What Latinxs Are Manifesting for 2022

With the end of yet another strange year comes the opportunity for new intentions, reinventing ourselves, and reimagining our realities. 2020 shook us to the core and put many of us face to face with the inequalities in the U.S.; realities that can no longer be ignored. 2021 was, for many, the light at the end of the tunnel. It was our great hope, and by day 6 we learned that things could in fact get worse. 2021 didn’t save us from all that was wrong in the world. We got a new president and vaccines became widely available, but injustices continued to run rampant. Asian American communities were targeted, school shootings continued, and bodily autonomy came under attack. 

However, history has never been made by dreaming small. We shouldn’t settle for the scraps given to us by those in power. We must always strive for a world in which people don’t have to live in fear. 

The path towards the world we hope for has been a long one, but it’s important that we continue the work of those before us — and that we bring along the proper tools for the journey. Manifestation has become popular within the last few years, especially on TikTok. With faith and dedication, manifestation puts our personal hopes and dreams within reach. But what if we applied the power of manifestation to the collective well-being? What could we accomplish together? If the past two years have taught us anything, it’s that we can’t do it alone; and more importantly, we shouldn’t have to. Our struggles and perseverance are usually accompanied by the support of our communities and chosen families. When we envision a better world, we have to do so with them in mind. 

2022 will come with its own set of challenges, and not everything will be fixed, but we can start off by sharing what we wish to witness. Even one step in the right direction is worth fighting for. While the Latinx community hasn’t been the most united, I’m hoping we can continue to learn from each other this year, and beyond. We can start by listening to each other. So, in that spirit, we spoke with four Latinx women and asked them what they’re manifesting for their communities in 2022. 

“Being at this stage in the pandemic revealed to a lot of people, a lot of workers, the mass inequality we face in the community. Specifically, the way marginalized communities in the working class were treated. We've seen a lot of strikes, and we've seen a lot of individuals mobilizing at the workplace and politically. This realization and radicalizing effort is really powerful; it’s the reason I ended up going back to school, so I can continue doing this type of work. I hope that we don’t lose that momentum in 2022 and we continue to ask ourselves what we can do to support ourselves and our community. Because so much of our life is tied to our workplace, whether we like it or not, our lives are affected by our work. Be that the lack of work or the kind of work you do. If you lose your job, then you lose your healthcare and can’t pay your rent, and it’s complete bullshit. I'm writing a paper right now about sex work in the labor movement, and one of the things that I'm learning from sex workers is that their advocacy and organizing have to be complemented with alternative forms of organizing. It can’t just be in the traditional modes of union, which of course, is still very important.” 

“The power dynamics in the United States are awful. Despite the U.S.’s claims of being progressive, the way they treat our working class is absolutely heinous. The liberation and freedom from exploitation of us as people is never granted or given to us by those in power, it is always taken. I think the pandemic unveiled the fog we had of what it means to have a real sense of autonomy in the workplace or in your livelihood. Like Angela Davis says, ‘Freedom is a constant struggle.’”

“You don’t need to have organizing experience or a degree from Cornell to advocate for worker’s rights, You just have to be a worker who is unapologetic about demanding respect in the workplace. And it's hard and it's scary. But once you do it, it becomes second nature if your boundaries are crossed, whether in an academic setting, the workplace, or with family, you’ve become a more empowered individual that won’t tolerate anyone’s bullshit. So if you want to do something, the first place to start is talking to your coworkers. Talk about your salary and the working conditions that don’t seem right. Above all, make sure you’re always thinking in terms of the collective. If people really want to make a change in this world: Organize your workplace. You're literally creating history by doing that.” 

“I hope we continue to have conversations around Afrolatinidad and representation. Behind the conversation of Afrolatinidad, there's still a conversation that needs to happen around colorism. I'm not going to share the same experience as a Black Latina who grew up in Arizona, whereas I grew up in the Midwest. There are layers to us. I want these conversations to bring us together, not gatekeep who gets to identify as Afro Latina. Outside of representation, outside of seeing us, I want you to experience us and our culture. Black people are not a monolith, neither are Latinxs. I want to make sure that people feel empowered to embrace their Black Latina identity. It's kind of a big dream to have, but I do believe we can accomplish that and we can continue to open the door for one another. We collaborate, we build, and we empower one another.”

“There's still an issue of colorism within both the Latinx community and the Black community, so it's really important that we highlight the complexity of Afro Latinidad. You can look like me or you can have darker skin with orange hair and be into technology. You don't have to have 3B curls and canela colored skin because we come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. We need representation, but more importantly, accurate representation. The only way that we can properly bring representation is if we're inviting people to join the conversation.” 

“The peak of [Black Lives Matter protests] in 2020 really ignited a lot of people to want to explore their identity and also figure out how to be a better ally. I hope people still have this momentum, but if they don't, I hope that in the new year, allies continue to educate themselves on what it means to be an ally to Afro Latinxs and all Black people. Have those conversations with your family members that are uncomfortable, but necessary, to bridge that gap. For somebody who's a part of the community, the only way that we can really see change is if we continue to do the work that our ancestors did before us. BLM is great, but we were doing the work years before, like the Black Panthers or grassroots organizations who were around way before the pandemic. I hope we continue to move the agenda forward and recognize that we will not be free if Black people and Black liberation are not pushed forward. We must be open to hearing people's experiences. Research can only go so far; we're not actually learning if we're not learning from each other and lifting each other up. We have to come together if we want to win.” 

“I work for Freedom for Immigrants, which is a national nonprofit devoted to abolishing the immigration detention system. While the complete abolition of immigration detention is unlikely to happen in 2022, I’m confident this movement will continue to build momentum for a world without detention in the year ahead. Right now, in working to achieve this long-term vision, the movement will continue to focus on individual closures of detention centers by getting their states or counties to divest or end their contracts with [Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)], in addition to advocating for less funding for ICE at the federal level.”

“Detaining immigrants is completely immoral. It’s not aligned with values of community, dignity, freedom, or compassion. We have a moral obligation to welcome, instead of caging, people. Abolition is also important because our communities are not safe. These private prisons and government agencies are ripping apart, disenfranchising, abusing, and neglecting our communities. Wherever there's a detention facility, that's a safety and health risk. A lot of people have died in detention and face mental health and medical neglect everyday. Our communities will not be safe and healthy as long as detention exists.”

“A lot of people have gone back to being complacent just because they think things are better now that Trump is no longer in office. People are also, understandably so, very burnt out after constant attack after attack. I would still love to see more engagement from the broader community. It’s important to continue to follow the grassroots organizations that are doing the work. Follow the calls for action, whether it's sending a letter to your representative, supporting a local closure campaign, or donating to a mutual aid or direct support funds, so that people in detention are released.” 

“I used to live in Texas, which is where I was born, and currently, Texas is going through a really restrictive abortion ban. They say it's not a ban, but it is because women are not allowed to have an abortion after six weeks. You usually don't even know if you're pregnant at six weeks. This puts a lot of people at risk. On top of that, SB 8  also allows people to sue anyone who helps someone get an abortion. That could be the doctor that performs the abortion or the Uber driver or friend that drove them to the clinic. In 2022, I want to manifest abortion access. Access for everyone, not only in Texas or in 2022, but in the entire United States, always.” 

“It's very important for people to have the right to choose when it comes to their bodies. That includes access to abortion clinics in their city or at least close to their city. Not everyone is able to travel for an abortion. Not only should we make abortion clinics accessible, but we must also destigmatize them. We need to also talk about the costs. Accessibility also means affordability. Even though I myself have never had an abortion, and I'm not even sure if I would have one if I were to be pregnant, it would give me some peace of mind to know that there is a place that I can go to at any time if I decided to have one. Abortion banning is not going to get rid of abortions, it's just going to increase abortions that may risk people’s lives. Roe v.Wade was such an accomplishment, the possibility of it being overturned is daunting and a national concern. I’m not sure what’s going to happen, but I’m hoping for the best.” 

“To manifest something means you also have to put in the work. You put it out into the world, but you can’t sit there and wait for it to happen. At the minimum, it’s important to talk about these issues, whether it’s on social media or with friends and family. It can be uncomfortable to have these conversations with people who don’t agree with you, but it’s still important to bring your voice to the table, so we’re at least talking about it. If you’re able to attend a march or protest near you, I think that’s very powerful. I've been to a few and it gives you a sense of community when you're with other people that believe in the same cause as you. It may seem like something small, but it’s impactful in its own way. And of course, if you can, volunteer at an abortion clinic or donate to organizations that are pro-choice. I don’t know a whole lot about politics, but that’s why I connect with people that do. I think these are all ways in which we can make a difference.”