The Hispanic Community is not a monolith [Video]

Taking a look at me, you wouldn’t assume I grew up in a predominantly Hispanic community. But my mother is Nicaraguan and that meant my family and I spent many weekends with our Nicaraguan, Guatemalan, and Honduran neighbors. From the late-morning on into the night we’d spend many days cooking, laughing, and jawing about current events.

Believe me when I tell you this: The “Hispanic community” doesn’t lock arms on every political issue—they never have, and never will. That’s why I used italics there – I use it with a sense of irony, because I think the term lacks meaning.

Yes, Hispanic-Americans exist, and are the largest growing demographic in the country, but the label simplifies reality. It takes a vast and complicated coalition of nationalities and lumps them all together, completely removing the cultural, lingual, and religious distinctions that make these communities what they are.

Unlike the Democratic leaders and activists, I don’t believe one can sum up the …