A little over a month ago, I was in New Orleans for a conference. I took an Uber to the airport when I was leaving and the driver was a Latino guy. I had not been in New Orleans for many years, and did not recall seeing many Latinos the last time I was there. I asked the driver if there were a lot of Latinos living in New Orleans, and he said “there is now”. When I asked him to explain, he said that Latinos came to New Orleans after hurricane Katrina to help rebuild the city and many of them stayed. Today, Latinos in New Orleans are part of the fabric of the city’s local economy and are provide a foundation to its workforce and consumer base. This is a story that can be told for many of America’s great cities. The book Barrio America by A. K. Sandoval-Strausz chronicles how Latinos created the foundation that ultimately led to the revitalization of the now thriving downtown neighborhoods of Chicago and Dallas.
As experts ponder how America will pull itself out of the COVID-19 recession, one thing I know for certain is that Latino workers, homebuyers, and entrepreneurs will be at the epicenter of America’s renaissance. As this scenario comes to pass, I will use this blog and my upcoming podcast to share stories and help document this phenomenon. In fact, we all need to use our respective platforms to make sure that the contributions Latinos make in bringing America back don’t go unnoticed.
The attacks on DEI were never really about fairness, merit, or excellence. In this episode, I use a recent public moment to unpack what this debate is actually about — who gets recognized, who gets overlooked, and why so many people in power are threatened by any effort to widen access and opportunity. This is a conversation about merit, history, and the forces that try to preserve the status quo. The pendulum always swings, and when it does, people remember who stood where.
I saw a video recently that made me both angry and a little sad — people saying that even though they’re citizens, they don’t feel American. I understand the pain behind that feeling. But I also believe something important: America doesn’t belong to a narrow group of people, and it never has. Too often, we allow small-minded voices to define who “counts.” In this episode, I talk about identity, ownership, and why no one gets to tell you that this country isn’t yours. If you contribute to it, believe in it, and are willing to stand up for it, America belongs to you — just as much as anyone else.
Some are openly saying that immigrants make America weaker, not stronger — but the data tells a different story. Immigrants bring work ethic, entrepreneurship, and a deep appreciation for opportunity. Latino immigrants who have lived in the United States for more than 10 years have higher homeownership rates and higher net worth, and their children achieve higher levels of educational attainment. At a time when demographic decline threatens long-term growth, immigrants bring youth, household formation, and economic momentum. Meanwhile, countries with strict immigration policies are facing aging populations and stagnant economies. Immigration isn’t a weakness — it’s one of America’s greatest strengths.