Voices
In The Community
Originally published in The Latino Newsletter–reprinted with permission.
Opinion for The Latino Newsletter.
The Republican Party campaigned for power by threatening to rip the lives of 20 million people from the fabric of this country. As horrifying a premise as it is, this act of political depravity has happened before.
Beginning in the 1930s, an estimated 1 million people —Mexican Americans and Mexican nationals— were expelled from this country. Following the Great Depression, Mexicans were targeted and scapegoated for taking jobs from “real” Americans and exploiting social welfare resources. The Hoover administration, scrambling to stay in power, gave cities and states authority as to how they would rid themselves of these “undesirables.” The smears used against this demographic have embedded themselves into the historic and now daily discourse of immigration.
In Los Angeles and the state of California, individuals, including families with children, were raided and rounded up through door-to-door knocking, threats, intimidation, withdrawal of social welfare benefits, and collusion with the Mexican government. A conservative estimate suggests that 600,000 of those people were U.S. citizens. That is right, 600,000 people who had the legal right to live in this country were thrown out or “expatriated.”
- YouTubeyoutu.be
The incoming Trump administration and its nativist allies clearly got their ideas from our little-known, forgotten history. There were few if any, concrete repercussions to Hoover’s action or that of the following FDR administration. There has been no federal acknowledgment and certainly no reparations. Only the devastation of families and communities.
To this very day, we as a nation remain troubled and confused by who is a “real” American. From the inception of our country, we’ve created and sustained outrageous “immigration policies.” Indigenous Native Americans were labeled “domestic foreigners” and didn’t have the right to vote until 100 years ago. In 1923, the Supreme Court ruled that “the intention of the Founding Fathers was to ‘confer the privilege of citizenship upon the class of persons they knew as white.’”
Citizenship and whiteness are still closely linked in the minds of many, which is precisely why there’s a fence on the southern border and not the northern border. Nobody tends to be worried about a “mass invasion” from the north.
This is all about skin color.
At California State University, Long Beach (CSULB), I teach this history, along with other hidden histories, to future elementary teachers. We reflect on how often K-12 education has omitted the United States-led crimes of the past. I teach these topics not because I am unpatriotic but precisely because I want to build a better country through the teaching of difficult truths.
The only way to plan for a better country in the future is to acknowledge our past, not the fairy tale creation myth, not the white-washed propaganda, but our actual history, with all its blood and sinew.
It is challenging to imagine the catastrophic damage to the lives of people who were removed and those who remained. How can we recognize what is not there? What does it take to notice the missing, the invisible, and the irretrievable?
And how dare we consider doing this again?
In 2018, after years of teaching about expatriation, I began writing Dispossessed, a novel about the 1930s mass expulsion of Mexican Americans and Mexican nationals.
Months after I started the book, the U.S. government began separating families at the border.Our unvarnished history forces us to confront the present. Slander and scapegoating persist, fueled by white racial identity politics and nativism. Project 2025 threatens to denaturalize U.S. citizens.
My novel traces the life of one boy separated from his family during the 1930s expulsion. The Republican Party seeks to return us to an era where Brown U.S. citizens were abandoned by their own country.
The connection is chilling, real, and undeniable.
- Immigrating to Forced Assimilation: At What Cost? ›
- Expat If You’re an American in Latin America, Immigrant If You’re a Latino in the U.S. ›
Thanksgiving is such a weird holiday.
As far as my knowledge goes, not a lot of people in Latin America celebrate it but many are aware of this U.S. holiday. As a native Salvadoran, growing up I remember that I thought it was weird to have a holiday that’s a day to just be thankful. We perceived it differently. Later I realized what Thanksgiving actually commemorated: a day to celebrate, but to celebrate how European colonizers had taken advantage of Native Americans.
However, the concept of Thanksgiving continues to evolve and it’s leaning less on the false narrative of shared mutual support between Native Americans and Pilgrims, and more as a chance to have time off and spend it with your loved ones.
This means that critical questions about the day continue. Should Thanksgiving be celebrated? How do we celebrate it respectfully? Should it even be called Thanksgiving anymore? And what does this mean for the U.S. Latinx community that has so many indigenous roots?
Being thankful for our blessings
Photo by Kampus Production
The Latinx community is diverse. For some people, Thanksgiving is a perfect day to be thankful for all the blessings they have in their lives. Being a community that has often endured many hardships, being mindful of all the good things in their lives feels very necessary.
This year especially, being thankful and gathering with loved ones feels even more important and meaningful due to COVID-19 and its harsh impact on our lives.
