Rethinking Spanishness: The Latin American Diaspora in Barcelona
About two years ago, my classmates and I had the privilege of traveling to Athens, Greece through our Global Seminar “American Race: A Philadelphia Story.” We met with the United Nations High Commissioner For Refugees, the U.S. Embassy, and organizations working to integrate refugees into Greek society. Our ten day stay illustrated how ethnic identity shapes how one is perceived in Athens.
In the same semester, I was enrolled in “Religious Diversity and Democracy in Europe,” where I focused on Spain as my case study. I did research on the frameworks used by Barcelona and Madrid to integrate religious minorities. The death of Fransciso Franco in 1975 resulted in a turning point for Spain, allowing for an influx of migrants and religious minorities to enter the country.
This past fall, the last Paideia class I took was “Listening in Troubled Times,” where we focused on how the power of listening can help find solace and community together.
My experience in each of these courses inspired me, from international travel, my research on Spain, and listening to the stories of others in a time of intense polarization to understand how Latino individuals integrate into Spanish Society. Despite speaking a common language and holding a shared faith, I wanted to explore how Latinos perceive Spain and how Spain perceives Latinos. Rather than leaving these questions in the classroom, I followed them to Spain itself with the support of a Course Extension Grant.
Just this month, the Spanish government passed legislation to introduce an amnesty program for half a million of undocumented immigrants to apply for legal status. Even before the law, Spain has become a common destination for Latino immigrants seeking better opportunities and economic mobility.
Before arriving in Barcelona, I communicated with the former president of Asosciación Hondureños Solidarios en Barcelona (Hondusol), Julio César Trochez, and we arranged to meet at Sazon & Rumba to enjoy Honduran cuisine and converse about his experiences. He has lived in Barcelona for two decades, but before arriving he attempted to leave for the United States, but was met with great difficulty. Upon his return to Honduras, he decided to take the leap of faith and move to Barcelona.
He expressed that in Spain, the process of becoming a resident depends on securing a work permit through a contract with an employer. Unlike the United States’ complex immigration system, migrants who are able to find work are placed in much more favorable conditions. Migrants must also take and pass Catalan B1 (Elementary). However, this is not a requirement in Madrid, showing how immigration laws depend on the region, rather than a nation-wide approach.
At the Mercat dels Encants, Barcelona’s largest and oldest open-air flea market, I spoke to food vendors who were describing their histories in Barcelona, who were from Honduras and Nicaragua. I was told that learning Catalan is a must, but one Honduran worker expressed to me the intense struggle to learn the language despite living in Spain for three years.
When navigating the city, I was shocked by all of the Catalan I heard, unaware of its presence. I attended a soccer game, where fans were holding the official flag of Catalonia. Catalonia is legally and administratively an autonomous community of Spain, not an independent country; it has its own distinct language, culture, and high degree of self-government, including a parliament and police force. It remains a politically contested area, with ongoing debates over independence.
My conversation with Latinos throughout the trip illustrated that many Latinos have become fluent in Catalan, while others have had an extremely difficult time picking up the language that is quite different from Spanish. In Barcelona, natives appreciate the effort to speak Catalan, but will use Spanish for those who do not speak the tongue. In addition to learning Barcelona customs and traditions, migrants arriving must also navigate learning Catalan, where without it, one cannot fully integrate in Barcelona. I also attended Sunday Mass at the Sagrada Familia, where it was multilingual, including Spanish and Catalan. I was surprised that it was not done solely in Catalan. The accommodation in English, French, Italian, and other languages highlighted Barcelona as a pluralistic society.
When I asked if there was any prejudice against Latinos, I was told that Barcelona has become an extremely diverse region, where adolescents and younger generations are accustomed to growing up with individuals from all walks of life. In terms of how individuals go about speaking Spanish, a variety of accents and dialects flourish across the city. Inevitably, Spanish slang and conjugations become a part of one’s vocabulary, like vosotros (you all) or ¡hola tío! (hey dude).
Walking around the streets of Barcelona, I saw just how diverse Barcelona is. The region holds a large number of those with Asian, African, and Middle Eastern backgrounds who are also fluent in Spanish. I realized just how strong the power of language is, eliminating any barriers to communication. I was in awe of the diversity and how friendly everyone was, where I never once felt judged.
I was expecting to arrive in Barcelona and witness barriers between Latinos and Spaniards, but instead I witnessed a thriving society that is aware of the importance of cultural exchanges and dialogue. I was told during my interview with Julio César Trochez that immigrants in Barcelona do not face the same fears as they would in the United States, where I think our form of governance can learn from Barcelona’s model of integration.
Spain’s move to provide amnesty to hundreds of thousands of migrants will continue to attract migration from Latin America. This will continue to usher in cross-cultural interactions and appreciation.
I am eternally grateful for SNF Paideia’s funding which allowed me to embark on this incredible journey. As they say, Visca Barça! (Long live Barcelona!)
Ashley Acosta (C‘26) is majoring in Political Science with minors in Legal Studies & History, Sociology, Latin American & Latinx Studies.
