1 00:00:00,520 --> 00:00:03,600 Speaker 1: We are all different in our own manners. Right, Mexican 2 00:00:03,640 --> 00:00:06,160 Speaker 1: Americans are going to be so much more different than 3 00:00:06,680 --> 00:00:10,600 Speaker 1: Cuban Americans. And that's something that the media, I think 4 00:00:10,720 --> 00:00:12,680 Speaker 1: still quite doesn't understand. 5 00:00:17,160 --> 00:00:20,760 Speaker 2: From Futro Media and PRX, it's Latino USA. I'm Maria 6 00:00:20,800 --> 00:00:25,400 Speaker 2: ino Coosa. Today, episode two of our new series Ombre 7 00:00:25,840 --> 00:00:29,480 Speaker 2: Understanding Latino Men, we sit down with two young Latino 8 00:00:29,560 --> 00:00:42,279 Speaker 2: voters with very similar backgrounds but opposite political views. Dear listener. 9 00:00:42,960 --> 00:00:46,400 Speaker 2: Last month we launched a new series it's called Ombre 10 00:00:46,920 --> 00:00:52,040 Speaker 2: Understanding Latino Men, and we did this after seeing conversations 11 00:00:52,120 --> 00:00:56,200 Speaker 2: happening about Latino men who essentially shifted right in the 12 00:00:56,280 --> 00:01:00,280 Speaker 2: last presidential election, but without having a lot of leatso 13 00:01:00,320 --> 00:01:04,880 Speaker 2: men participating in those conversations. We hear at Latino USA 14 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:08,680 Speaker 2: want to understand what motivated Latino men to vote more 15 00:01:08,720 --> 00:01:12,240 Speaker 2: Republican this time around. We also want to understand what 16 00:01:12,360 --> 00:01:19,040 Speaker 2: informed the Latino men who stayed with the Democratic Party. Today, 17 00:01:19,360 --> 00:01:23,840 Speaker 2: we're going to hear from two Ombris Latinos, Alejandro Flores 18 00:01:24,040 --> 00:01:29,560 Speaker 2: and Alexis Uskanga. They're both Mexican American, both from Texas, 19 00:01:29,600 --> 00:01:35,039 Speaker 2: and both from similar socioeconomic backgrounds. Alexis is twenty one 20 00:01:35,120 --> 00:01:38,840 Speaker 2: years old from Harlingen, Texas. He's a student at the 21 00:01:38,920 --> 00:01:42,280 Speaker 2: University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, and he's also a 22 00:01:42,319 --> 00:01:45,720 Speaker 2: first time voter, and he chose to vote for Donald Trump. 23 00:01:46,040 --> 00:01:47,000 Speaker 3: Thank you for having me. 24 00:01:47,480 --> 00:01:50,600 Speaker 2: Alejandro is thirty one years old from Dallas and he 25 00:01:50,640 --> 00:01:54,040 Speaker 2: works in it In twenty twenty four, as he's done 26 00:01:54,080 --> 00:01:57,680 Speaker 2: since he was old enough to vote, Alejandro voted blue, 27 00:01:58,000 --> 00:02:00,920 Speaker 2: this time for presidential candidate Kamala Harris. 28 00:02:01,400 --> 00:02:02,559 Speaker 3: Thank you for having me. As all. 29 00:02:04,160 --> 00:02:07,520 Speaker 2: So, as we have said multiple times on this show, 30 00:02:07,840 --> 00:02:12,560 Speaker 2: Latinos are not a monolith, and within the Latino community 31 00:02:12,600 --> 00:02:16,679 Speaker 2: there are complexities. For example, Mexican Americans still lean more 32 00:02:16,760 --> 00:02:20,639 Speaker 2: left than all other Latino groups. But even among this 33 00:02:20,760 --> 00:02:25,080 Speaker 2: democratic stronghold group, Republicans did make wins in this election. 34 00:02:25,600 --> 00:02:27,360 Speaker 2: So we're going to unpack all of this in our 35 00:02:27,400 --> 00:02:32,280 Speaker 2: conversation of ombre understanding Latino man. Let's get to it. 36 00:02:33,560 --> 00:02:36,120 Speaker 2: So we're going to start with you, Alexis. Just tell 37 00:02:36,200 --> 00:02:38,120 Speaker 2: us a little bit about yourself, where you grew up 38 00:02:38,120 --> 00:02:39,519 Speaker 2: and how you identify politically. 