Last year, during the November election, everything changed. The nation witnessed the powerful impact of the Hispanic electorate. It recognized as never before that our people are a force to be reckoned with in this country's immediate future. What happens now? Here is a word to Hispanic believers as we reflect on where we are today.
It is not that the rest of the country did not know that tens of millions of Hispanics live in the 50 states. It also doesn't mean that there hasn't been a certain appreciation for things Latin. Spanish music is heard on the airwaves, and the Latin Grammys are broadcast on television. There are singers that sing in both Spanish and English (Enrique Iglesias, Shakira) and actors that shift seamlessly between Latin and Anglo films (Salma Hayek, Jennifer Lopez). Latino athletes dominate baseball and boxing, and let's not forget soccer. Our food—tamales, pupusas, horchata, flan, black beans—have moved out of the barrio into the mainstream; you can now ask for hot sauce, pico de gallo, or Tabasco in almost any restaurant. These provide just some evidence of the Hispanic presence.
But, something changed in November. Now, there will be more attention paid to those of Latin-American descent. Maybe now we won't be labeled so easily as merely "Hispanic," an undefined faceless mass of people. The Federal Department of Education imposed that term upon us 40 years ago.
But, who is Hispanic? The indigenous peoples of pre-Columbian cultures? The dark skinned individuals of African roots? The Japanese Brazilian? The Mestizo of both Spanish and Native blood?
What about the language differences? Among us you can hear the Boricua accent of Puerto Rico, the speed of Cuban conversation, the Chilango sound of those from Mexico City, and the peculiar tone of the Porteños of Buenos Aires. What of those whose first language is the indigenous Quiché or Quéchua? And the music? We love mariachis, romantic ballads, and Latin rock. We come from 30 countries, with different histories, flags and customs, literature and legends, folk dress, and traditional foods.
Our Religious Heartbeat
Our religion is also part of our complexity. The Catholic faith, the syncretistic beliefs of the indigenous, and the growth of evangelical and Pentecostal churches reflect the religious beat in the heart of our people.
But, this great and rich mixture has been reduced to that all-purpose tag: Hispanic.
Every Sunday we come together with the goal of being strong witnesses in this foreign land. Our churches help us make it in this wider culture, where many still look at us with disdain.
Hispanic evangélicos are people that have given their heart to God and confess that Jesus Christ is their Savior. Every Sunday we come together in thousands of churches to hear God's word and worship Him, with the goal of being strong witnesses of our faith in this foreign land. Our churches help us make it in this wider culture, where many are suspicious of us or still look at us with disdain.
But everything changed in November. It is now time to reflect on how we, as Hispanics, can contribute to the nation for the glory of God. It is not a question—if we are honest—of reducing our horizons to developing strategies to survive in the shadows in search of proper documentation or, for others, of dedicating ourselves simply to achieving the "American Dream."
It is time to commit ourselves to the task of making an impact on society with the Gospel. Hispanic complexity is a gift from God; it can be an injection of life into a culture of decadence. Do we see ourselves in this way? Isn't the Hispanic Christian presence an opportunity to accomplish the Lord's mission of being agents of transformation in this country? Our marginalized people, with all of our spiritual fervor, can be God's powerful instrument of change. We have to dream big.
Everything changed in November.
Dr. M. Daniel Carroll R. (Rodas) is a distinguished professor of Old Testament at Denver Seminary and the national spokesperson on immigration for the NHCLC (National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference)