The Latino Diaspora in the Americas Project (LDAP) at the Samuel Proctor Oral History Program seeks to navigate the multi-layered and complex narratives of the Latinx community. This project seeks to demonstrate the already long standing relationship between the United States and Latin America. We cannot escape the long history of colonialism and exploitation between the United States and Latin American, more than that we should seek to deconstruct the meaning behind our identities. This project seeks to create a space for the survivors of colonialism to tell their stories. How have people survived power and persecution? What has motivated people to travel to the United States in search of the American Dream? Is there such a thing as the American Dream for the Latinxs who are here? How has the new generation of Latinx born in the United States navigated the spaces between the land of their ancestors and the land that they call home?
Our goal is to demonstrate the resilience of the Latinx Diaspora and their historical and current roles in the Americas.
We intend to explore the differences in language, complexity of race and socioeconomic background that symbolize the Latinx Diaspora. This range of issues has created a community story box brimming with extraordinary powerful narratives. It is a story box that speaks to the never ending courage, unbaiting faith and everlasting love for our people and our communities. The stories don’t belong solely to us– they belong to our community.
Our goal is that our words and memories can be the impetus for a collective action to help our society become a better place for all.