We of the Saya

Sisa Bueno began work on her documentary of the AfroBolivian community while serving as a volunteer in Bolivia. We of the Saya (Nosotros los de la Saya) attempts to expose the systemic vulnerability of a group that, historically, has not even been recognized as an existing people by the Bolivian government. It is a state of affairs that resonates strongly with many AfroLatin@ groups throughout the Americas.

Bueno’s film follows the struggles of an AfroBolivian farmer who aspires to help her marginalized community by entering politics. The documentary provides a rare glimpse into history unfolding. In a recent article, Ms. Bueno notes the important questions surrounding identity in the Americas:  “[H]ere in the U.S., we really confine ourselves to these kinds of labels that were not created by us, but for us… ‘black’ and ‘African-American’ are the same. At least in my view, that’s not the same thing…