Dressed in black, Afro-Latina dancer Mercy stood alone by the DJ booth at her first Salsa social, bypassed for lighter-skinned dancers. In this episode, we explore colorism on the dance floor and the deep West African roots of Salsa. Mercy shares how she navigated her dual identity, embraced the rhythm of La Clave, and ultimately reclaimed her space on the floor.

Her story is a beautiful reminder that Salsa isn't just a dance—it’s Black ancestry in motion.

This episode of the Writers Read podcast was produced and hosted by Edward McCann, with engineering help from Anisah Garcia.

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Podcast # 89