On cinco de mayo, let’s recognize achievements by Mexican Americans. No, wait. Let’s go in the opposite direction. Let’s look at how many famous Latinos in American culture are not Mexican.
Keep in mind that Mexicans are the largest demographic of U.S. Latinos. It breaks down like this (over 62 million U.S. Latinos):
Mexicans are a bit over 59% of the U.S. Latino population, with the next biggest group being Puerto Ricans at a bit over 9%. That’s a difference of thousands and thousands of people! Please keep that in mind as you consider some of the most famous Latinos today.
Ted Cruz, U.S. senator – Cuban
Junot Díaz, author – Dominican
Gloria Estéfan, musician – Cuban
America Ferrera, actress – Honduran
Luis Guzmán, actor – Puerto Rican
Jennifer Lopez, actress and musician – Puerto Rican
Lin-Manuel Miranda, playwright, songwriter – Mexican, Puerto Rican and African, but spent part of his childhood in Puerto Rico
Rita Moreno, actress – Puerto Rican
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, U.S. senator – Puerto Rican
Alex Rodriguez, baseball player – Dominican
Gina Rodriguez, actress – Puerto Rican (but Michelle Rodriguez is Mexican)
Marco Rubio, U.S. senator – Cuban
Shakira, musician – Colombian
Sammy Sosa, baseball player – Dominican
Sonia Sotomayor, United States Supreme Court justice – Puerto Rican
Yes, I know there are legions of Mexican Americans who have achieved all kinds of things, but most Americans haven’t heard of them. I’m pointing out that the highest profile Latinos in the country are, for the most part, not members of the biggest Latino demographic. There’s a huge difference between how many Americans of Mexican descent there are, and how many of us have reached the status of household names.
A similar achievement pattern happens with Black people. A friend points out that in higher education, the Black PhD candidates who finish are often first or second generation immigrants from Africa or the Caribbean. Those who start graduate school, but leave without the degree are often from families who have been in the U.S. for hundreds of years.
(I think Latinos fit this pattern, too. I’m third generation Mexican American on my mother’s side and fourth generation on my dad’s side. I started the Cornell PhD program in 1988, but left with a master’s degree.)
It’s as if immigrants arrive with the momentum of determination and belief in themselves, but after a few generations it slows. Mexicans are both the oldest inhabitants of the U.S, having lived in parts of the southwest since before the Americans came, and the most recent arrivals. Immigrant groups undergo destructive conditioning in the U.S. Some families achieve, while others go through generations of American brainwashing that teaches them, for instance, that Mexicans are either criminals or laborers or dropouts.
Mexican Americans who make it to college are treated as if we’re not as smart, and those who take our place in white collar jobs are told that we’re more successful because we’re not like the other Mexicans. American stereotypes teach whites, and all of us, that Mexicans aren’t the best hires, probably won’t finish school, don’t speak English well and can’t be relied on. And — big surprise — the population of Latinos most stereotyped in the U.S. is the one that doesn’t achieve at the same rate as other Latinos.
So, if you hear someone say Mexicans are everywhere, you can point out that it might seem like famous Hispanics are taking over the arts, politics, sports, etc, but so far, most of them aren’t Mexican.
Sustain the excellent work and producing in the group!
3bxufz