A Call for Latino Leadership
September 16, 2009
My purpose in writing this article is to inspire and instruct more young Latinos into leadership. Even though we have grown to be the second largest minority group in the country, we still have a ways to go in attaining the level of civic and political representation that will champion our long struggle from the margins to the American mainstream of influence. Latino youth continue to fall behind academically and too many are dropping out of school, surrendering to negative lifestyles, becoming victims and/or perpetrators of violence, and ending up in juvenile halls, jails and prisons. Latinos remain underrepresented in federal, state and local government, despite the fact that statistics increasingly “speak Spanish.” What this means is that social trends reveal the powerful influence our people are having upon all aspects of our social, economic and political life. Yet, we continue to be marginalized from mainstream influence within American politics. Nevertheless, I suggest, we are at a turning point. A window of opportunity for leadership has opened and it is now our turn to step up and make sure it does not close. As for those of us in leadership positions today, we must continue not only to lead, but also to recruit, train and coach the young leaders of tomorrow to change our legacy of nonchalant participation in the American public discourse. For example, with all the debate that is going on in our country today regarding health care, the recession, joblessness, education, war, illegal immigration and every other issue affecting our daily life, where is our voice? Who represents us on the national scene of leadership? Who can we look to for guidance? Where can we find the Latino-American perspective represented on the nightly news, cable news, and daily radio and Sunday talk shows?
While Latinos are lumped as one demographically, we are a very diverse group of Americans that have yet to develop a common voice that speaks with a common vision. I suggest that until the Latino vote is galvanized we will remain on the margins of American life. After all, if we have the numbers but not the influence, does it really matter that we have become the largest minority group in America? In order to increase our influence we will need leadership capable of weaving a tapestry that includes all the threads of Latino culture. Although American-Mexicans (those of Mexican descent born here) and Mexican-American immigrants (those born in Mexico who have come here) comprise the majority of Latinos in the U.S., our Hispanic-Latino brothers and sisters from other countries contribute to a cultural diversity that enriches us far more than it should divide us as we all face the common minority pressure to “fit in” without “selling out.” Selling out speaks to the challenge for those born in the U.S. and raised in the Latino culture, and expected to master two languages, cultures and loyalties. If we do not, we are criticized from the margins by our own (“you’re a pocho” – a put down for not being able to speak Spanish properly). At the same time, we are ridiculed from the mainstream (“you’re a wetback” – a put down from the mainstream labeling us as outsiders not worthy of dignity or respect).
As a minority growing up in America during the sixties and seventies, I struggled to find my identity and often felt ashamed of my own culture. As a little boy I was exposed mostly to the Mexican culture at home, but to a different culture in school, even though most of the students were of my own culture. After graduating from elementary school, my mother decided that my sisters, brother and I, were going to attend a junior high that was across town with a majority of white students and a growing number of Hispanics. I still found myself hanging out for the most part with Chicano’s; the “jetter” crowd, as we used to call ourselves (Kind of a cross between a “Cholo” and a “Continental” in dress). By the time I got to the ninth grade (1968), the Hippie culture was in full swing. All of a sudden my life took a whole different slant. My girlfriend was white with blond hair and blue eyes, my sisters went from “Cholo” (slang that describes a certain kind of dress) boyfriends to “Surfers” and listening to the “Beach Boy’s”. All of a sudden, drugs, Griffith park “love-ins” and concerts at the Rose Palace (In Pasadena, CA) became the “hip” thing to do for the new crowd I was now beginning to hang out with. It was all fast and confusing for a young Chicano still living in the barrio and still hanging around with gang members and American-Mexicans living a different experience. Being a good athlete also had an effect on me as I found myself surrounded by more whites than browns, especially when I went on to play college football and baseball where I was one Hispanic among less than a handful of others. I tried to fit in amongst the whites, but deep down inside one never knows where you stand in the general white crowd no matter how white I talked, dressed and acted. I also tried to fit in with my black team mates, which was a little easier since they understand the minority thing. But even that was awkward at times because again I found myself trying to adapt to their culture and not the other way around (I’m sure the white guys and black guys reading this that grew up around mostly Mexicans know what I mean).
At first I really did not pay that much attention to the disproportion of representation of Latino’s in the different circles I found myself in. But eventually I began to wonder why and have become much more aware of it over the years as a community leader. As I continue my journey today and sit around the social and political community problem solving table, I still find that I am only one amongst less than a handful of other Latinos. I have witnessed this at the local, state and national level of leadership. In calling for more Latino leadership I hope to make a positive difference in what has been an ongoing marginal experience for Latinos–Born in America, living in America, educated in America, but still on the outside looking in.
The grassroots fabric of our nation has changed and we need the leadership to change with it, represent it and restore the hope, dreams and possibilities of why our fathers crossed the border in the first place that seems to be slipping away and getting out of reach for our children and our children’s children. Or is it just me? Is it true that we are the first generation of parents whose children will not enjoy a better lifestyle than their parents? Am I over reacting? Is it just because I am getting older that I feel this way? Did my parents feel this way about my future? Or were they assured that regardless of the sacrifices they had to make, they knew that their children would have it far better than they did because they could see the growth and prosperity of the nation? But I am not assured that the same or even greater growth and prosperity will be there for my children and grandchildren if the leadership in our country does not change direction.
As Latino’s we all know, or at least have an idea, of what the plight of our immigrant parents and grandparents has been like in America. We owe it to them and to ourselves to accept the baton of leadership for such a time as this. We need to re-ignite the fire within of that pioneering spirit to find new pathways and explore the twenty first century frontiers of new and better ideas. Ideas have always been the mark of great leadership and emerging Latino leaders should realize that the gold “minds” of progress, prosperity and thought leadership remain full and ready to be discovered. As I shared parts of my own story, I believe it speaks for many others with similar backgrounds and similar struggles that they overcame to achieve their position of influence and significance. Of course there are always differences in particular details of each story, but in general, if you have grown up in this country with a Mexican/Latino heritage, you know, understand and relate to what I shared. My prayer is that the voice in my story will touch and influence you, wherever you may be in your personal journey, to aspire to new heights of leadership and to dream even bigger dreams in areas you may have never considered before.
