WASHINGTON – Top Latino activists and politicians criticize the lack of representation during this Democratic National Convention.
Only three Latino speakers have their own speaking slot in the primetime lineup of the Democratic National Convention: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-NY, Government of New Mexico, Michelle Lujan Grisham and sen.Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada.
The four-night convention begins Monday with a 2-hour primetime program.
Julián Castro, the only Latino to run for president in 2020 and former secretary of Housing and Urban Development, was a keynote speaker at the DNC in 2012 and will speak at a panel with other 2020 presidential candidates this year. However, other presidential candidates will also speak during the primetime event, including sen. Elizabeth Warren, Mike Bloomberg and sen.Cory Booker.
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“I would be against you if I said I’m not disappointed that there are no more Latinos and Latinas talking about the program,” Castro told MSNBC on Saturday, adding that he was also disappointed that there is no one there. the net is in this primetime hour confined as Muslim-American.
“You are thinking of the wonderful coalition that the Democratic Party has become in recent years. I am not sure at the moment that it is fully represented at that stage,” he added.
Several progressives became Castro’s disappointment.
“How much does the Democratic Party care about Latinos? How much would they rather include Republicans and Bloomberg in the #DNC speaker lineup & not Julian Castro and other Latino leaders,” wrote Cristina Jiménez, co-founder of United We Dream, in a tweetje. “And no, do not tell me that giving AOC 60 seconds is enough.”
Cristóbal Alex, a senior advisor at Biden, addressed some of these concerns in a Twitter thread on Friday. He notes that several local Latino politicians – Senator Yvanna Cancela, Long Beach, California, Mayor Robert Garcia and Repert Victoria Neave, state of Nevada – will also be among 17 “rising stars” who are meant to have a keynote address to give.
More: DNC lineup of speakers heads up by the Obamas and Jill Biden as keynotes
“There has been a lot of excitement & questions about the upcoming convention. I’m here to share what Latinos will represent, with key voices from across the nation showing the strength and resilience of our community. But this is not like a typical convention, ”he wrote. “For a start, we will not have 10 hours of speech per day. This is 2 hours a night with the aim of reaching voters all over the country, including Latino voters. That’s why @JulianCastro has a role to play. ”
Monday night’s event was also broadcast by a top Latino celebrity and activist.
Eva Longoria Bastón was the face of the convention Monday, where she introduced speakers and continued the conversation of the convention. The actress has long been a political activist and co-founder of Latino Victory, which helps choose Latinos for state and national public office.
A new poll, citing criticism, also shows that two-thirds of Latinos say they have seen no outcome from political campaigns or groups ahead of the 2020 elections.
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According to a Somos / UnidosUS national survey of Latinos, 64% of registered Latino voters had not been contacted by either party as a non-partisan civic group before the 2020 elections.
The poll also shows that 66% of Latino voters have Biden back, while President Donald Trump gets 24% support with Latino voters. Latinos will make up the largest minority of voters this year for the first time.
Janet Murguia, president of UnidosUS, said Monday that while she understands there is a lot of competition ahead of time, “there was some disappointment to be honest about not seeing more Latinos than Latinos in prime time at the convention.”
“You really have to make sure that representation is not only seen, but felt. And for us, we have to see that representation,” Murguia said.
