Rev. Samuel Rodriguez: What National Hispanic Heritage Month means to me in one word

It is National Hispanic Heritage Month. We are the nation’s second largest population group, and we have held our own against racism, prejudice and ridicule because of our unshakable hope in the future.

Because of our hope that better days are ahead, we work tirelessly for a better life for ourselves and for our loved ones. Because of this hope, more of our children and grandchildren are pursuing higher education. 

Those of us who are eligible to vote account for 13.3% of all eligible voters in the United States and we turned out in force for the 2020 elections. Hope motivates us to vote, to make ourselves heard in the public square. We don’t need lax voting laws to spur us to vote. We are capable of acquiring legal identification cards and registering to vote. To say otherwise is both condescending and racist.