The custom of complexion discrimination has traveled from Latin American culture to mainstream and pop-culture in the United States. There is an unwritten rule that in order for Latinos to be recognized on a celebrity level they must be fair-skin, have long straight blonde hair or long dark curly hair with colored eyes. It is very rare and almost unheard of to see a Latino of African descent pushed into the spotlight. When you see ad’s, movies, postcards, and read magazines, Latin American countries use lighter complexion citizens. You rarely see a dark skinned Latinos pushed forward in Latin American countries.
There even seems to be a hierarchy or “it-list" of Spanish speaking countries that determines whether you are a credible Hispanic or not. Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Colombia and Cuba are widely celebrated Latin countries. Other countries do not get as much recognition. Society has developed its own system of defining what a Latino person is. If you fit any description other than the widely accepted image you're almost instantly discredited of your Latin roots. Forget about being born and raised in a Latin country, or speaking Spanish, if you're not a part of the hierarchy you're not included.
The looks myself and my Panamanian and Costa Rican family members get when we speak Spanish or publicly identify ourselves with Latino culture, is a look of confusion and disgust. We get these looks because society has made up their minds, we don't represent “the look”, the flavor, el sabor of Latin culture. But we speak Spanish just as well, indulge and promote our culture just as well and we take pride in being Latinos just as much.
Every country in Latin America has a population and communities of Afro-Latino Spanish speakers, who were born and raised right there. Having a darker complexion doesn’t make any Latino less of a Latino. Ethnicity in these countries can determine your family's welfare, your annual income and your chances to grow socially. There has always been a misconception that darker skin is bad. Afro-Latinos should not have to choose between being identified as either Black or Latino. We are both and we should be respected too.