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The time is here to celebrate and defend our Latino community

Kenneth Romero-Cruz

The Hill

Dec 3, 2018

As we approach Hispanic Heritage Month, Americans of Latino descent have much to be proud of. Our community’s impact on the socioeconomic wellbeing of this nation is at its peak. Latino purchasing power in the U.S. is worth $1.3 trillion, according to Nielsen. That is more than the GDP of Australia or Spain. In the arts, sciences and every other facet of American life, from the No. 1 song of the summer to the Supreme Court, Latinos have become an integral part of this nation’s diverse mosaic. Our community is not only the largest minority but is projected to become close to a quarter of the entire country’s population in just a few decades.

That is why it is so troublesome that on issue after issue, our community seems to constantly be placed in the crosshairs of politicians who would scapegoat Latinos for political gain — both on the state and federal levels. Whether it is by passing egregious and anti-rule of law bills such as S.B. 4 in Texas or phasing out the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, Latinos seem to have become the target of choice by politicians who prefer to build walls that divide us instead of bridges that unite us as a nation.