39 00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:42,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, of course, my name is Alexiskanga. I am from 40 00:02:42,880 --> 00:02:45,840 Speaker 1: Harlan and Texas down here in the Rio Grand Valley, 41 00:02:45,919 --> 00:02:49,320 Speaker 1: the border of the United States and Mexico. I've grown 42 00:02:49,440 --> 00:02:52,880 Speaker 1: up here in a very Hispanic household. When I was Ledo, 43 00:02:52,919 --> 00:02:55,359 Speaker 1: I used to sell ta malees door to door, used 44 00:02:55,400 --> 00:02:57,160 Speaker 1: to help my parents out. 45 00:02:57,360 --> 00:03:02,800 Speaker 2: Okay, that's adorable, that's just the door. And Alexis, just 46 00:03:02,840 --> 00:03:05,440 Speaker 2: so we're clear, you ended up voting for the first 47 00:03:05,480 --> 00:03:09,239 Speaker 2: time in this election and you voted for Donald Trump. 48 00:03:09,560 --> 00:03:10,160 Speaker 1: Yes, I did. 49 00:03:10,960 --> 00:03:13,440 Speaker 2: And Alejandro, tell us a little bit about yourself. 50 00:03:14,040 --> 00:03:15,920 Speaker 3: I grew up in the city of Dallas. 51 00:03:17,160 --> 00:03:22,760 Speaker 4: I've been politically active since the first Obama administration. My family, well, 52 00:03:23,919 --> 00:03:26,120 Speaker 4: we didn't really embrace much of our culture, being a 53 00:03:26,120 --> 00:03:29,040 Speaker 4: family of immigrants where we tried to assimilate. We spoke 54 00:03:29,080 --> 00:03:32,520 Speaker 4: Spanish very little, only with like a few members of 55 00:03:32,520 --> 00:03:35,080 Speaker 4: our family, but at the house we spoke English. But 56 00:03:35,120 --> 00:03:38,080 Speaker 4: we still observed some of the traditions, mostly the religious stuff. 57 00:03:38,120 --> 00:03:42,440 Speaker 4: But I feel like I've recently taken the opportunity to 58 00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:44,800 Speaker 4: get to know my carriatgage more after having it. 59 00:03:45,200 --> 00:03:47,200 Speaker 3: I have to feel like it's been surpassed for a 60 00:03:47,280 --> 00:03:47,840 Speaker 3: long time. 61 00:03:48,520 --> 00:03:53,400 Speaker 2: And Alejandro, you voted for Kamala Harris in twenty twenty four. 62 00:03:54,120 --> 00:03:56,560 Speaker 2: So now let's get into the politics of it. Can 63 00:03:56,600 --> 00:04:00,920 Speaker 2: you just tell me about a moment in your life 64 00:04:00,920 --> 00:04:04,720 Speaker 2: that you remember that kind of shaped your political beliefs. 65 00:04:05,120 --> 00:04:08,000 Speaker 4: Yeah, I guess I could talk him back to I 66 00:04:08,040 --> 00:04:10,640 Speaker 4: think it was two thousand and five, two thousand and 67 00:04:10,640 --> 00:04:15,640 Speaker 4: six when I first noticed a pro immigration protest against 68 00:04:15,680 --> 00:04:18,960 Speaker 4: the Bush administration. It was the first time I had 69 00:04:19,000 --> 00:04:25,440 Speaker 4: heard of any outspoken reaction that was widespread from people 70 00:04:25,680 --> 00:04:28,239 Speaker 4: of my culture because we felt like we were being 71 00:04:28,320 --> 00:04:31,560 Speaker 4: attacked for who we are, or for trying to make 72 00:04:31,560 --> 00:04:34,839 Speaker 4: a difference in our lives and just making our works 73 00:04:34,839 --> 00:04:37,600 Speaker 4: a certain making sure that people understood that we were here, 74 00:04:37,920 --> 00:04:43,279 Speaker 4: we're not criminals, despite having allegedly broken any laws that 75 00:04:43,320 --> 00:04:45,640 Speaker 4: pertain to people looking for safety and migrating to a 76 00:04:45,640 --> 00:04:51,240 Speaker 4: place where there was opportunity and shelter and economic prosperity. 