As a British-Colombian who arrived in London in 1990 at the age of 5, I have often asked myself, why and how did London’s Latin-American community get here?
Creating Latinidad London is a way of answering this question - by documenting and preserving the personal histories of the Latin-American diaspora in London.
Latino migration to the UK dates back to the 1970s; which included my paternal grandparents, who moved to London in 1974. The numbers of Latin-American immigrants to the UK, and in particular to London, increased and became more visible towards the 1980s. Many Latin Americans arrived in Britain in the 70s and 80s as migrant workers. Others came as refugees, escaping civil and political unrest in their own countries.
After spending time in libraries and archives across London, I realised that accessing historical information and personal stories of this community in Britain is practically impossible. According to unofficial estimates, the number of Latin-Americans in London could be as high as 800,000, if we were to include undocumented numbers as well. Since there is still no distinct ethnic category for the Latino population on UK government forms it is difficult to get a truly accurate number. Like many immigrant communities who come from countries outside the Commonwealth, the important story of Latino immigration is largely excluded from the records of British history.
As someone who works closely with archival material, I see a great urgency in documenting and preserving the lives and histories of all communities, especially those that are less visible. If these histories are not preserved, how will these communities be remembered and how will their stories be told?
I have started this digital archive project not only to recognise the longstanding presence and cultural contributions of the Latin-American diaspora in London, but also because I see the importance of using social memory, and the intentional act of remembering, as a form of healing. This project is also about giving space and agency to this community to create a vision of themselves that doesn't always square with how they are popularly perceived, making them in charge of their own narratives.
Lina Caicedo