By KAYLA DEMICCO
Co-Executive Editor
In 2020, I think that it is especially important to make sure that minorities of all kinds are seen and recognized in a positive light. The political atmosphere that the Trump Administration has created for minorities, has been extremely cruel and led people to not feel safe or welcome. Some people would say that society has taken a huge step back into history where anyone who is not visibly Caucasian, does not deserve rights.
While most of the history that students are taught in their early schooling years discusses mainly white people and their part of history, it is nice that certain months are set aside for recognizing minorities. However, it is unfortunate that such things are only reduced down to only a month.
Any reasonable person knows about Black History Month and how it takes place every February. The more politically aware members of society will do things to celebrate it and not make a fuss about it or ask why “White History Month” is not a thing.
An overlooked month is National Hispanic Heritage Month, which is observed mid-September through mid-October. This year, it is observed from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15. As someone who is partially Hispanic, I worry for the family in Puerto Rico that I have never met and for my friends and family members that have lived in America all their lives and the discrimination they could face. My heart breaks for the ones I do not know personally but are trapped in cages by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) by the borders. I am hopeful for the Hispanic people of the future and what they could have in store for making sure they are not silenced or bullied by the government.
In the past, I used to not be open as I am now about my ethnic background. One reason being is that even though my father is fully Puerto Rican, I was not raised with much knowledge of my heritage. Another reason being that, in terms of my appearance, I do not pass for Hispanic either, especially since I was given my mother’s Italian last name. As I got older, I began to embrace it more and be proud of it. As it is not physically obvious, I would remind people if it were to come up in conversation. I am not an expert on all things Puerto Rican and various types of Hispanic culture, but there are steps to be taken.
With me being politically aware of what the Trump Administration has done to the Hispanic community (and lack of doing) feels like a good step to show my support for them and would encourage anyone to do the same. Trump and his supporters have been nothing but disrespectful and extremely hateful towards the Hispanic community and it is something that should not be tolerated at all.
Rather than going on and on about all of the great things that Hispanic people have contributed to this world, it is important to think about their current hardships.
Minorities are living in danger of the risk of getting their rights taken away and face discrimination from the government and Trump supporters. It is important to make sure you let these certain people in your life know that you are there for them. It is likely that these people are living in worry or fear for their and/or the future of their families.
