Kleaver Cruz

Interviewee: Kleaver Cruz Interviewer: Anthony Rosado Summary by Serena Velasquez November 18, 2025 Kleaver Cruz, a Bronx native, acknowledges the legacy of “Las Mariposas,” martyrs from the Dominican Republic who opposed Trujillo, setting the tone for this event’s influence on their family’s migration stories and cultural connectivity. Having lived their whole lives in the Bronx, Cruz’s Afro-Latin identity and community became integral to their activism. Having grown up during the 90s, Cruz touches on economic hardships and living through the crack epidemic, yet asserts that they had a great childhood despite these circumstances. Cruz was influenced by figures throughout their educational journey, especially African-American women educators. The foundation of their elementary school, PS70, with Miss Fields, provided a point of return for their fearlessness and confidence. It was also a time when they had their first spiritual experience, showing this time of guidance. This time normalized the idea of pursuing their dreams and expressing themselves. Building on an initiative in 2015 and on all their encompassing experiences of literary expression and Afro-Latin identity, Cruz published The Black Joy Project to promote healing and community through the celebration of black joy. With this, Cruz expresses the complexities of racial and cultural identity along with the profound importance of universal connections. This documented, transformative moment in their lives promotes the advocacy of marginalized groups and also a commitment to artistic solidarity. To remember joy is to rise against the impact of historical violence and gentrification in the Bronx, along with the risk of commodifying movements such as Black joy. It innately signals a collective, a window into gaining the context of the Black experience and the community that is instilled with joy. With this, Cruz declares the necessity of maintaining authenticity and depth in a world of systemic challenges, oppression, and historical erasure. Words are very powerful and important, exemplifying Cruz’s critique of the label of “Latinidad,” which not only diminishes preexisting frameworks and limits identity to speaking solely Spanish but also fails to capture the depth and complexities of Afro-Latin identities. With their experience in Brazil, Cruz touches on the importance of creating one’s own words and language to express one’s true existence, free of colonialism and historical injustice. This complexity parallels their experience living in New York City, specifically the Bronx. Cruz truly underscores the importance of understanding the historical context of Black identity, which, in turn, promotes the creation of a futurescape where Black joy can thrive, be empowered, and be preserved. Cruz’s initiative is about liberation, permanence, and revolution within an identity that succumbs to transience. Cruz unapologetically centers their experience in order to empower Black queerness and fems, as these were the communities that helped them understand and create joy. LINK TO VIDEO RECORDING: http://cdm17265.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/baahp/id/128