Africa in Florida in MEXICO

While much scholarly attention has been focused on the "Black Atlantic," the Gulf of Mexico--which swirls amongst Florida, Mexico, and the Caribbean has received very little notice within the broader field of African Diaspora Studies. Sagrario Curz Carretero's chapter "From Florida to Veracruz: The Foundation of San Carlos Chachalacas," drew our volume into that realm.

A panel discussion in Mexico City about our book, Africa in Florida, made me realize how fascinating and important dialogues about the African Diaspora are in Mexico. Mexican scholars are dealing with complex histories where identities related to Africa are submerged within national identities that favor indigenous and Spanish heritage. Graduate students looking for a dissertation topic....go to Mexico! I believe that foreign scholars have so much to learn from these Mexican scholars and those foreigners could also enrich the conversations with their outside perspectives.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Conference of the Caribbean Book! I learned so much. Gracias.