iF : Equatorial Guinea ? Mbaga : Equatorial Guinea . iF : That was the unique part .
Mbaga : That was the unique part . Any Afro-Latino that wanted to know his history did not go to Nigeria , did not go to Ghana . He went to Equatorial Guinea . That is the link . There have been organizations in the U . S . that were initially started in Latin American countries ; i . e . Cuba , Haiti , the Caribbean , The Afro Latinos have always been here , but they have been misplaced . They must deal with English . You must remember that when you need to explain your history , something very emotional to you , it is better to do it in your mother tongue .
iF : Yes . Right .
Mbaga : One of the things we are doing now – this is very interesting , and I am keen that you know this is – I am going to Argentina , Cuba , Venezuela , the Caribbean , Colombia , all of these .
iF : Guatemala .
Mbaga : Guatemala . These countries have done something very good . They have been with the Socialists and all of that – they have considered the importance of their minorities .
iF : I see .
Mbaga : One of the things we are going to be proposing is the Afro-Latino Route . This is what happens like – you could have the Jews . The Jews when in Europe have to take the tour – and Israel . It is very important for them and for the children to understand how they lived and how they became separated from their home . But the Afro-Latino , what route can they take ? Now the idea is you can have one place – Malabo . You do not have to take a tour . You can come by boat or by plane . You can fly commercial . Then you go on the Afro- Latino Route .
52 iF Magazine | May 2018 iF : Right !
Mbaga : So , what is the catch here ? You have this unique market . And guess what – Equatorial Guinea has a lot of money . What we are telling these countries is , we don ’ t want you to come and tell us that you can do this hospitality . We want you to invest in 1 single event or 1 single organization . And this is the Afro- Latino organizations . All these things I am discussing is to create the fund to be filled by Venezuela , Saudi Arabia , Nigeria , Equatorial Guinea and the rest in providing the resources to create that fund to be able to create the Afro-Latino holdings . Now something that is very interesting I have seen , and we Afro-Americans really like is , especially , even the people who watch the “ Black Panther ”, is the history of the Afro-Latino is more interesting than the history of Afro-Americans .
iF : Right . That is true .
Mbaga : They were more successful . If you hear the story , they made it . The problem is they have been so integrated , they disappeared . In some places , they were not so affected , like Haiti .
iF : Right now . Yes , true .
Mbaga : In other places , they made it . Let ’ s talk about the Africans . They say we did not know about the Africans . Because the Africans , they call it , “ the more intelligent people .” The Spaniards went to Bolivia to the original Indians . They didn ’ t speak the language . They wouldn ’ t do it . So , what we did is we brought men trained to do that . We called them the Capitaces .
iF : Like the chief or foreman ? Mbaga :
Foremen , who were trained Africans . Some of them used to live in Spain . Some of them were from North Africa , but who spoke English . Some even had lived in Chicago . The City of Chicago was built by Haitians and Cubans . But they did what they were told . All that history has been told . Enough of the History . iF : No . Very cool . It was very interesting for me . There is something we can do with that right now . We are connected to the Latin American Community . I am the Latino connection for the magazine . We need to talk more about this .
Mbaga : ( To the group ) They will like her . They will love it ! And that is the new trend . What is happening in a lot of Latin American Countries is that they are enriching their culture with their minorities . They do not want to be just one single nationality . So , you see in Colombia and other Latino Countries , they say we have been Afro-Latinos . And they commemorate anything they have . But the problem is they will be extinct . Why ? No money .
iF : Right .
Mbaga : If you do a comparison , a Jewish association , and that is the best example , there is one in every country in the world . Everywhere , there is a convent . You have the Italian association any where there is an Italian family . The poor Afro-Latino family does not have the group or a book .
iF : They do not have it .
Mbaga : If you have that group , you have small communities , small families . You send the children to school in the country . If they finish high school , you send them to college or universities , like Chicago . Usually they go back and enrich that community . They have that peculiarity . They are Afro-Latinos .
iF : Very cool . I want to visit your country .
Mbaga : You are welcome . We want to be styled by the “ Black Panther .”
iF : ( Laughing ) I haven ’ t seen it yet . I am waiting for the perfect friend to see it with . My boss will have to speak with your consul .
Mbaga : He knows more about this matter , and he explains it . He is involved with the community that