Friendsgiving and Lots of Food
Photo by Gonzalo Guzmán García
A long weekend? Tons of food? Sounds like an opportunity to gather around with your loved ones and friends to eat delicious traditional foods like tamales, panes con pavo, pozole, tres leches, or not traditional food - the point is the gathering and the eating.
Food is significant in our culture, so having a day to make a big deal out of it, is most definitely a good reason to gather ‘round. Any time people join and cook dishes together it adds warmth and love to a cold season.
A part of assimilating
Photo by Studio Urbano
For many newly arrived Latinos in the U.S., Thanksgiving is a holiday that provides an opportunity to take part in a new culture. They might not know the true origins of the holiday, but it will definitely be celebrated because that’s what’s traditionally done.
When first arriving in a new country, it’s expected for you to fit in as quickly as possible. So it makes sense to adapt to their celebrations without hesitation. Thanksgiving is another rule to follow, and it’s easier to do so when it often comes in the form of a long weekend to spend time with your loved ones or with yourself.
Facing the real truth
Yuri Long, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The myth of Thanksgiving covers up the bloody American past that’s filled with atrocious acts against Indigenous people, the Wampanoags, specifically, so the shock settles in as soon as the myth begins to be dismantled. How can we celebrate such an atrocious moment in history?
Pretending nothing happened doesn’t cut it. Many indigenous people take this day to mourn those lost and reflect on what was suffered. Part of being grateful for a bounty of food and loving company should also include being grateful to those who involuntarily sacrificed everything in order for this holiday to even exist.
So where’s the talk now?
By Melissa Doroquez - CC BY-SA 2.0
Indigenous people point out how necessary it is to start conversations about what happened to them on these dates. Organizations like the United American Indians of New England use this day to make a mourning day to acknowledge the hard truth. Some schools are recently beginning to address the falsehoods of Thanksgiving and working with young people on how to retell the correct history.
Understanding the nuances of the day can help heal this very broken nation and being mindful of how you can help tell accurate history can start moving justice forward. Telling the truth will ultimately reverberate across the globe, not just in the U.S.
As an ecosystem of Black and diverse-owned media owners, the Black Owned Media Equity and Sustainability Institute (BOMESI) stands united in our support and admiration for Vice President Kamala Harris, who ran an inspiring and powerful campaign. Harris’s journey to the ballot was one of resilience, strength, and dedication, and her message resonated with many. However, her campaign efforts were undermined not necessarily by any lack on her part, but by the choices made by Democratic operatives who failed to recognize and invest in the unique value of Black and diverse-owned media in reaching diverse voters.
The data speaks for itself. Voter turnout among African Americans was lower than anticipated, and there’s no mystery as to why. According to the Associated Press, about 8 in 10 Black voters supported Harris, down from about 9 in 10 who voted for Biden in 2020. A key group of those voters, young Black Men under the age of 45, increased their support of Trump by about double, with 3 in 10 of them voting for Trump.
Similarly, Harris saw her support among Hispanics decrease as well, compared to Biden. He saw support from about 6 in 10 Hispanics, while Harris dropped to about 5 in 10. A slight decrease, but when you lose all 7 of the big battleground states, every single voter counts.
According to an early analysis of voters by NBC News, Harris saw a 5% decrease in voter turnout by the Asian population as compared to Joe Biden. Meanwhile, Trump saw his Asian support increase by 4% compared to the 2020 election.
Despite ample opportunities, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and its advertising agencies chose not to make meaningful investments in Black and diverse-owned media outlets. Instead, they relied on major mainstream platforms like CNN and ESPN, under the misguided belief that these would effectively engage Black and diverse voters. However, reaching diverse audiences requires more than a superficial approach on general market channels—it demands a deep understanding of the cultural relevance and the specific environments in which diverse communities consume media.
Political advertising isn’t just about visibility; it’s about resonance. It’s about meeting communities where they are, speaking in a voice they trust, and addressing the issues they care about most. Black-owned media and diverse-owned media platforms are uniquely positioned to accomplish this because we understand our audiences in ways that larger, general market outlets cannot. Our platforms speak directly to our diverse communities, providing nuanced perspectives, cultural context, and a safe space for the discussions that matter to us most.
To the DNC’s credit, there was indeed some spending on Black-owned media. Outlets like Roland Martin Unfiltered, Black Enterprise, and The Grio were included in the media plan, and that investment was money well spent. These platforms are trusted sources within our community and reach important segments of the African American population. There was also a late push by the DNC to advertise with sports themed Hispanic radio, which they claimed was the “most significant” spending in Hispanic media ever. However, that was not enough, and their reach/scale was limited due to geotargeting parameters. Reaching a truly broad spectrum of diverse voters requires more than a handful of placements. Black America is not monolithic. Hispanic America is not monolithic. Asian America is not monolithic. We are a tapestry of varied experiences, perspectives, and values. A comprehensive media strategy should have reflected this by engaging with a wider range of Black and diverse-owned outlets, from digital platforms and podcasts to local and niche publications that reach the community at all levels.
