(Photo by JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)
Last Wednesday, I was honored to join Latino leaders from around the country to visit the White House for their Hispanic Heritage Month celebration. While there, I was struck by the weight of all the years of history you can feel while on those grounds. Inside the White House, there are portraits of Presidents, Vice Presidents and prominent members of their cabinets on the walls. Few are Latino – few look like me, sound like me, and come from backgrounds like mine. There’s one major exception – in the Oval Office, feet from where the leader of the free world sits behind the resolute desk, sits a bust of Cesar Chavez. He inspired millions, including the President of the United States. It’s a reminder that we can build political power, and that we still have so much more to do before we realize our full potential as a community.
Hispanic Heritage Month is an important opportunity to reflect on the culture and traditions the Hispanic community brings to our state and our nation. But just as important, we must take this moment to recommit ourselves to ensuring that we honor these contributions by building on them and creating a New Hampshire that welcomes and nurtures generations to come. That means more than just fighting for the issues the Hispanic community cares about – it means combatting those who seek to do harm to us, our community, and our futures.
Since 2000, the Latino population in New Hampshire has more than doubled. Since 2012, we are the fastest growing population in the state. Why? Because the Granite State stands for the same values we do. “Live Free or Die” brought us here, and it’s those ethos that we want to protect.
We’re doing our part. The Hispanic community here is a cornerstone of growth and innovation across several industries and has quite literally built much of the state. In short, we are integral to our state’s economy and success. Latino-owned businesses have contributed billions to the U.S. economy, and New Hampshire is no exception. In sectors ranging from construction to healthcare, Hispanic workers fill critical roles, ensuring that essential services continue to operate efficiently.
Yet, despite their clear impact, too often, the countless contributions of Hispanic immigrants are overshadowed by disturbing political rhetoric that paints them as a burden. Some of the worst people in our politics have used this divisive rhetoric and called us invaders, animals, and worse. This narrative is not only wrong but it’s potentially dangerous to our community. When people attack immigrants, they are attacking the very people who are helping to build and sustain our state – they’re attacking the backbone of our communities. We are homeowners, taxpayers, entrepreneurs, and community leaders. We are agricultural workers, ensuring our food supply does not waver. We are service members, proudly serving the United States Armed Forces. We are first responders. We are students, learning in our schools and universities, aspiring to careers in STEM, education, and public service. In fact, Hispanic students have shown an increasing presence in New Hampshire’s academic institutions, representing the future of a more diverse and dynamic workforce.
We are parents raising the next generation of proud Americans. We are Americans. And the United States of America is a nation of immigrants. This is not a new phenomenon. Immigrants laid the groundwork for this state and country hundreds of years ago, and new generations have come to build upon and strengthen their work. Immigration isn’t new, and neither is the resilience and determination that have been trademarks of those who come to the United States to seek better lives for themselves and their families. We are proud to be a part of that tradition.
The story of New Hampshire is, in many ways, the story of immigrants—of people who have come here with an American dream and worked hard, long hours to make it a reality. Together, we will reclaim that narrative and reject the fear-mongering that seeks to divide us based on where someone was born. The truth is, immigrants don’t just contribute to New Hampshire—they help sustain it, just as they do across the country.
So this September, let us not just celebrate all that the Hispanic community brings to New Hampshire, but let’s also recognize those contributions that are vital to our state’s future. Let us work to challenge those divisive and dangerous tropes that threaten our Hispanic neighbors, friends, and family. Let us focus on working alongside them to build an America that welcomes them and all others, giving everyone – regardless of background – an opportunity to thrive.
New Hampshire’s future is one of diversity and inclusion. It’s time we embrace it wholeheartedly. Sí se puede!
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