The Digital Collegian - Published independently by students at Penn State
NEWS
[ Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2004 ]

Hispanics lack national leaders
However, students are optimistic of change with the nomination of Alberto Gonzales to attorney general.

By Meaghan Haugh email
Collegian Staff Writer

Latino Caucus President Jennifer Moreno said the under-representation of minorities in the U.S. government bothers her.

"People don't know about us [minorities]. There's a lot of stereotypes," Moreno said. "A lot of people outside of our community see us in a different way."

Moreno said there is a need for someone to voice the issues that some minorities face nationwide, including affirmative action and a lack of health care coverage.

"I think we should be represented more because we do have a big population of Latinos in the United States," she said.

Moreno said that fortunately, White House Counsel Alberto Gonzales' nomination as the next U.S. attorney general last week illustrates the increase of minorities in higher, more prominent government positions.

"We have to start somewhere, and people are starting to see that change," Moreno said.

Gonzales, the son of Mexican migrant farm workers, would become the first Hispanic attorney general if the U.S. Senate approves his nomination.

President George W. Bush said last Wednesday he would nominate Gonzales to succeed current Attorney General John Ashcroft, after Ashcroft submitted his resignation the day before.

Currently, the U.S. Census Bureau projects that the population of those with Hispanic origin will increase from 14.1 percent in 2005 to 24.4 percent in 2050.

According to the Census Bureau's Web site, Hispanic representation in federal employment increased from 5.4 percent in 1990 to 6.9 percent in 2002.

Moreno said Gonzales' nomination would increase the Latino vote in future elections.

"If people see that Latinos are coming into higher positions, people would come out to vote in the next four years," she added.
GRAPHIC: Sara Parris/Collegian
GRAPHIC: Sara Parris/Collegian

National Hispanic Business Association President Melissa Kung said she was also pleased by the possibility of Gonzales becoming the next U.S. attorney general.

"It's always great to see the minority represented, especially Latinos, because they are a large population of this community," Kung said. "It's always good to feel connected with somebody in the [White] House."

Tiffany Arroyo (senior-Spanish) said Gonzales' nomination showed a movement toward more diversity in U.S. government.

She added that diversity, including women, blacks and Hispanics, is needed in government positions to represent the entire country.

"We have to wait and see what he himself is going to do and what contributions he will make," Arroyo said. "As the first Hispanic attorney general, that's a great first step of increasing diversity in the government."

Latin American Student Association President Oscar Barbosa said that although Gonzales shares the same heritage of the Hispanic community, he does not belong to the same social class as the majority of Hispanics and would only represent the rich portion of the Hispanic population.

"I don't see him representing the Latino community as a whole," Barbosa said.

Jose Nieves (sophomore-psychology) said he feels that Gonzales' nomination is a stepping stone for improving the representation of the Hispanic community in the U.S. government.

"We have value to the country," Nieves said.

However, Nieves said the honor could raise concerns, especially if Gonzales "were to screw up" and become unpopular throughout the country.

"Whatever he does will highly represent [the Hispanic] community," Nieves said.

 

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