77 00:04:52,200 --> 00:04:58,839 Speaker 2: That is so interesting because that was a real moment 78 00:04:58,880 --> 00:05:02,560 Speaker 2: in American history. It's two thousand and six. It was 79 00:05:03,360 --> 00:05:08,799 Speaker 2: a pro immigration moment in the United States where demonstrations 80 00:05:09,240 --> 00:05:15,400 Speaker 2: happened across the country. So, can you tell us about 81 00:05:15,400 --> 00:05:19,560 Speaker 2: a moment Alexis that you remember that kind of shaped 82 00:05:19,800 --> 00:05:23,400 Speaker 2: you politically as a Latino man. In Texas well. There's 83 00:05:23,440 --> 00:05:24,520 Speaker 2: been several times. 84 00:05:24,839 --> 00:05:28,520 Speaker 1: I would say, of course, President Trump's first appearance as 85 00:05:28,560 --> 00:05:32,200 Speaker 1: a political candidate was something that really shaped my political 86 00:05:32,240 --> 00:05:34,520 Speaker 1: beliefs because at the very first time, I used to 87 00:05:34,520 --> 00:05:35,400 Speaker 1: be very against him. 88 00:05:35,640 --> 00:05:37,880 Speaker 3: I didn't like the way he spoke about immigrants. 89 00:05:38,120 --> 00:05:42,080 Speaker 1: The moment that I would say that I switched was 90 00:05:42,360 --> 00:05:46,080 Speaker 1: when I disagreed with a friend he was very pro Trump. 91 00:05:46,480 --> 00:05:47,400 Speaker 3: I just didn't. 92 00:05:47,120 --> 00:05:50,760 Speaker 1: Understand why he would like such a person, right, So 93 00:05:50,839 --> 00:05:53,599 Speaker 1: I just began to be curious, and I watched my 94 00:05:53,640 --> 00:05:57,680 Speaker 1: first Trump rally on YouTube, and that was a real 95 00:05:57,720 --> 00:06:00,560 Speaker 1: game changer for me. And now I'm saying, the hell 96 00:06:00,640 --> 00:06:02,200 Speaker 1: with it, I'm doing it myself. 97 00:06:02,400 --> 00:06:06,000 Speaker 2: We're gonna do it. Okay, We're going to do it. 98 00:06:06,400 --> 00:06:06,960 Speaker 1: I love you. 99 00:06:07,160 --> 00:06:10,400 Speaker 2: So that's really interesting. You were like, I can't stand Trump. 100 00:06:10,800 --> 00:06:13,280 Speaker 2: I don't understand why this Latino friend of mine is 101 00:06:13,320 --> 00:06:15,840 Speaker 2: going to vote for him. But you said, but let 102 00:06:15,839 --> 00:06:18,159 Speaker 2: me go check out one of his rallies. And so 103 00:06:18,240 --> 00:06:22,080 Speaker 2: what happened when you watched that pro Trump rally for 104 00:06:22,120 --> 00:06:22,720 Speaker 2: the first time. 105 00:06:23,360 --> 00:06:24,520 Speaker 3: I was very surprised. 106 00:06:24,640 --> 00:06:27,360 Speaker 1: Right, of course, I've always been led to believe that 107 00:06:27,440 --> 00:06:32,320 Speaker 1: Trump is a racist, that he's very misogynistic, so I 108 00:06:32,480 --> 00:06:36,520 Speaker 1: really wanted to look into it myself. So watching the rally, 109 00:06:36,600 --> 00:06:39,160 Speaker 1: of course, he has his own rhetoric. He's a showman. 110 00:06:39,920 --> 00:06:42,480 Speaker 1: He tries to keep the people entertained. And I think 111 00:06:42,520 --> 00:06:45,680 Speaker 1: there was one specific part. I can't remember exactly what 112 00:06:45,720 --> 00:06:48,839 Speaker 1: he said, but I just remember how I agreed with 113 00:06:48,880 --> 00:06:52,240 Speaker 1: a lot of stuff he said. But the following day 114 00:06:52,360 --> 00:06:56,840 Speaker 1: I watched the news and I saw how the message 115 00:06:57,080 --> 00:07:00,200 Speaker 1: was just twisted right. I was like, I heard what 116 00:07:00,279 --> 00:07:04,520 Speaker 1: he said directly myself, and I think that's what, slowly 117 00:07:04,600 --> 00:07:08,320 Speaker 1: but surely made me like Trump more So. 118 00:07:08,480 --> 00:07:12,760 Speaker 2: I want to really understand, very specifically how your Mexican 119 00:07:12,800 --> 00:07:16,680 Speaker 2: culture and growing up as a Mexican American Latino boy 120 00:07:16,720 --> 00:07:21,080 Speaker 2: and then becoming a man, how that shaped your political leanings. 121 00:07:21,200 --> 00:07:23,960 Speaker 2: And we're going to start with you, Alejandro. Do you 122 00:07:24,040 --> 00:07:29,080 Speaker 2: remember something when you were growing up that you experienced, 123 00:07:29,280 --> 00:07:32,720 Speaker 2: whether home, school, work, then you were like, oh, this 124 00:07:32,800 --> 00:07:36,480 Speaker 2: is what a Latino man is. Is there a moment 125 00:07:36,560 --> 00:07:38,080 Speaker 2: or a story that you can share. 126 00:07:38,640 --> 00:07:41,120 Speaker 4: The concept of a Latino man was mostly shaped by 127 00:07:41,120 --> 00:07:45,720 Speaker 4: my father's He worked construction, He didn't really show emotions, 128 00:07:45,800 --> 00:07:48,800 Speaker 4: didn't really speak his mind, except for whenever people asked 129 00:07:48,840 --> 00:07:52,080 Speaker 4: for it. He was a big man who moved around 130 00:07:52,080 --> 00:07:55,720 Speaker 4: heavy stuff, used tools, and it was kind of shocked 131 00:07:55,760 --> 00:07:57,720 Speaker 4: for me when I realized not everyone's dad was like that. 132 00:07:58,720 --> 00:08:01,160 Speaker 4: In middle school, I realized that, oh no, it's other 133 00:08:01,240 --> 00:08:06,520 Speaker 4: Latino fathers or businessmen or entrepreneurs or lawyers. So that 134 00:08:06,600 --> 00:08:08,840 Speaker 4: kind of through event in my whole belief of like, 135 00:08:08,880 --> 00:08:15,520 Speaker 4: oh no, it's they're not just this strong, silent archetype 136 00:08:15,680 --> 00:08:19,080 Speaker 4: that are protectors. I mean, in a way, they're our protectors, 137 00:08:19,120 --> 00:08:22,400 Speaker 4: but that's not something that I now know isn't indemic 138 00:08:22,480 --> 00:08:23,600 Speaker 4: to being a Latino man. 139 00:08:24,200 --> 00:08:27,160 Speaker 2: Alexis, what about you, Like, is there a moment of 140 00:08:27,280 --> 00:08:30,160 Speaker 2: person a thing where you were like, yeah, that's that's 141 00:08:30,200 --> 00:08:32,400 Speaker 2: like a great moment of Latino manhood. 142 00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:36,000 Speaker 1: I would also agree that was just like my dad. 143 00:08:36,320 --> 00:08:40,040 Speaker 1: He's also keeps a lot to himself. He's very hardworking, 144 00:08:40,200 --> 00:08:44,120 Speaker 1: very dedicated. Growing up, I just watched him as he 145 00:08:44,240 --> 00:08:48,240 Speaker 1: built his car dealership business, seeing him work and seeing 146 00:08:48,280 --> 00:08:51,640 Speaker 1: him do a lot of mechanic work and sell and 147 00:08:51,920 --> 00:08:55,960 Speaker 1: start little by little going up the ranks. Right, That's 148 00:08:56,000 --> 00:08:59,280 Speaker 1: something that really inspired me because he would always teach 149 00:08:59,320 --> 00:09:03,679 Speaker 1: us lessons about work hard for everything you want in life. 150 00:09:04,320 --> 00:09:07,199 Speaker 1: I would see that my friends their parents would always 151 00:09:07,400 --> 00:09:09,640 