In the same week that Mayor Bill Peduto declared Sept. 16 “Roberto Clemente Day in Pittsburgh,” the Post-Gazette ran a headline that read “Most Charges Dropped Against Puerto Rico Native Detained After Rental Car Stop” (Sept. 14 post-gazette.com). For those who don’t know, Roberto Clemente was Puerto Rican and probably one of the most important sports icons in the Spanish-speaking world. He broke the barrier for Latinos in baseball, a sport we now almost totally dominate. Yet with all these heroes (and with Latinos being the largest and fastest-growing minority population in the United States) we are still seen as outsiders.
Puerto Ricans are natives to the United States. The island of Puerto Rico has been a territory of the United States since the Spanish-American War in 1898. The Jones Act of 1917 granted U.S. citizenship to all Puerto Ricans. Speaking Spanish (or any language other than English) does not mean you committed a crime nor does having Puerto Rican identification.
“Latino” may not be the most perfect word to define such a large population of people, but Latinos are here in the United States. We have always been here, and we will continue to be here.
Latinos have contributed immensely to the building of this country. We excel in leadership, business, the nonprofit sector and academia and always keep family first.
When you think of “Latinos” — whether they be Puerto Rican, Dominican, Colombian, Haitian, Venezuelan — think “American.”
TARA SHERRY-TORRES
Owner-Operator
Cafe Con Leche
Bloomfield
JESABEL RIVERA
President
Latin American Cultural Union
Greenfield
Puerto Ricans are natives to the United States. The island of Puerto Rico has been a territory of the United States since the Spanish-American War in 1898. The Jones Act of 1917 granted U.S. citizenship to all Puerto Ricans. Speaking Spanish (or any language other than English) does not mean you committed a crime nor does having Puerto Rican identification.
“Latino” may not be the most perfect word to define such a large population of people, but Latinos are here in the United States. We have always been here, and we will continue to be here.
Latinos have contributed immensely to the building of this country. We excel in leadership, business, the nonprofit sector and academia and always keep family first.
When you think of “Latinos” — whether they be Puerto Rican, Dominican, Colombian, Haitian, Venezuelan — think “American.”
TARA SHERRY-TORRES
Owner-Operator
Cafe Con Leche
Bloomfield
JESABEL RIVERA
President
Latin American Cultural Union
Greenfield