HISPANIC Magazine Doesn't Represent Me!

Somehow Hispanic Magazine chose to nominate the outrageous, self-made Hollywood celebrity gossiper Perez Hilton as its 2009 Hispanic of the Year.   In a year when the nation saw Justice Sonia Sotomayor become the first Latina to serve as a United States Supreme Court justice, Hispanic Magazine should be ashamed of its lack of judgment and indifference to historical precedence.  The only good thing that can be said about this horrific choice is that, thankfully and mercifully, the rest of the media chose to ignore it.   

In explaining her decision, Marissa Rodriquez, Hispanic Magazine’s Editor wrote: Who, we asked, are the big players who make the World Wide Web go around? There is little doubt that one of the web’s biggest stars is Perez Hilton. This famous blogger of Cuban American descent is credited by many for revolutionizing celebrity news. Professional gossips are nothing new, as gossip columns have existed in newspapers and magazines since their beginnings. But Perez is at the tipping point of something new, he’s taken an old idea and created something no one else has. His is one of those blogs that sometimes bests traditional news outlets in the 24-hour news game. …While he may be known for his flamboyant personal style and snarky approach to celebrity news, there is also a serious side to Hilton. A prolific poster on his site PerezHilton.com, he doesn’t hold back an opinion, and his opinions influence millions. Yes, he is controversial. Some people even despise him. Hilton knows it. But he is also loved by millions of readers from all over the world who flock to his website daily, making the site not only a cultural phenomenon and a smashing business enterprise. (Editors Letter, December 2009 Edition of Hispanic Magazine) 

The “tipping point of something new”?

Influences millions?

A “cultural phenomenon”? 

Aside from asking the obvious question about what kind of web surfing Rodriguez engages in, her gushing admiration for Hilton as a web pioneer raises serious questions about HISPANIC MAGAZINE’s journalistic rigor.  While there are far more significant individuals to list as Latino internet pioneers, HISPANIC MAGAZINE willfully ignored a Latina who truly will influence millions through her decisions in the highest court and whose success represents a tipping point of political and economic opportunity for all of us.  As Latinos finally gain much deserved attention in the arts, sciences, law and politics—we cannot afford to be distracted with the mediocre who tantalize us with an opportunity to be sensationalized with 15 minutes of fame.  We don’t need fame. We need authentic power that comes from inspired vision and substantive leadership. In the annals of history, there will be much written about this one remarkable moment Judge Sotomayor captured for Latinos.  Too bad that chapter did not get written with our own voice under the banner of HISPANIC MAGAZINE. 

Veteran's Day Rememberances

My first visit to the Vietnam Memorialin Washington DC was shortly after it opened in 1984 and by then the controversy of the war had subsided but the anguish of broken lives remained a national open sore. Instead of the noble tributes that we saw today at Fort Hood, Vietnam veterans were never quite seen like the men and women in the armed services today. The Vietnam Memorial was perhaps an apology for the days of controversy when political posturing overshadowed the anguish of personal sacrifice. All along the wall that day were stacks of personal tributes...letters , mementos, dog tags of those who survived and even some teddy bears.  Like so many who visit the site, I was overwhelmed by the magnitude of seeing over 58,000 names and all those mementos of unspoken promises, yearnings and prayers.  It was hot and humid as only DC can be in August.  I needed to catch my breath before I made the long walk to the section where my cousin Raul Robledo would be listed.  My one task for that day, as the first in my family to visit Washington DC was to take a photo and send it to my Tia Paula who lived in Shreveport, Louisiana. A single parent, of very humble beginnings, my Aunt would never make this same journey. So I walked to a nearby souvenir stand selling soft drinks and stood in line and glanced at the post cards of DC and the Memorial.  And then, there it was. One postcard. A dozen names. A rose laying on one side.  My cousin's name was there framed by the one rose and the border on that postcard.  I bought as many as I could for her and for Raul, my cousin, who I never had the chance to meet--growing up on opposite sides of the country. Raul was deployed Nov 11, 1967 and died by friendly fire March 14, 1968 at the age of 20 and left behind one daughter who he never met. No matter how I frame that day for myself, I always picture my aunt opening the envelope with my letter and the cards and hope she felt proud that day. Today is about that moment for her and all the families who have someone to thank, someone to remember or someone to care for this Veteran's Day.