Speaker 1: get them everything, but it was not like that for 152 00:09:09,760 --> 00:09:12,480 Speaker 1: me and my siblings. If we wanted a new phone, 153 00:09:12,480 --> 00:09:13,920 Speaker 1: we'd have to work for it. If we wanted a 154 00:09:13,960 --> 00:09:15,680 Speaker 1: new backpack, we'd have to work for it. If we 155 00:09:15,720 --> 00:09:17,640 Speaker 1: want a new clothes, we'd have to work for it. 156 00:09:17,960 --> 00:09:27,520 Speaker 2: That's so Mexican, look it is. Yeah, yeah, okay, So Alejandro, 157 00:09:27,880 --> 00:09:31,000 Speaker 2: what were the issues that were most kind of personal 158 00:09:31,040 --> 00:09:35,760 Speaker 2: to you that made you decide I'm gonna vote for 159 00:09:35,840 --> 00:09:36,760 Speaker 2: Kamala Harris. 160 00:09:37,040 --> 00:09:39,640 Speaker 4: Since I first started voting at age nineteen, I've always 161 00:09:39,720 --> 00:09:43,880 Speaker 4: voted Democratic. So it was mostly the fact that she 162 00:09:44,000 --> 00:09:46,800 Speaker 4: was part of the party i've supported since I've had 163 00:09:46,800 --> 00:09:49,680 Speaker 4: a political voice, but the fact that she was also 164 00:09:49,960 --> 00:09:53,160 Speaker 4: a daughter of immigrants like myself, I'd really identified with that. 165 00:09:53,440 --> 00:09:56,480 Speaker 2: Can you tell me your top three issues that we're like, 166 00:09:56,559 --> 00:09:57,920 Speaker 2: this is where I'm going to vote blue. 167 00:09:58,280 --> 00:10:00,160 Speaker 3: So, first of all, healthcare. 168 00:10:00,520 --> 00:10:05,880 Speaker 4: During the last few months of the Biden administration, they 169 00:10:05,920 --> 00:10:09,080 Speaker 4: had a huge push for making prescription drugs it more 170 00:10:09,120 --> 00:10:14,840 Speaker 4: affordable for people, and that's aligned to my needs as 171 00:10:14,880 --> 00:10:18,319 Speaker 4: a perk news hard a hearing, and as someone who 172 00:10:18,320 --> 00:10:20,360 Speaker 4: grew up with not a lot of healthcare guys. Our 173 00:10:20,440 --> 00:10:23,960 Speaker 4: parents didn't really have access to that, so therefore I 174 00:10:24,040 --> 00:10:26,400 Speaker 4: wasn't giving much access to it either. But as far 175 00:10:26,520 --> 00:10:30,960 Speaker 4: as the Democratic Party's stance on immigration, that kind of 176 00:10:31,000 --> 00:10:34,040 Speaker 4: goes back to the Obama years with the DOCTA program. 177 00:10:34,400 --> 00:10:36,280 Speaker 3: A couple of folks in my family went through that roouter. 178 00:10:36,400 --> 00:10:41,280 Speaker 4: Now they're educators or they work for university, and they're 179 00:10:41,320 --> 00:10:43,840 Speaker 4: able to help shape the minds of an next generation 180 00:10:44,200 --> 00:10:49,040 Speaker 4: because they cannot work and have that opportunity and workers' rights, 181 00:10:49,040 --> 00:10:52,520 Speaker 4: stipility to work, the ability to have a safety net 182 00:10:52,559 --> 00:10:54,959 Speaker 4: for folks who have fallen on hard times. I mean, 183 00:10:55,160 --> 00:10:57,600 Speaker 4: I've lived through that with parents who were ineligible to 184 00:10:57,640 --> 00:10:59,520 Speaker 4: reap any of those benefits. But I was still in 185 00:10:59,559 --> 00:11:02,120 Speaker 4: supportive of having that for folks who needed it anyway, 186 00:11:02,440 --> 00:11:04,720 Speaker 4: because if they could get it, then eventually we could too. 187 00:11:05,240 --> 00:11:08,360 Speaker 2: Alexis same question. So what were the specific issues that 188 00:11:08,440 --> 00:11:11,520 Speaker 2: motivated you to vote for Trump and why did you 189 00:11:11,600 --> 00:11:14,240 Speaker 2: believe that he would be the better option. 