Question: What it means to be Hispanic.
I'm very proud of my Hispanic heritage as I am of being an American citizen. I would like fellow citizens of the USA to look at Hispanics in terms of the contributions to this great country, instead of doing so in terms of statistics. I am who I am today due to the fact that I have good parents and friends. I feel that the richness of the cultures in Latin America has opened new avenues for me. It has made me to become a person who is able to have a better understanding of different situations. .
It means a great deal to be Hispanic. I take great pride in being Puerto Rican but I also always feel as though I have to defend my fellow Hispanics due to the fact that not a lot of people respect the Hispanic race as a whole. I continually explain that Hispanics, Puerto Ricans, come in all colors and that I am not an African American just because I have dark skin. I always protect my race and voice my opinion when I hear something about Hispanics that is not necessarily true and also when we are stereotyped. . It also gives me great pride to be a part of what has made this country great, which is a mixture of many nationalities. Being an American of Hispanic heritage makes me proud to know that I have a past as well as a future. .
For a quick note, as big as the Hispanic market is today, the real news is it's growing rapidly. By 2010, it's estimated that Hispanic-Americans will surpass African-Americans as the largest minority group. Also noteworthy is the Hispanic youth movement. Thirty five percent of Latinos are under the age of 18. This brings me great joy because it shows the up rise in the Hispanic world and how we have overcome all the obstacles to better our society and create a name for the Hispanic world. I will forever be grateful to all the Hispanics who set a precedent in this country and to the young leaders of today and that's why I am proud to be a Hispanic and that's what I think about the Hispanic community.