Xavier Becerra

“ The commitment of Americans of Latino descent to the defense and progress of the American nation is obvious from its history. Yet many people lack knowledge of this history and of Latino contributions to American society. Latinos are often viewed as merely an immigrant population, with a heritage that is alien to the American way of life. ”

“ American Latinos also are investing mightily in the American economy. American Latino purchasing power nationally will top $1.08 trillion by 2010, up 413 percent from $212 billion in 1990 – a gain far greater than the 177 percent increase in the buying power of all U.S. consumers in the same period. From 1997-2002, the number of businesses owned by American Latinos grew by 31 percent, three times the national average. These are indicators that American Latinos will be increasingly vital to the nation’s economic well-being. ”

“ The capital city of Washington was visited by nearly 17 million individuals last year – one million from outside of the United States. One in three of these individuals visited an art or historical museum. Over 35 million individuals attend the Smithsonian’s museums and traveling exhibits every year. Ninety percent of these visitors are from the United States. As you can imagine, many are children visiting with their parents or on school trips. ”

“ In science, the ground-controlled radar systems used for aircraft landings, and the meteorite theory of dinosaur extinction were both discovered by an American Latino, Californian Luis Walter Alvarez. Without American Latino ingenuity in bringing large-scale irrigation systems, or acequias, to the Southwest, the semi-arid climate would not have supported the crops that allowed colonization. ”

“ Among America’s ethnic groups, Latinos are unique in the fact that you can find mixed strains of cultural influence from Europe, Africa, and the pre-Colombian Americas. The mixture of cultures makes many Latinos more open to change, to adoption of new norms and customs, to add new flavors to the recipes we cook, and to accept differences in others. ”

“ He remembers fondly a time early in KTLA's existence when the station would consult every television viewer in Los Angeles on the quality of its programming.
In 1949, during a precedent-setting moment in television broadcasting, Stan helped build KTLA's reputation for on-the-spot news coverage. The tragedy of Kathy Fiscus, a four-year-old girl who fell into an abandoned well near her home, would be considered by many the most memorable story of his career. Stan began coverage of the rescue operation within minutes of its commencement. A career in television journalism was born. ”

“ In the last several years, the Center for Latino Initiatives successfully has been promoting a more Latino-inclusive program for the entire Smithsonian. The Center has made the museum community in Washington more reflective of the entire American population and has been at the core of the organization of several important national traveling exhibitions. ”

“ The term “buckaroo” is derived form the Spanish word “vaquero” or cowman, from which we also got the word “cowboy.” Cowboy garb, boots and wide brimmed hats are all derived from the traditions of the northern Mexican charros and caballeros. ”