190 00:11:15,280 --> 00:11:18,200 Speaker 1: Yeah. So one of the main issues has been for 191 00:11:18,320 --> 00:11:22,120 Speaker 1: me and my family the economy. Ever since twenty twenty one, 192 00:11:22,280 --> 00:11:25,760 Speaker 1: once Biden took office, it just we saw everything rise 193 00:11:25,800 --> 00:11:30,200 Speaker 1: in price from gasoline, groceries and everything. It just made 194 00:11:30,200 --> 00:11:34,040 Speaker 1: it harder, especially for my dad who's a small business owner. 195 00:11:34,360 --> 00:11:37,040 Speaker 1: He could not hire as many people as he wanted 196 00:11:37,040 --> 00:11:40,920 Speaker 1: to as he had before, and he also had to 197 00:11:41,040 --> 00:11:45,560 Speaker 1: focus on other things other than selling cars because making 198 00:11:45,600 --> 00:11:48,520 Speaker 1: money was just harder. He did feel the struggle, and 199 00:11:48,559 --> 00:11:51,959 Speaker 1: then I did see the change, not only within our 200 00:11:52,000 --> 00:11:54,840 Speaker 1: own household, but within the community. There were so many 201 00:11:54,920 --> 00:11:59,720 Speaker 1: people that were impacted, especially living here in such a 202 00:11:59,840 --> 00:12:04,640 Speaker 1: life o socioeconomic region. That's one of the main reasons 203 00:12:04,720 --> 00:12:09,800 Speaker 1: why I especially my family, who voted Democrat here and there, 204 00:12:09,840 --> 00:12:13,839 Speaker 1: but they weren't really interested and they didn't like Republicans beforehand, 205 00:12:13,840 --> 00:12:16,920 Speaker 1: but now they just felt the need to, so it's 206 00:12:16,960 --> 00:12:21,280 Speaker 1: the economy. Immigration is another one. We were personally impacted 207 00:12:21,440 --> 00:12:26,240 Speaker 1: because we tried to bring my grandpa from Mexico over 208 00:12:26,280 --> 00:12:32,360 Speaker 1: here legally, and unfortunately, due to mass migration due to 209 00:12:32,880 --> 00:12:38,000 Speaker 1: the broken border policies, the waytime went from months to 210 00:12:38,240 --> 00:12:41,719 Speaker 1: years and it wasn't enough for him to hold out, 211 00:12:41,880 --> 00:12:45,480 Speaker 1: so unfortunately he passed away to Mexico. And it was 212 00:12:45,480 --> 00:12:47,800 Speaker 1: a really hard time for us because we saw how 213 00:12:48,320 --> 00:12:53,840 Speaker 1: so many people came illegally and we tried to bring 214 00:12:54,040 --> 00:12:58,079 Speaker 1: my own grandpa here legally and it just wasn't possible. 215 00:13:04,400 --> 00:13:06,920 Speaker 2: Coming up on Latino USA, we get into how the 216 00:13:06,960 --> 00:13:10,400 Speaker 2: issue of immigration played a role in both Alexis and 217 00:13:10,520 --> 00:13:35,480 Speaker 2: Alejandro's vote. That's when Ombre continues stay with us, Matevayas, Hey, 218 00:13:35,800 --> 00:13:39,760 Speaker 2: we're back with Ombre understanding Latino men. We're speaking with 219 00:13:39,840 --> 00:13:44,280 Speaker 2: two voters, Alexis us Ganga and Alejandro Flores. Both of 220 00:13:44,320 --> 00:13:47,199 Speaker 2: them are Mexican American, both of them grew up in Texas. 