Xavier Becerra

“ In a word, Latinos reflect what it means to be an American, a citizen of a nation that welcomes and embraces diversity.
We are yet a young nation when compared to the rest of the world, and our collective past and history is continuously being written. We are in the capital city of a nation that holds dear a set of core principles, such as liberty, democracy, and justice. ”

“ Among our nation’s school-age population, about every fifth student is of Latino descent. In fact, the Census Bureau tells us that every fifth child born today in the United States is an American of Latino heritage. Many of these children will visit the nation’s capital and will take the lessons learned here back home to their communities. When we visit the nation’s capital we should leave inspired by our past with faith in our future. This country has always managed to give the next generation of leaders good reason to be proud of our history and culture. ”

“ 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. ”