Afro-Latinos in the U.S. Economy

Afro-Latinos in the U.S. Economy outlines the current position and status of Afro-Latinxs in the economy of the United States. Very little research has thus far been disseminated in the field of economics on the contributions of Afro-Latinxs regarding income and wealth, labor market status, occupational mobility, and educational attainment. On the other hand, cultural studies, literary criticism, and social science fields have produced more research on Afro-Latinxs; the discipline of economics is, thus, significantly behind the curve in exploring the economic dimensions of this group. While the Afro-Latinx community constitutes a comparatively small segment of the U.S. population, and is often viewed as the nexus between two of the country’s largest minority groups—African Americans and Latinxs, who comprise 13 percent and 17 percent, respectively, of the U.S. population—Holder and Aja outline how the group’s unique economic position is different than non-black Latinxs. Despite possessing higher levels of education relative to the Latinx community as a whole, U.S. Afro-Latinxs do not experience expected returns in income and earnings, underscoring the role anti-Blackness plays in everyday life regardless of ancestral origin. The goal of this book is to provide a foundation in the economic dimensions of Afro-Latinxs in the U.S. which can be used to both complement and supplement research conducted on this group in other major disciplines. “

Table of Contents:
Chapter 1 – INTRODUCTION –DEMOGRAPHIC AND HISTORICAL CONTEXT Chapter 2- INCOME, POVERTY AND WEALTH AMONG AFRO LATINXS Chapter 3- THE LABOR MARKET STATUS OF AFRO-LATINXS Chapter 4- AFRO-LATINAS IN THE U.S. Chapter 5-AFRO-LATINXS AND INCARCERATION Chapter 6 –AFRO--LATINXS, DISCRIMINATION AND THE NEED FOR BOLD POLICIES AND MOVEMENTS

About the Author :
Michelle Holder is economics professor at John Jay College, City University of New York. Alan A. Aja is professor in the department of Puerto Rican and Latino studies at Brooklyn College, City University of New York.

Review :
“Afro-Latinos in the U.S. Economy is nothing less than a coup de maître. Rich in historical detail on the formation of the community that self-identifies as both black and Latinx in the United States, Afro-Latinos also explores the particularities of their racial/ethnic identity, the extent of their exposure to racial discrimination in the United States, their relative position within the wider Latinx community, and, most unique, advances a national policy agenda that would significantly improve their economic status. This is a must read for any social scientist concerned with race, racism, and social identity. “This book by Drs. Holder and Aja is an important and timely contribution to existing analyses of a complex and important community, providing extensive descriptive data and policy prescriptions. The discipline of economics has, until now, mostly ignored the role of Afro-Latinxs in the American economy. Afro-Latinos in the U.S. Economy is a must-read for anyone trying to deepen their understanding of the economic issues uniquely affecting Afro-Latinxs in the United States." Providing crucial quantitative evidence and insightful economics-based analyses, Michelle Holder and Alan Aja unpack how and why Blackness matters for people self-identifying as both Black and Latinx in the United States.