Latino Quotes - page 4
The promise of America is one immigration policy for all who seek to enter our shores, whether they come from Mexico, Haiti or Canada, there must be one set of rules for everybody. We cannot welcome those to come and then try and act as though any culture will not be respected or treated inferior. We cannot look at the Latino community and preach "one language." No one gave them an English test before they sent them to Iraq to fight for America.
Al Sharpton
Remember that the Latino, Chicano, Mexican American writers are following in the footsteps of the African American writers. This has to do with the antepasados, the people who have come before you, who allow you to take the steps you need to take. I always thank the Black writers because they gave me a sense of freedom...
Denise Chávez
The advice to any young poet is to embrace your freedom and not feel constrained to write in one particular way or only about one particular topic. If they're Latino poets, I would encourage them not only to read widely, but also to read Latino poetry, to familiarize themselves with their particular tradition within American literature...
Francisco Aragón
In Latino culture the idea of the border is very contemporary. It's very much of our world, its politics are important to us. It's also a part of our emotional relationship to the rest of our family in Puerto Rico, or wherever, and our own relationship to roots-the land of our roots-and where we are now...
Quiara Alegría Hudes
I worked with Ted Kennedy. He was the chairman of my committee, and I loved Ted Kennedy. But on this issue, when you have one of the large Latino organizations in America saying vote no and you have the AFL-CIO saying vote no and you have leading progressive Democrats, in fact, voting no, I don't apologize for that vote.
Ted Kennedy
...There's momentum about making our presence known. We're here. We're Latino playwrights and theatre professionals. Eventually there's going to be a tipping point and more of our stories will become part of the American canon. I write what I know and for now I focus on Latinos because going through school, I longed to read about my experience...
Milta Ortiz
...The Latino characters that are shown on TV or in movies seem to be pretty one-dimensional. They're gang members or cleaning stuff in the background. Here's a college education family that talks about art. That's not something you see often but it's real. It's something that exists. People are like, "That's so universal!” And I'm like, "Of course it is! What did you think?” It's a human story. I believe there can be harmony. I believe we can be different and still have that. Hopefully my plays reflect this idea.
Karen Zacarias
My favorite thing [about Latino television] are the commercials. Because they're always about sex. You don't know what the product is until, like, the last two seconds. It's always some model comes walking out, all sexy, like, [Mimics sexy music] [Feminine voice] "Hola." [Resumes music] [Feminine voice] "Ay que rico!"...And on the 28th second, like, [Mimics female giving a pleasured shout]..."Pepsi." [Audience laughs] And you're sitting there, going, "I gotta go get a Pepsi!"
Gabriel Iglesias
The collective memory of every Latino people includes direct or indirect (neo-)colonialism, primarily by Spain or Portugal and later by the United States. Among Latinos, Mexicans in what we now call the Southwest have experienced US colonialism the longest and most directly, with Puerto Ricans not far behind.
Elizabeth Martinez
Cornel West, the African American philosopher and writer, spoke recently in San Francisco talking about the importance of linkages. For example, he said gay and lesbian rights are an issue in the African American community. They aren't separate, outside of the community. Just because the issue is not welfare, or racism, or gangs, that doesn't mean it's not a Black community issue. I think that's a very useful and important way to look at things. I know a lot of Latinos wouldn't agree that gay and lesbian rights are a Latino issue. But we need to work for this understanding and make it clear that the issue is not a problem for a bunch of people outside the Latino community who happen to be gay or lesbian. It's inside our community. Taking that kind of position is the only way that in fact makes sense.
Elizabeth Martinez
Unfortunately, I haven't seen any reaction from the Latino community in regards to the thousands of people who are being detained and the children who are not with their parents...I think the Latino community has a bigger issue of - we go silent, no voice, no change...We didn't vote very much. We need to start realizing that our vote is as important as any other American in the United States.
George Lopez (comedian)
