Celebrating Afro Latinos with Allison Perryman of The Cultural Classroom

This post contains some affiliate links, which means that we make a small commission off items you purchase at no additional cost to you.

Celebrating Afro Latinos in the Spanish classroom is one of the most meaningful ways we can connect language learning with real stories, voices, and culture. When students see the richness and diversity of the Spanish-speaking world, it helps them understand that Spanish is not just a language—it’s a global experience. That’s why I’m so excited to share the work of Allison Perryman from The Cultural Classroom. Her resources and videos bring powerful, authentic representation right into your lesson plans in ways that are easy to implement and full of heart.

Allison is a Spanish teacher on the East Coast who has a passion for her work. She also loves to write and to create products to bring authentic culture into the classroom and to make the lives of busy teachers easier. I first encountered Allison’s resources through her YouTube channel! Today, I wanted to highlight the videos and resources she has created for celebrating Afro Latinos in Spanish class.

Connect with The Cultural Classroom

Click the links below to see the resources Allison shares. I especially love her videos on YouTube and Instagram!

Celebrating Afro Latinos in Spanish Class – Watch the Playlist

Videos in the list:

My story | Afro-Latino Culture in the Spanish Classroom – watch as Allison shares about how she got so interested in Afro-Latino & African culture in the Spanish classroom.
Africa in the Spanish Classroom – in this video, Allison talks about why it’s important to talk about Afro-Latino & African culture in the Spanish classroom.
Spanish Class Mini Lesson | Afro-Latinos & Africa in Latin Music – Allison shows how you can spend just 20 minutes of a class to bring the joy, vibrancy, and education of Afro-Latino culture into the Spanish language classroom (with a little chisme on the side!).

Easy Ways to Highlight Afro Latino Voices Year-Round

One of the best things about Allison’s resources is how approachable and ready-to-use they are. If you’re not sure where to start, pick one video or mini lesson from her playlist and add it to your warm-up or bell ringer for the day. Students love short, real-world content and it opens the door to meaningful conversation.

Want to go a step further? Try creating a mini spotlight each week. Choose one Afro Latino figure—musician, athlete, artist, scientist and have students learn just one or two facts in Spanish. Let them present it to the class, make a quick Canva poster, or even just journal about it in Spanish. These bite-sized cultural connections keep students engaged and build awareness naturally.

Music, Movement, and Representation

If your students light up when music comes on, you’ll love Allison’s video on Afro Latinos and Latin music. Play a song from her recommendations and have your students identify instruments, rhythms, or artists they hear. This is a great way to bring movement and sound into your lesson while reinforcing listening skills and cultural representation.

Another fun idea is a compare and contrast activity using traditional Spanish music and Afro Latino-influenced music. Students can discuss or write about the sounds, instruments, and styles in Spanish.

And don’t forget, these ideas can work during Black History Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, or anytime you want to make your Spanish class more inclusive and real.