I'm grateful for being an American. I never felt this way until I left the country for the first time in my life and finally used a passport at the age of 44. I went to Peru and Bolivia. There I saw what my life could have been if my grandparents hadn't hauled...
Last weekend I travelled to Iowa and canvassed for Barack Obama's campaign. I ended up being assigned a pretty Democratic neighborhood of elderly people. About half the people I talked to were either supporting Obama or were leaning towards Obama. Only a few said that...
Whoa! Look at this: there ARE Latinos supporting Obama, such as the musicians of Mariachi Aguilas de Mexico. This is some pretty good music, too. English translation of the lyrics: To the candidate who is Barack ObamaI sing this corrido with all my soulHe was born...
Two weeks ago, in response to my January 19th post, one reader commented: Tell me more about ‘English Only bull#$%.’ What does that refer to? Does Mexico publish its voter materials in other languages for the benefit of non-Mexican-speakers? English Only is a movement...
I'm disturbed by the assumption that Hillary Clinton has the Latino vote in her back pocket. I'm disturbed by the media assertion that there's tension between black and Latino voters. I'm disturbed by Sergio Bendixen's statement that "The Hispanic voter -- and I want...
Today is the day of the Nevada caucuses, the first time in our history that a state with a large Hispanic population will get an early say in who our presidential nominees are. I'm looking forward to strong support for Obama coming out of Nevada, but as has been...
I hate being asked if I speak Spanish.
I’m among the Mexican Americans who spoke only English their whole childhood. There are many of us.
I can fake a fluent Spanish accent until the end of the first sentence.
I disappoint and surprise everyone all the time.
The irony is thicker than my American accent.
I finally appreciate the education my parents and grandparents made available to me.
Acculturation, or the uglier word assimilation, isn’t always a choice.