From: IVPressOnline

I finally saw myself on television. And no, I wasn’t delivering the news in Spanish. I actually saw myself portrayed on CNN’s “Latino in America,” along with dozens of other Latinos who, like me, are part of the largest minority in this country, 50 million strong and growing.

Soledad O’Brien’s documentary that aired Oct. 21-22 has gotten mixed reviews. I happen to be on the side of those who think she and her producers did a magnificent job. Yes, it’s possible that there could have been a better balance between the stories of success and the ones that portrayed the serious challenges Latino youth face, such as teenage pregnancy and suicide. But for the first time that I could remember, we were able to see on English-language television a broader picture of who Latinos are, our trials and tribulations, the challenges we face, the tremendous contribution that we are making to society and the diversity within our own community.

The question is: Are four hours of programming in two days enough to change the negative perceptions of Hispanics that exist among a portion of the U.S.? What happens after the reruns stop airing? Will the only images of Latinos on CNN be the ones portrayed by Lou Dobbs, who for years has been obsessed with blaming all of the ills of this country on immigrants from south of the border, depicting them as criminals and invaders who spread disease?

One of the things I found most interesting in the days prior to the broadcast were the findings of a CNN poll that reflect the lack of knowledge among many non-Hispanic Americans of who Latinos are. Fifty percent of those polled said they assume that Latinos they have never met are immigrants. One in five believes that all Latinos are undocumented immigrants. Of course they do. How could they possibly know that six out of 10 Latinos are actually U.S.-born, and millions more are naturalized citizens, when the images they see in their news are those of Latinos being rounded up in immigration raids and tattooed gang members handcuffed on the floor?

Hollywood and the media also are perpetuating the misconceptions of who Latinos are, casting Hispanic actors in television shows and films mostly in the stereotypical roles of maids and hoodlums. (By the way, it was great to see actress Lupe Ontiveros on the CNN documentary explaining how she is actually not a maid but an educated woman who speaks four languages.)

People need to know that among Hispanics there are so many professionals, entrepreneurs, talented artists, thousands of elected officials and a very wise Latina in the Supreme Court. We come in all colors, and some of us have accents just like regular Americans do. And if most of us speak Spanish, it’s because language is the one trait that unites us all as Latinos.

The Latino community has not only grown in numbers but has spread out to all 50 states, bringing diversity to communities all over the country. Our buying power has surpassed a trillion dollars, and our political power is changing the way campaigns are run in this country.

We are a community proud of our cultural heritage, and we pass our traditions on to our children. We are a young community. The median age among Latinos is 27. The Hispanic school-age population is expected to increase 166 percent by 2050. This means that the future of this country will be in the hands of our Latino youth.

“Latino in America” could be perceived as just another television special, or it could be a turning point. This is a perfect time for people in this country to start getting to know their neighbors. After all, we are Americans, too, and one day we’ll be the majority, not just the largest minority.

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