Devin Booker’s maternal grandfather was from Mexico. He was raised by his Puerto Rican-Mexican mother, while his father, who is Black, pursued a basketball career internationally. Booker, who was just named to the USA Olympic team, is 24 years old and has been one of the marquee stars of the NBA playoffs this season. He dates celebrities and will probably be one of the most sought-after NBA stars for endorsements and commercials. I’m a fan of Devin Booker. I like his game and he seems to have a Kobe Bryant- like work ethic. Aesthetically, he also resembles Bryant, with a swagger to match. I predict that the Suns will win the NBA championship this year, and Devin Booker will be the first Latino-American to be MVP of the NBA Finals.
I tell my kids that playing the victim will get you nowhere. But that mindset should not conflict with our collective effort to create a more level playing field. Does a child born in South Central LA or in the slums of Atlanta have the same access to health care, a good public education, mentorship, and capital as a child from Brentwood or Tuxedo Park? And am I playing the victim if I even asked that question?
A friend recently told me, “If demographics were all that mattered, we would have already won.” Latinos are driving homeownership growth and contributing enormously to the American economy. Yet we are still asking for a seat at the table. I believe the reason comes down to wealth: how much we control and what it allows us to do. In Episode 97 of The Latino Brand, I explain why wealth belongs at the center of our agenda. It gives us the resources to fund the businesses, institutions and political campaigns that shape our future. I hope you’ll watch.
I’ve always believed sports are one of the most powerful stages in American culture. The people we celebrate—and the people who own the teams and institutions behind them—help shape how the country sees leadership, success, and possibility. In Episode 96, I share why José E. Feliciano and Kwanza Jones’ purchase of the San Diego Padres feels bigger than baseball, and why this moment could mark a tipping point for Black and Latino visibility, wealth, and power.