What does it mean to be a good ally? Latino USA asks black leaders from Miami, trying to prevent a crisis similar to that of Ferguson, Missouri’s. We hear about former inmates returning to the Bronx to prevent violence. A rabbi teams up with Latino food workers to ensure they’re well treated. Boston neighbors fight for affordable housing. We learn about how the U.S. tries to create allies through texting programs in Cuba (and why it hasn’t worked). Our white producers fill us in on how they feel about working in a Latino newsroom. We revisit the Colorado floods, one year later. And one woman brings together two of the most important influences in her life: Mexican culture and…Star Trek.
Photo by Julia Taylor via Flickr
I cringed during this segment. I’m an Anglo living in Hispanic-majority New Mexico for 31 years. My neighbors were born in Belen, NM, are bilingual and have a Spanish surname. They consider themselves “white” and question the use of Hispanic; they wouldn’t begin to accept being called Latino. What I’m trying to describe is how different New Mexico is from other places. (In so many ways.) It’s a great example of how diverse the worldwide culture of Spanish-speakers (or whatever umbrella term you find acceptable) is.