CNN's Latino in America

I’ve been looking at several sites that feature Latino perspectives (www.vivirlatino.com and www.mylatinovoice.com) and many write about the great anticipation they had for Soledad O’Brien’s production on CNN: Latino in America. While many take time to thank her for her contribution to the dialogue, they are quick to suggest it just didn’t do our community justice and I agree.  While it must be said that O’Brien’s efforts were indeed a means to create dialogue, it may have also affirmed some of the worst stereotypes about Latinos—most of us are immigrants, we are poor,  we don’t speak English well, our kids are constantly getting pregnant, and education isn’t our biggest priority.    

As much as O’Brien tried to blend the stories of successful Latinos with those who live in the inner-city, she didn’t bring together some of the most notable Latino scholars who are studying how much Latinos are engaging in American life and how much they contribute to our economy. She missed three incredible demographic trends that must be well understood in order to truly appreciate Latino diversity and understand the remarkable role we play in the future of America’s economic, social and political success.

First, we are a multi-ethnic community representing 22 different Spanish speaking countries and all with varying levels of acculturation and because of our nation’s shared border with Mexico, there will always be an influx of people who are not acculturated to the US culture.  These are indeed the Spanish speakers among us who reflect their own native countries the most in language and traditions. When some compare the immigrant experience of the Irish, Polish and German families of the past, it is key to understand that those families could not go home so easily. There was no internet, no easy access to long distance calls and moving here meant being cut off from their homeland in significant and profound ways.    In contrast, by the time I was just 12 years old, my immigrant family had traveled and returned to Mexico at least 7 times and each time we were reinvigorated with our cultural roots and relished the time we could be in our extended family. Even so, my parents valued education and my brothers and I all spoke English and Spanish fluently by the time we completed our first year of schooling in the US and though my parents struggled they learned English, too.

Second,  Latinos in the US have a healthy and growing middle class.  Median income for Latinos is now close to $39,000. Those of us in our 40’s and 50’s who took advantage of educational opportunity programs or veteran benefits or who simply developed a strong trade skill are not just surviving. We are living that America dream so many of O’Brien’s guests seemed unable to attain.  Our spending power as a whole is approaching $1.2Trillion in 2011. Yes, that’s Trillion with a “T”.   We have shaped the way grocery stores stock certain food items. We’ve inspired how fast food outlets feed us.  Our love of music, family, celebrations, and art is creating a business for celebrating quinceñeras, weddings, and baptisms like nothing seen before.  The fastest growing entrepreneurial group in the US is Latinas.  We remain in many ways the untapped opportunity for retailers, automakers, housing developments, and financial services—who desperately need to learn how to attract the Latino consumer.

Third, Latinos as a whole are 10 – 12 years younger on average than the Caucasian population of the US.  This has huge implications for the American economy and this was sorely missed when O’Brien brought us the stories on the poor and uneducated.  As whites continue to retire in significant numbers, we are the future labor force that will fuel the economic engine of the US.  By 2050, half of the working age adults in the US will be Latino.   If ever there is an argument to indeed make sure Latinos feel included in our society and encouraged to succeed in school and have access to safe neighborhoods—this is it: The future of American enterprise rests on engaging successful Latinos to create, innovate, and promote new visions of the American Dream. Let’s hope that future documentaries on Latinos take time to reflect carefully on nothing less than that.  

