I believe that Sammy Sosa, like many Dominicans, is a product of the Eurocentricity that exists among Afro-Latin Americans in general. It's nowhere near as simple as racism in the U.S. and it's almost as fascinating as it is sad.
What amazes me though is that being famous and adored by thousands and having more than enough to take care of your family and loved ones for generations isn't a enough. We are truly are trapped with in our own minds because division by race is such a stupid and easily dismantable (making my own words bare with me lol) construct. It doesn't even make sense. Maybe tall to short because there is empirical evidence of difference in ability but race is always proven to be a false indicator of ability. I've said it once and I'll say it till I'm in the grave "The worst thing that can happen to any society is when it's technology far exceeds its maturity. Such is the case with the once great United States Of America" - Andrae (You guys don't get to know my last name) Yeah I quoted myself and what lol
If someone isn't content and confident with themselves, no amount of fame or money will ever fix that. It's that discontentment within that leads people to always seek the next great fix IMO. Plastic surgery, or extramarital affairs, or materialism... they think that somewhere lies the answer to what they feel they lack, and until they realize that they will never find what they seek in someone or something else, they'll keep trying everything they can afford in an attempt to fill that hole. It's an exercise in complete futility, but sadly some people never figure that out.
We can't underestimate the psychological impressions of social conditioning. When one fully considers the level of anti-black sentiment that exists in Latin America, it's really not that surprising. I remember when I was maybe fifteen or sixteen and I picked up a copy of National Geographic from the seventies while lounging in the library. There was a segment in there about a man's travels in the Dominican Republic. The man soon learned that black was bad when a black woman told him "I'm black, but I'm clean", and showed him her house. Most of the prominent Afro-Latinos are the ones who have come to the U.S. or the ones who were born here - Merlin Santana (R.I.P.), Tego Calderon, Laz Alonso, etc. It's especially necessary for young people to see that people like themselves can achieve things and that is something that's missing. Touché.
