As the Founder of the Center for Hispanic Leadership, I have been repeatedly asked to help bring Hispanics into the political process, in support of specific 2012 presidential candidates. The requests have come from PACs and the candidates' advisers and I am appalled by the blatantly self-interested tactics they have used. I have declined to help until they get it right. That is why I am writing this piece: to help the politicians and business leaders understand the real issues.
It is clear that the Hispanic voice matters. According to one recent report, by the 2012 election, the Latino vote will increase by 26 percent to 12.2 million voters, or 8.7 percent of the country's total. And the big boys are paying attention. President Obama made a recent visit to Puerto Rico and the GOP has begun charting a course of action under the leadership of Jeb Bush - the proclaimed GOP ambassador to Latino voters. Additionally, The Hispanic Leadership Network, backed by former Minnesota Senator Norm Coleman and his American Action Network, will hold its second conference in Albuquerque next month to lure Hispanic voters. Regardless of the attempts, it is fair to say that progress is slow and both the Democrats and Republicans are having a hard time forging a trustworthy relationship with the Hispanic community.
With over 50 million Hispanics in the U.S., it's time that our politicians figure out how to authentically include the voices of Hispanics in real ways. Failure to do so will mean missing out on relationships, loyalty, markets, customers, employees - and the future of America. Politicians can learn a lot from America's corporations that have made progress in recognizing the competitive advantage that cultural intelligence brings to their workforce. Corporations realize that developing Hispanic leaders gives them an opportunity to innovate in new ways by embracing their cultural roots. Corporate leaders have learned that in today's global marketplace, one size doesn't fit all anymore.
Corporations view their ROI in Hispanic leadership by the impact and influence they can create. Unfortunately for politicians, their ROI is only measured in votes.
Hispanics must be allowed to own their vote. And this doesn't mean that it's for sale. The conventional approach to attract voters does not apply to Hispanics. Remember that Hispanics have trouble trusting others, let alone themselves. There are many reasons why Hispanics are the fastest growing sector of entrepreneurs in the U.S. One reason is that they want to create opportunity for themselves because they do not believe that others are genuinely listening to them. What too many U.S. politicians fail to recognize is that Hispanics greatly desire to have a voice and make a difference. This alone is why Hispanics must own their vote. If they are not allowed to own it, they will continue to believe that their identity represents a liability, rather than an asset, to our country.
For years politicians have failed to create new policies and programs for Hispanics, because they don't see the value of investment in this community. As a result, Hispanics have been forced to assimilate just to be accepted and in many cases, get a job. Many Hispanics will tell you that assimilation represents their path to advancement.
Unfortunately, Hispanics fail to realize that assimilation accelerates their own identity crisis. As they begin to lose touch with their culture and values, Hispanics lose the ability to contribute in a unique way to the patchwork quilt of the American story. They lose their own language.
At a time where the U.S. is reinventing itself, our country would benefit greatly from the experiences gained and lessons learned from the immigrant past of 50 million Hispanics whose history in their mother countries have been fueled by reform and revolution. In fact, the economic impact of immigrants in the U.S. has already been proven to be significant. According to a report released in June, 2011 by The Partnership for a New American Economy, the U.S. economy is not simply helped but reliant upon the contributions of immigrants. As stated in the report, over 40% of the 2010 Fortune 500s where founded by immigrants and their children.
Can you imagine the types of new innovations and opportunities that would be discovered if the Hispanic voice was authentically unleashed?
The changing and powerful demographic shift in America requires that our politicians become more culturally intelligent about Hispanics and begin to empower their voice and encourage them to take action. The great thing about democracy is that it allows for freedom of expression and the sharing of new ideas and ideals. Unfortunately, our current political leadership is not taking the opportunity to create a new platform that empowers Hispanics, their cultural roots, unique capabilities and their voice in America (much like what my father did for me).
Glenn Llopis, Fox News and the Center for Hispanic Leadership from Glenn Llopis Group on Vimeo.
If America empowered its Hispanics, the cultural and economic boom that would follow would dwarf the Internet boom of the late 90s. This is especially important for the advancement of Hispanic youth who need to believe that Hispanics can play prominent roles.
Every week I get calls from school districts asking me to speak to their students. As one superintendent told me, "Mr. Llopis, 80% of our school district is of Hispanic origin and these kids desperately need mentors. They need to hear success stories from Hispanic leaders like you that never sacrificed their cultural identity in order to be successful. Our students need to know that they are just as capable of achieving higher level jobs and being leaders in their community and work force as anyone else."
