This is an archived article. In order to succeed, Luciano had to come to terms with his culture and himself and he demands the same of other Latinos. This year's metanoia focuses on issues of diversity. Luciano said that in many Latin cultures, the people that colonized the country are glorified. That idiosyncrasy isn't seen in other cultures, he added.
Colonialism is our major malady.
As Latinos have adopted the beliefs of their colonizers, they have rejected signs of their own culture. Many Latinos now see light skin, thin women and straight hair as the ideal, Luciano said. Those aesthetics demand that Latinos reject their African heritage, he said. Latinos must recapture their heritage in order to succeed, he said. For some, that may mean returning to their ancestor's homeland or spending time with others from the same background.