Recognizing Latin American People in this Country
In this blog entry I am taking the easy road out by commenting on an article I received in my email inbox last week, which (by the way) is posted below in its entirety with permission from the National Institute for Latino Policy.
I found that the article resonated with me on a local level, that my entire life in this community has been spent as if I don’t exist here. I am not talking about my personal relationships, through which I successfully forged close ties with people from all walks of life in New Orleans. I am referring, however, to the seemingly systemic denial of my presence by the general community in which I have lived.
One of the reasons we formed Puentes was to address this very issue of feeling left out and forgotten when public dialogue around any issue takes place. In everything regarding public life–from the services offered by public agencies to the choice of people invited to talk on race relations by government officials, Latinos are not typically remembered in this region. Despite having been a significant contributor to the cultural landscape of Louisiana, Spanish language speakers are most often forgotten or ignored at best, or singled out as targets of hate and fear at worst. That we are not recognized, not even death, is only symptomatic of this truth.
As we move into 2010 and beyond, I have hope that the communities that make up Latin American nations and cultures living in this state begin to receive increased recognition. We, as any other immigrant group, are vital contributors to life in this state. Why should we continue to exist as if we don’t live here. We have lived here since the very beginnings of this state. Don’t we matter, as well? Don’t our voices have a place in the story that is playing out in our region?
Of course, we matter, but we have to recognize that we have to speak up. We have to put in the work that it will take to ensure that we are heard and recognized. In the end, we can either accept the same treatment we’ve known all our lives, or we can create a new possibility for the future, particularly for our children. I say we start speaking up.
