Last September I had the opportunity to meet a person I wanted to meet since early 2009, Fernando Espuelas. Thanks to the Hispanic Business Showcase my dream came true. Fernando delivered a great speech at the event. A very positive and meaningful message that I want to share with you in this post. If you don’t have time to watch the 29 minute video, please read below some of the highlights of his speech. We, the U.S. Latino community, have a very important responsibility that can’t be taken slightly. A responsibility of playing a leadership role in the future of our country.
You already know all the stats: Latinos are the largest minority group in the USA, the U.S. Latino market continues to present tremendous growth opportunities, etc. So I’m not going to spend much time trying to convince you about the importance of the Latino market in the U.S. I’m just going to share some basic numbers of the top DMA’s in the country according to Geoscape before we move on:
1. LOS ANGELES
Total Population (2009): 17,595,237
Hispanic Population (2009): 7,881,105
Total Population – Estimated (2014): 18,120,622
Hispanic Population – Estimated (2014): 8,419,831
Annual Household Expenditures Total: Overall Aggregate – 2009 (in 000s):
$328,063,728.64
Annual Household Expenditures Total: Hispanic Aggregate – 2009 (in 000s):
$93,427,327.10
2. NEW YORK
Total Population (2009): 20,827,367
Hispanic Population (2009): 4,407,564
Total Population – Estimated (2014): 21,016,685
Hispanic Population – Estimated (2014): 4,632,116
Annual Household Expenditures Total: Overall Aggregate – 2009 (in 000s):
$471,078,515.05
Annual Household Expenditures Total: Hispanic Aggregate – 2009 (in 000s):
$60,188,963.38
3. HOUSTON
Total Population (2009): 6,088,439
Hispanic Population (2009): 2,068,760
Total Population – Estimated (2014): 6,696,232
Hispanic Population – Estimated (2014): 2,397,462
Annual Household Expenditures Total: Overall Aggregate – 2009 (in 000s):
$109,125,186.29
Annual Household Expenditures Total: Hispanic Aggregate – 2009 (in 000s):
$22,986,908.49
4. CHICAGO
Total Population (2009): 9,823,067
Hispanic Population (2009): 1,986,536
Total Population – Estimated (2014): 10,158,979
Hispanic Population – Estimated (2014): 2,199,654
Annual Household Expenditures Total: Overall Aggregate – 2009 (in 000s):
$215,768,428.15
Annual Household Expenditures Total: Hispanic Aggregate – 2009 (in 000s):
$26,353,022.92
5. MIAMI-FT. LAUDERDALE
Total Population (2009): 4,242,084
Hispanic Population (2009): 1,972,614
Total Population – Estimated (2014): 4,320,722
Hispanic Population – Estimated (2014): 2,121,584
Annual Household Expenditures Total: Overall Aggregate – 2009 (in 000s):
$76,728,341.69
Annual Household Expenditures Total: Hispanic Aggregate – 2009 (in 000s):
$32,680,441.86
Source: DMA ranks are provided by Geoscape and are based on 2008-2009
data. I found the stats at the “Hispanic Market Overview – 2010” report. To get the full version, please click here.
Being that said, let me share some of the points made by Fernando Espuelas:
DEMOGRAPHIC SHIFT
“We are moving into a new era in the U.S.A., an era that is much more diverse, an era that is challenging, an era that is going to create tremendous amount of anxiety for many people”…”You are seeing that politically across the whole nation.”…
“The historical content should not be that surprising because this has happened since the beginning of the country…”
“…this moment in time, with this demographic change, creates anxiety- tremendous anxiety!…in some places, the arrival of Latino immigrants is worrisome…”
RESPONSIBILITY
“…Latino leaders and Latino business people have a particularly high responsibility to the U.S.A…we have to be an example, an icon to the rest of society, to Latinos and non-Latinos alike.”
EDUCATION
“…Latinos are the least educated ethnic group in the U.S.A….we have the lowest rate of High School graduates of any ethnic group, we have the lowest rate of University graduates on any group…”
“…we can make any excuses but, how can we actually expect as a country, as Americans, to become a global powerhouse over the next 100 years when in the second largest city on the U.S.A. we are creating poverty every single day we failed Latino kids?”
TAKE ACTION!
“…A lot of Latino activist tell us that we are “victims”, “no one hears us”, “no one understands us”, “there is a massive conspiracy against us”, “there is a massive racism against us”…of course there is racism! Benjamin Franklin was a racist against Germans. Racism is a fact of life, a fact of humanity but not an excuse.”
“…What are we doing in our own community to make sure that we are successful, that we are successful to our country?”
“…to protest for all sorts of things doesn’t do much for our community. Protests just perpetuates the idea that we are powerless, that we are victims, protests communicate to non-latinos that we are not part of the fabric of the democratic system…”
“…when we are being called upon to fulfill a historical destiny to push forward the country, can we look ourselves in the mirror and say that we are doing everything possible to fulfill that mission?”
“…at this point in time, we have to take a leap and that leap is not an easy leap to take because what it implies is that we assume responsibility for the future of our community, our country, the future of the political system and the future of capitalism…”
“…we, Latinos, are naturally an entrepreneurial group of people. We take risks…within us we have what is required to fulfill that historical mission…we have to engage in a way that we haven’t done before…”
DEFINE YOUR ROLE
“…Latino business owners can’t be just a business person making money, Latino business owners have to be something much bigger, they have to be leaders!”
“…we have the human capital…we have the possibility to connect, communicate, share ideas and information in a way that allows us to drive the creation of human capital, to leverage human capital…”
COMMITMENT TO YOURSELF
“…start to understand what role can you play in an active way in the community where you live or do business in…”
“…it’s no longer acceptable to define business as simple as making a profit, your business must also serve a social need. Your business has to have an orientation of serving people in some fashion (e.g.: Internship program, provide resources to your local schools, etc.)
“…we are making history, we can affect history, we can be authors of our own faith!…”
“…recognize problems, diagnose them properly, understand the role you have to play in making sure that the history that you are going to write is a positive one…”
“…every revolution in the history of men started in the head of one person…”
“…we, Latinos, can change the future of the country in a positive way…”
You can watch Fernando’s speech here.
I truly enjoyed Fernando’s speech. I agree pretty much with everything he had to say. I’m trying to make a positive change in the community I live in. I have accepted the responsibility that Fernando talks about in his speech. I’m facing a lot of barriers in the way but my motivation to make things happen is bigger than the negative forces that try to keep me at the same level that they are in. I’m trying very hard to make positive things happen for my family, friends and my community and if God allows me, I will make them happen. Have you started to take the path that will lead you, your family and community to success? I have.
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Tayde Aburto
