I had a great conversation this week with Congressman Tony Cárdenas. Tony is from Los Angeles and a former REALTOR®. In fact, he started his career in real estate with Jerry Ascencio, NAHREP’s former national president. Tony recently announced his candidacy for the position of Assistant Speaker of the House, but prior to that he was one of the members of Congress who was driving the passage of a bill to establish a Smithsonian Latino museum. The bill was passed in July by the House of Representatives and was unanimously, yes unanimously, approved by the House. There is still a relatively long road ahead to get to the point of breaking ground. It has to also pass in the Senate and be signed by the President; but the massive bipartisan support in the House is a good sign that it will get done.
After a law is established, the funding needs to be approved, and half of the money needed to endow the museum must come from private donations, which could also take some time. Frankly, and I hesitate saying this publicly, I hope Latino business leaders step up in terms of fundraising for the museum. Writing checks for something other than family is a discipline we haven’t quite mastered yet.
Congressman Cárdenas and I both agree that a national museum which recognizes and celebrates the contributions made by Latinos to build, defend and enrich our nation is long overdue. Storytelling is the most effective way to educate, and the stories that can be curated and shared with the world by virtue of this museum can help create a new narrative about Latinos in this country. I am excited to see it all come together and hope we all do our part to make it a reality.
There is no shortage of data showing the impact Latinos are having on the U.S. economy, from GDP and entrepreneurship to workforce participation and homeownership. So why hasn’t that growth translated into the kind of economic and political power our numbers suggest it should? In this episode, I focus on two things we can actually control: building wealth and owning our narrative. Cultural influence matters, but ownership is what turns influence into lasting power. And if we want the next generation to inherit more than momentum, we need a strategy for converting our work ethic, growth, and economic contributions into the institutions and assets that shape this country.
The World Cup reminded the world just how magnetic Hispanic and Latino culture can be. In this episode, I talk about why that popularity is more than a cultural victory—it is an economic opportunity hiding in plain sight. From music, food, sports, and fashion to the global appeal of our biggest stars, our culture already has the power to shape markets and influence how people see us. The question now is whether our business and political leaders are ready to turn that momentum into capital, representation, and lasting power. This is a moment we cannot afford to waste.
The World Cup gave Hispanics and Latinos an extraordinary global stage, but the opportunity goes far beyond sports. In this episode, I look at how cultural influence can shape perception, attract investment, and ultimately create economic power. South Korea understood this decades ago and built a global strategy around making its culture impossible to ignore. Now, the world has seen the energy, pride, and creativity of our community on its biggest stage. The question is whether we recognize the value of that moment and build something lasting from it.