Latinxs in the house? Latinx migration and culture in Madrid

Abstract

This commentary explores some of the cultural practices among people of Latin American origin living in Madrid. By establishing a link between Latinx migration and the process of racialization, the author describes how contemporary archives are being created and the ways that “migrant culture” is expressed and perceived in modern-day Spain, using the term “Latinx” as a critical category that refers to Latin American “Xs” living in the diaspora. This preliminary inquiry keys into the following question: What is the cultural history of Latinx communities in Madrid and how was this history constructed? In this way, the piece contextualizes the conflicts and misunderstandings experienced by Latinx migrants upon arrival in the host society from the standpoint of taking ownership of spaces of signification to generate a sense of belonging through cultural practices and creative projects. For these communities, such spaces are tangible and symbolic places of action, meaning making, and resistance. Culture—both its everyday manifestations and specifically artistic practices—is a critical space of expression, creativity, and thought. This makes it a suitable way to incorporate the migrant population into a new perception of Spanish national identity, thus generating enough of a sense of belonging.