Ramiro Gomez, an artist and the teenage child of Mexican immigrants, is the subject of a short documentary produced for the Atlantic’s American Dreams series. Gomez paints murals of domestic laborers, like his parents, in and around Beverly Hills and other affluent neighborhoods in Los Angeles. Gomez says that people see the beauty of palatial homes and wealthy neighborhoods, but rarely think about the “unseen” people who create the beautiful hedge or manicured gardens. A four-minute excerpt of the film can be seen here. The art of Ramiro Gomez is represented by Charlie James Gallery.
I think most Latinos would agree that at our core, we are a generous people. If a member of our family is in need, Latinos as a rule, won’t hesitate to help financially. Family is central to Hispanic culture: our generosity has few limits. Maybe that explains why when it comes to making political donations and writing checks in support of actual philanthropic activities, Latinos come up short….When I interviewed Barack Obama last year at NAHREP at L’ATTITUDE, I pressed him about politicians not prioritizing issues that are important to Latino voters, he politely pushed back by saying…
We hear frequently how Latinos are not a monolithic community. In other words, we are not all the same. We come from different countries, have a variety of political views, and even eat different foods. I get all of that, but I also think focusing constantly on our differences versus our similarities undermines our political and economic power as a community...
This might be my most provocative blog in a while. Let me first state that I am happily married to a beautiful gringa. My kids are half- White and some of my best friends throughout my life have been White, so don’t let the title of this blog throw you.