Natalie Morales: Why we're focusing on Hispanic Americans next week
Posted: Friday, June 12, 2009 5:29 PM by Jen Brown
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Natalie Morales
From Natalie MoralesI’m often asked what it mean to be a Hispanic American, and I’ve even been told "you don't look Hispanic." I always reply, "Funny, what does a Hispanic look like?" With more than 20 Hispanic nations, we are all so different, and there is no standard for what a Hispanic looks like. We are blond, brunette, redheads, blue eyed, green eyed, and brown eyed. But for the most part, our culture, our language, and our passions define us.
We hope to explore these defining parts of culture, as well as the wide-ranging issues facing the Hispanic community, in next week’s series called
“We the People.” Why cover these issues now? Because we recognize the profile of who we are as America is vastly changing. The Hispanic population is booming in just about every region of the country; the Census Bureau is predicting the Hispanic population will triple by the year 2050. It is the fastest-growing minority group. Hispanics are breaking ground in just about every way -- in government, business, sports and entertainment. We may soon have the first Hispanic Justice in the Supreme Court.
On Monday we begin the first installment of "We The People" with
a preview of the 2010 census. It may not sound like the sexiest story, but the reason this is so important is that every American will be affected by the census results. It helps determine distribution of political power in Washington, as well as how more than $300 billion dollars a year in federal aid will be allocated across the country.
Unfortunately, there are many challenges when it comes to ensuring everyone is counted. Those who are undocumented often fear that by taking part in the census survey, they will be turned over and could be deported. The fact is, immigration status is never asked on the census questionnaire. We'll take a look at efforts across the country to get that word out, and also show you growth areas where Hispanics are settling.
Here are some of the other issues we’ll examine during the week:
Tuesday: Carl Quintanilla explores the challenges of families torn apart by immigration. Also, Telemundo’s Maria Celeste Arraras and Dr. Nancy Snyderman report on breast cancer and grassroots efforts to promote prevention. In the 10 a.m. hour, Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb will learn to salsa dance
Wednesday: Kerry Sanders examines the influence of Hispanics on America’s pop culture, and we’ll have a live in-studio performance by multi-ethnic band Ozomatli.
Thursday: Miguel Almaguer discusses the bilingual divide across the country and the ongoing debate on how the school systems are meeting the challenge.
Friday: CNBC’s Michelle Caruso-Cabrera profiles five trailblazing Hispanic women: Labor Secretary Hilda Solis, entrepreneur Linda Alvarado, astronaut Ellen Ochoa, WNBA player Diana Taurasi and ballet dancer Paloma Herrera.
I hope this series, which I feel so fortunate to contribute to, will open people's eyes to the issues concerning what it means to be a Hispanic American. I also hope it challenges you to dispel any pre-conceived notions or stereotypes you may have, and that it makes you think when you engage in debate on such topics as immigration reform, healthcare, and our education system.
Please let us know your thoughts too on our series by posting your comments following this blog. We always love to hear how you think we can do better.
