HispanicVista Columnists

Why Villaraigosa  for Mayor of Los Angeles ?

By Daniel Gutierrez 

As I take a look at the landscape of the United States and see Latinos and Latinas running for office, more times than not they are not getting elected in cities where the demographic landscape would dictate a landslide success. I have to take a step back and ask the question: Why?

Some would say it’s because we are more critical of our own leaders than we are anyone else. Others might even say that we are caught up in the theory of the Cangrejo or crab theory that mainstream society do not worry about Latinos because they will inevitably pull each other down when the time comes.

In order for us to change the way the world looks at us, we must first change the internal dialogue of how we see ourselves. Within our own culture or communities we are talking about our own lateness as if it was a badge of honor; then subsequently getting upset when we are categorized as a whole as being late and lazy.

I was the keynote speaker at a “Minority Business Awards” banquet this month.. I couldn’t help myself when I challenged the group of 500 American Asians, American Latinos, African American and many others to ask themselves why the event was called a Minority banquet when in reality 51 % of any ethnicity constitutes the majority! The idea that we think of ourselves as minorities will always be true until we change our internal dialogue.

So why vote for Antonio Villaraigosa? Even if you do not support his policies or you THINK you know him. One thing is true: He will see the issues that we bring to him through Latino eyes! That alone is reason enough to vote him into office.

We have a better chance of getting our views seen if he is mayor.

That would be true about all ethnicities, not just the Latino community.

I would not be advocating Villaraigosa if I did not think he was a great leader and suggest that we look past our own biases and support what could be best for Los Angeles. I support him and will vote for him. What will you do… vote or sit in the bleachers and complain?…

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Daniel Gutierrez sits on the Board of Directors of the Inner City Arts Institute in Los Angeles. Featured in the November 2003 edition of Latino Style magazine, he also is the founder of the Latino Empowerment Foundation, the mission of which is to empower leading and up-and-coming young Latinos in the areas of the arts and education. Web page at: http://www.danielgutierrez.com/eWebPages/Home-Page.html   Email at: daniel@danielgutierrez.com