Vanesa Pacheco / Colaboración /
Today I came across an article on Lizzy’s Homemade Ice Cream by ElMundoBoston.com introducing the new Guatemalan owners, Miriam and Alberto Benítez. The headline photo has the couple standing proudly by the storefront window at the first shop’s location in Waltham, MA.
The headline reads: “Los latinos también podemos ser miembros productivos de la comunidad.”
To translate for all you non-Spanish speakers, it reads, “Latinos can also be productive members of the community.” This headline and photo speak a powerful message and makes me beam with pride of calling myself a Latina.
With the recent comments generalizing all Latinos as horrible immigrants who are ruining the United States (*cough* Trump and Republicans *cough), it is refreshing to see a news outlet focusing on the good and amazing accomplishments being achieved by Latinos in the United States.
We have been targeted and portrayed as criminals, drug mules, horrible aliens or illegals that steal the jobs of born and bred American citizens. And even before the disgusting comments by Trump to build a wall and keep out “Mexicans” (by Mexicans, he means all Latinos because he doesn’t really get that not all of us are Mexican), the media hasn’t done much better than to cast us as maids, drug lords, gang members, or, even worse, omitted us from the public eye.
This is not to say that we are the only ethnic group being shamed, as we have simply been swept along with every other ethnic and racial minority group in this country and spoken about as trash. But it makes a difference when others are shown how wrong this negative mentality is of all those being viewed as detriments instead of benefits.
As the daughter of two guatemalan immigrants, to see other guatemaltecos succeeding and being honored for it makes me joyful. We aren’t an entire population that can be bunched up into a pile and labeled one, but we should stand strong in fighting this kind of thinking through positive actions and coverage of people like Miriam and Alberto Benítez.
Por Yadira Betances, the author of the article I’m referencing, quotes the previous owner as saying:
“Lo más importante es que son personas honestas y con integridad”, dijo Nick] Pappas (primer propietario) de Miriam y su familia. “Su compromiso con el negocio, su carácter y su ética de trabajo es lo que más me gusta de ella”.
Translation: “What is more important is that they are honest and people of integrity,” Nick Pappas (previous owner) said of Miriam and her family. “Her commitment to the business, her character and her work ethic is what I most like about her.”
I’m so happy for Miriam and Alberto Benítez, and I am happy that hard-working people will manage Lizzy’s delicious ice cream, too. Sometimes, it’s the little things that make a difference. Today it was this story that cheered me up to remind me that I am not a bad person for being Latina and that my parents are bad people for immigrating.
Let’s continue reminding everyone of this. Let’s not let them bring us down.
Publicado originalmente en: https://signedvanesa.wordpress.com/