Why continue to ignore the Hispanic voice when they will represent 30% of America in only the next 20 years? According to the Pew Hispanic Center, 1 in 5 schoolchildren are Hispanic.
The time has come to include Hispanics throughout the Presidential campaign process by allowing them to reveal their immigrant perspective, circular vision, entrepreneurial spirit, Latin passion, generous purpose and cultural promise -- the natural characteristics that can make them contributors and innovators to business and society in America. The next 14 months represents a unique opportunity in history to give Hispanics an identity that matters in America. An identity that allows them to become leaders and that begins to hold them accountable to the same standards of performance as everyone else. This would generate a tremendous increase in confidence throughout Hispanic communities all across America. It would create new competition both in the boardroom and the classroom. Hispanics would become authentic and well respected leaders in America.
Can you imagine the economic impact that would surface if 50 million people that were not taken seriously before were now empowered to compete on the same level playing field as everyone else?
I have often heard that just because there are over 50 million Hispanics, they deserve more. This mentality will not only hurt America, but will also further erode the credibility of Hispanics in the U.S. Therefore, the 2012 campaign must find new ways to awaken the sleeping giant by empowering Hispanics to own their vote so that they can become more responsible for the reinvention of America that gives them an identity that matters. If not, the leadership identity Hispanics long for may forever fade away and perhaps never return again.
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To vote for the status quo, is to accept your marginalized place in this society.
Everyone already knows that Hispanics are of the hardest working, unyieldingly courageous and most loyal cultures on the planet. That part of their culture we need still today because it helped make America what it is they own that part and always will.
I think the author is suggesting the fed generate some interest around Hispanic business loans for community entrepeurs and commerce leaders. Who wouldn't support that ? Oh wait Republicans thats right. Another reason Hispanic voters are probably going to lean Democratic nationally this next election.
The common denominator is the quality and standard of life increase. Everyone wants a better life. And thats the key to our strength. Our desires are assimilated. We're only separated by our communication not our skin color, not our religion, not our style or meal origins. We are all democrats by fiscal birth. The republicans wont hand over or share wealth we have to cut our piece of the pie ourselves. We can do it together.
I lived in San Antonio for a few years and I was the minority politically speaking in that environment. My concept was three pronged:
1. Hispanics (in general) don't care to assimilate
2. Hispanics don't really need to assimilate they seemed to get what they want anyway and the strength of their cultural dedication bouyed their markets.
3. Hispanics (in general) are proud to be Americans and are loyal to the country however many of them don't know what it means to be American and over identify with their roots in the wrong venues.
They have a type of culturally denegrating complaint that perpetuates itself. Many of these people spend days, weeks in long long lines for hours securing the most rudimentary state, federal and city documents, for medical, financial, you name it.
"...the government don't care about us a bunch of Mexicans.." but when they are surrounded by entire offices staffed by Hispanics like themselves they say, "...we'll never get anything done today there's nothing but Mexicans in the office..."
I can't help but think Hispanics already have an identity--or are close to owning this identity--that matters in this country. But perhaps they don't know the impact it could have on their quality of life and level of self-respect. Others--those in positions of power--are probably fearful of what could happen when the sleeping giant that is the Hispanic population wakes up and goes to the polls.
Vote for an individual who represents a group that would deport all of you, no matter how many generations have been citizens.
Great idea.
Rather like an African-American voting for David Duke.
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That happened with everyone, and it was a good thing. Assimilation is precisely what every European who came over did in the early days of our country, and assimilation is precisely what Asians continue to do to this day. Hispanics need to assimilate too, and it shouldn't be forced. In fact, it's the only path to success in America.
Do you expect that 100 years from now that there will be same difference between "Hispanics" and the general US population that exists today?
It seems unrealistic to me that the great-great-greatchildren of today's immigrants will be like today's immigrants who grew up in another country.
Is that your goal? Is that your fear?
Why is the authentic thing to be different? I can understand how that would apply to new immigrants but not multigenerational Hispanic Americans -- many of whom, in 100 years, will only be partially Hispanic.
a) Illegal hispanic aliens
b) Legal hispanic residents who are not citizens
c) First generation hispanic citizens
d) American-born hispanic citizens
As far as I can see, the needs of c) and d) are the same needs of all Americans, and the needs of a) and b) are irrelvant.
If you don't get that, then tough, but don't tell people how to celebrate their cultural values.
I disagree with the author. We need to be encouraging the Hispanic population to assimilate into our culture. We need to encourage them to learn English and understand the culture of our melting pot. A failure to assimilate is doing harm in allowing Hispanic's to climb our ladder. They need to start on the first rungs first
What makes it "our" ladder? I didn't realize there was ONE way to be American.