, we lived a 2nd, republican, colonization process, plus, the caucho fever, which saw many natives exploited and killed. 3. Emancipation in Colombia happened after a gradual process in 1851, meaning, the independence didn't meant the emancipation of the slaves here, and that didn't even change the situation much because slaves could purchase their freedom and that of their families, and the slave population had been diminishing for decades, which is why they did it anyways, it was cheaper not to have these slaves, it didn't came from any altruism or sudden recognition of the ancestors of afro-colombians as equals in the eyes of the society. 4. The biggest improvement since the Leyes de Indias in these matters has been the 1991 constitution in which these communities were recognized and asigned fixed representation in the representative chambers and, in the native case, the resguardos. Think about it, the biggest improvement for racial minorities in the colombian territory was a constitution that came some 180 years after the "independence" from Spain, in 180 years they had worsened the situation these minorities lived, from the situation they had lived under the laws that were the compilation of 2 issues of laws that were expedited in 1512 and 1542, meaning, they had been enforced some 270 years before the secession. Laws, by the way, that had been primarily issued towards the treatment of native americans, since in that moment the transatlantic slave trade wasn't as big, who, ironically, got it the worse from the criollos.

Oh dont say you dont experience it. Just go to the coastal areas and see the infrastructure there. However you are on point its nowhere near as bad as US. Fact there.

If there no racism at all I’d come Im sick of the ignorance

but the relationship with the police is definitely more relaxed that is very true. but other aspects of anti-Black racism are worse here in Colombia than anywhere else i've been.

💪🏾

is ur dad scary?

To the guy in the video >>>>> Do you hear people calling Jamacians African Jamacians or Dominicans African Dominicans.... We don't like to be called Africans or African Amer... just call us Black Ameri... we have nothing to do with Africa, we don't even look African, Africans sold us off , West Africans can't even grow Afros or Long full beards because where really not the same group of people, African culture and AA culture are totally different. Calling us AA is like calling a chinese guy a east indian asian or a english guy from england Italian or better yet a Columbian a Brazilian.

@EZE THE GREAT troll, you copy/paste the same post all over😂

Wow! I heard Cali has racist issues especially towards black Colombians

How was the rest of your trip? Did u experience other types of discrimination??

Most Colombians are poor period. Most Mestizos are poor. If you’re only in Colombian cities then yes, you’ll experience racism. Heck it’s pure ignorance . You even experience racism if you’re from a small town and move to the city.

Stats says just 10% of the Colombian population are Afro-Colombians. 1/4 it means about 25% so it's not accurate. But It should be around 14-15%% and being a Colombian guy living all my life here, I would say around 6 million of Colombia's total population are black only. So more realistic is less than 25%. Official stats say around 37% are white, but I doubt it, I would say Around 30% are white, so it's about 15 million people, the rest 59% is Mestizo with lighter or darker skin color variations. About 29.5 million people are Mestizo and 1% are indigenous, about 0.5 million people.