Unfortunately, it appears the DNC did not grasp this. According to an insider, one of the major political agencies involved in the campaign reportedly argued that they could best reach Black voters through mainstream outlets like CNN and ESPN, dismissing the need for investment in Black-owned media. Meanwhile, the Republican National Committee (RNC) took a different approach, investing heavily in smaller sites and podcasts that spoke directly to their core audience, regardless of size. They understood that connecting with voters on a personal level, through the outlets they trust and respect, is far more valuable than blanket advertising on platforms that may have reach, but lack the cultural resonance needed to drive action.
To make matters worse, the creative content that was pushed through mainstream channels, though intended to reach Black and diverse audiences, often fell flat for much of the core demographic. The messaging may have resonated with a small portion, but it missed the mark with those who most needed to hear it—those whose votes would determine the election’s outcome. The messaging lacked the consistent, targeted, and culturally relevant approach that only diverse-owned media can provide.
We congratulate Kamala Harris for her extraordinary campaign, but we cannot overlook the critical missteps by the DNC’s operatives and political agencies in failing to see the value of Black and diverse-owned media. This wasn’t just a missed opportunity—it was a grave oversight that ultimately contributed to the election’s outcome. By choosing not to invest in diverse-owned platforms, the DNC not only failed to reach diverse voters effectively, but it also sent a message that our voices and our influence are not valued.
As Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman elected to the United States Congress, once said, “If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.” This sentiment resonates deeply in our current political climate, especially as we reflect on the DNC’s decisions this election cycle. Black and diverse-owned media must demand its rightful place at the table—not just as a token presence, but as an essential partner in engaging Black and diverse voters and amplifying their voices. Chisholm’s words remind us that we cannot wait for recognition; we must assert the value we bring and insist on being heard.
We urge the DNC and its partners to take note of this missed opportunity and to recognize the indispensable role that Black and diverse-owned media plays in reaching our communities. Let this serve as a lesson for the future: if we are to build an inclusive and effective strategy that engages diverse voters, the DNC must prioritize meaningful partnerships with Black and diverse-owned media. Let’s not make the same mistake again. Next time, let’s invest where it matters. Let’s support the media that resonates with our communities, celebrates our culture, and amplifies our voices. The future of our democracy depends on it. Can you hear us NOW?
About BOMESI
Founded in June 2020, the Black Owned Media Equity and Sustainability Institute was created to unite and advance Black-owned media businesses, educate the public on the importance of these platforms, and provide resources to support. Black-owned media outlets that have been a beacon for Black communities for over 190 years.
BOMESI has curated a public database of Black-owned media companies across the country. These companies have stood on the front lines for issues such as voting rights, civil rights, fair pay for all, unionization, education equity, healthcare disparities, and many other issues that impact Black people and reflect the current state of civil unrest.
The following individuals and platforms stand united in support of this call to action:
Platform | Name |
AllHipHop | Grouchy Greg |
BK Reader | Clara Zawadi Morris |
Black Gwinnett Magazine, Inc. | Cheryle Moses |
Bleu Magazine | DéVon Christopher Johnson |
Bombshell by BLEU | DéVon Christopher Johnson |
CoTripper | Krystin Hargrove |
Culture Travels | Leroy Adams |
ENSPIRE Magazine | Ese Ofurhie |
EURweb | Lee Bailey |
EURweb | LaRita Shelby |
Face2Face Africa | Sandra Appiah |
Goddess Couture News + WEDGEDIN Magazine | Lela C. Thompson |
Her Agenda | Rhonesha Byng |
Luz Media | Lucy Flores |
MBE Magazine | Tanya Isley |
Mocha Man Style | FredericK Goodall |
Parle Mag | Kevin Benoit |
ReachTV | Lynnwood Bibbens |
TANTV | Abolaji Omitogun |
The Black Wall Street Times | Nehemiah Frank |
Uncorked & Cultured | Angela McCrae |
Upscale Magazine | Millie Harrell |
UrbanGeekz | Kunbi Tinuoye |
URL Media | S. Mitra Kalita |
URL Media | Melanie Figueiredo |
VannDigital | D. Vann |
World Footprints | Tonya Fitzpatrick |