Special Event in Los Angeles on October 20th

As more corporations discover the value of Employee Resource Groups, many are looking for ways to leverage them as business resource groups that have demonstrate a viable return on investment.  ERGs can be strong allies in recruitment, retention, onboarding and brand development if members are  effectively tappedfor their talents and capabilities.  In fact, leading organizations see ERGs as Business Resource Groups and are creating a wide range of groups to recognize the increasing diversity of the American workforce.  From women's ERGS to Veteran ERGs, some organizations have as many as 15 - 20 different groups. On October 20th, join me at a free event sponsored by State Farm Insurance at their Culver City offices from 4 - 6 pm.  This interactive and informal event is ideal for the ERG leader or sponsor in your organization who would like to learn more about the latest trends in the development and sustainability of ERGs.  Please RSVP to me at mhernandez@globallead.com or call me at 510.550.7182 for directions and an agenda.  See you there! - M 

That Wise Life

Much has been said about Supreme Court Justice nominee Sandra Sotomayor’s belief that her experiences as a Latina affords her unique perspectives that allow her to be a better justice than a white male. Despite how much that comment has been taken out of context, conservatives continued to use this statement to call attention to her “identity politics” and to challenge whether her personal beliefs will limit her fairness as a Supreme Court Justice. Sadly, there’s been much less substantive inquiry about her judicial record which by many standards is truly exemplary and even less of a thoughtful discussion of what actually constitutes “that life” she has lead.

Even if Sotomayor succeeds at being nominated, it is doubtful that the White House, or Sotomayor herself, will allow for any further discussion of “that life” when in fact her experiences and her perspective actually need further understanding. Justice is not blind. Laws are not written in a vacuum. The mechanics of our legal systems are still at the mercy of human interpretation. To assemble a court of 12 men and women who must disregard fundamental life experiences in order to interpret the law cannot serve our nation well because we are not a nation of robots. Our Supreme Court must reflect the diverse experiences of American life to which our constitution must be applied.

“That life” Sotomayor has lead is truly such a mystery to most because it is extraordinarily rare to see Latinas in positions of leadership and authority. There are less than one million Latinas in the nation with doctorates, medical degrees, law degrees, or masters in engineering combined—and those who are 50 plus years old are but a small fraction of these. We are often “the only ones” in the room and as such there are often unspoken assumptions made that we got there because we fulfill a quota. Our comments and ideas are thus suspected as having a “self-serving agenda” as if no white male has ever looked for ways to defend their own position. Those of us who are “first generation” in the US, like Sotomayor, often live in a dual world—a life of traditional immigrant beliefs and customs at home while at the same time looking for ways to acculturate as soon as we step outside. Our academic credentials are not necessarily the great equalizer we may be lead to believe. I recall preparing to select my doctoral dissertation committee and discussing this process with my parents who have very limited formal education. With great humility they advised me to pick “buena gente” (nice people) I could work with for the year ahead. My classmates, however, the children of attorneys and professors, garnered far more tactical advice—“find someone who will help you publish your work, another who can find you your first teaching position and one who will guide the statistical analysis”. Hearing about their strategy was a painful reminder that even though I had made it to the game, the playing field wasn’t exactly level. And that reality remains in place during a significant portion of the early stages of a career, if not longer. Upon graduating, there was no one in the family already teaching at an ivy league school to help me figure out that journey and certainly no uncle or cousin to count on for introductions to corporate contacts when I left academia to start a business.

Can white men relate to these experiences of Latinas? Yes, some do. They can be quite sensitive to these life stories especially if they are children of immigrants and if they surpassed their parent’s education or social class. But despite the social progress of our nation, there remains a remarkable divide of basic skin color. White males are not de facto assumed to be immigrants nor do strangers approach them by asking “Do you speak English?” Well meaning professionals think nothing of complimenting us for being “so articulate or well spoken” yet that’s not typically what gets said of white males. This distinction of race and color is truly unique for people of color.

Does all this make her a “better” judge than a white male or a judge of any other ethnic group for that matter? Of course not. At the core of her comments was an understanding that her life’s work has been shaped by her humble beginnings, her triumphs and her challenges. These experiences simply allow her to see and interpret issues through a lens that isn’t easily accessible to others—white male or otherwise. “That life” that Sotomayor has had would indeed be worth exploring as it may shed light on the nation’s largest ethnic minority group—a population that sorely needs to be understood in Washington. Unfortunately, the current politics of damage control and message management—require that she draw little attention to her personal life experiences. Ironically, in a nation that is diverse by design, the confirmation process has forced her to minimize her identity and her heritage. Sotomayor’s legal decision making—like those of all other judges before her—are not independent of their complex human experiences and efforts to suggest otherwise, simply does us all a great disservice.