In a move that speaks volumes to the growing Latino influence in the U.S., PARADE magazine—the weekly Sunday newspaper circular known more for its lighthearted lifestyle coverage than for social commentary—is launching a year-long series titled “PARADE of Voices,” that examines the changing role of Latinos in America.
The series comes in the wake of Barack Obama’s reelection, a win that was widely credited to him snagging 70% of the Latino vote. The sheer profundity of that event—a rising minority having enough clout to swing a U.S. presidential election—is reason enough to take a closer look at the current, changing and growing influence of Hispanics in America.
PARADE kicked off the series on January 20 with a roundtable discussion on “How Latinos Are Changing America.” Four influential Latinos from different walks of life share their views on the Latino role in the U.S.: San Antonio, Texas Mayor Julian Castro, who was keynote speaker at the 2012 Democratic National Convention, is joined by Republican state representative and fellow Texan Larry Gonzales, Linda Alvarado, who is co-owner of the Colorado Rockies Major League Baseball Team, and Cristina Jiménez, 28, managing director of United We Dream, a youth-led immigrant rights group. The discussion is moderated by Natale Morales, anchor of NBC’s Today show. Other installments of the series will run periodically throughout the year.
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The magazine offers some interesting data concerning the origins and references of Latinos in America. For example, 51% of U.S. born Latinos prefer to speak English, and about 60% of all Latinos in America were born here. PARADE’s website offers readers the chance to share their story of“growing up a proud Latino” in America.
