Overview

Alicia Armendariz, better known by her stage name Alice Bag, was lead vocalist in The Bags, one of the first bands to surface in the LA punk scene in the 60s. Image Source: alice_bag, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The punk subculture, although founded by working-class individuals, has often overlooked those who do not fit into the heteronormative, white aesthetic that has become the face of the subculture. Latin America and Latinos have been a part of the scene since punk's inception and helped pioneer the genre. Despite the large punk scene in Latin America and amongst the Latin diaspora in the US, it has not received the same attention as its European counterparts.

The site will go through pre-origins and origins of punk, its popularity in the Americas, significant historical events undergoing durings it peak, and why the subculture attracted so many people.

The project is not a comprehensive archive of all artists or songs, as we currently do not have the time and resources to pursue such an endeavor. However, a gallery with a selection of artists and videos will be featured. It is strongly encouraged to explore and seek out the scene on your own time.

A note on labels and titles: The Latin American community has never had one concrete title to label themselves. The community is diverse, with different cultural identities and ancestry mixing to create something unique. Some people use Latino or Latina. Others prefer to label themselves based on their location, such as Chicano amongst Mexican-Americans, or use country-based labels, such as Peruvian or Argentinan. Some use Hispanic, signifying a connection to Spain and the Spanish language. Some may use Latinx or Latine, gender-neutral terms for Latino.

This project will use Latino to refer to the community as a whole and describe items (i.e., Latino punk). When referring to specific individuals, their preferred label will be used.

A reminder: Latino is not a race, but an ethnicity.