221 00:13:47,559 --> 00:13:50,880 Speaker 2: But in twenty twenty four, Alexis voted for Donald Trump 222 00:13:51,120 --> 00:13:54,800 Speaker 2: Wallejandro voted for Kamala Harris. We're chanting with them to 223 00:13:54,880 --> 00:14:00,400 Speaker 2: understand what informed their votes. All right, So right after 224 00:14:00,640 --> 00:14:06,440 Speaker 2: the election, there was a lot of talk talking about 225 00:14:07,040 --> 00:14:10,800 Speaker 2: how Latino men voted for Donald Trump in higher numbers 226 00:14:10,800 --> 00:14:15,520 Speaker 2: compared to in twenty twenty And obviously, I'm going to 227 00:14:15,600 --> 00:14:17,920 Speaker 2: state what we all know, right, Latinos and latin As, 228 00:14:17,960 --> 00:14:20,840 Speaker 2: we're not a monolith. For example, a majority of Mexican 229 00:14:20,880 --> 00:14:27,040 Speaker 2: Americans still continue to vote heavily Democrat. Cubans overwhelmingly have 230 00:14:27,280 --> 00:14:31,320 Speaker 2: historically voted Republican, So we understand that when we're talking 231 00:14:31,360 --> 00:14:35,880 Speaker 2: about Latino men, there's a lot of nuance, but among 232 00:14:36,400 --> 00:14:40,520 Speaker 2: Mexican Americans, one of the most democratic Latino groups in 233 00:14:40,520 --> 00:14:44,520 Speaker 2: the United States, there was a shift right, notably in Texas, 234 00:14:44,720 --> 00:14:48,920 Speaker 2: the state where you're both from, and particularly Alexis in 235 00:14:49,000 --> 00:14:52,040 Speaker 2: the RGV, in the Rio Grande Valley which you are based. Right, 236 00:14:52,640 --> 00:14:58,760 Speaker 2: all four counties of the RGV flipped reht and Alexis. 237 00:14:58,880 --> 00:15:02,680 Speaker 2: Your family really is kind of indicative of this change because, 238 00:15:03,120 --> 00:15:06,640 Speaker 2: as you said, you grew up in a traditional South 239 00:15:06,920 --> 00:15:11,200 Speaker 2: Texas Democrat family, but in twenty twenty four, your whole 240 00:15:11,240 --> 00:15:14,840 Speaker 2: family voted for Donald Trump. So what were some of 241 00:15:14,840 --> 00:15:19,400 Speaker 2: the key moments that made your family switch? Like, do 242 00:15:19,440 --> 00:15:22,320 Speaker 2: you remember that moment that conversation was like, yeah, we're 243 00:15:22,360 --> 00:15:25,120 Speaker 2: definitely doing this because that's a big that's a big shift. 244 00:15:25,440 --> 00:15:26,440 Speaker 3: Yeah, I actually do. 245 00:15:27,080 --> 00:15:29,160 Speaker 1: And the first time hearing from it from my dad, 246 00:15:29,200 --> 00:15:32,520 Speaker 1: I was just like I felt it, like that the 247 00:15:32,680 --> 00:15:36,120 Speaker 1: RGV was going to go that way because where generations 248 00:15:36,200 --> 00:15:38,800 Speaker 1: it's a whole family has always voted Democrat. He has 249 00:15:38,840 --> 00:15:42,840 Speaker 1: family members that have ran Democrat on local elections. So 250 00:15:43,320 --> 00:15:47,359 Speaker 1: we were at a cookout and he didn't buy a fahita. 251 00:15:47,720 --> 00:15:50,160 Speaker 1: My older brother was asking for it. He's like, where's Okihita? 252 00:15:50,280 --> 00:15:54,200 Speaker 1: And he was just like, it's too expensive. And then 253 00:15:54,240 --> 00:15:56,120 Speaker 1: it started delving a little bit more political, and he 254 00:15:56,240 --> 00:15:59,760 Speaker 1: was like, Yeah, everything's going up in price, everything is 255 00:15:59,800 --> 00:16:04,920 Speaker 1: be coming so unaffordable, and I'm probably going to vote 256 00:16:04,920 --> 00:16:07,520 Speaker 1: for Trump. And me and my brother just kind of 257 00:16:07,520 --> 00:16:12,960 Speaker 1: looked at him and this belief. Hearing him him. 258 00:16:14,360 --> 00:16:18,000 Speaker 2: Say that, were you like, oh my god, dad, you're 259 00:16:18,040 --> 00:16:21,240 Speaker 2: seeing the world through my eyes or Bapista's loco or 260 00:16:21,720 --> 00:16:22,760 Speaker 2: now we're in agreement. 261 00:16:23,320 --> 00:16:26,600 Speaker 1: I was just like very surprised, right, But then I 262 00:16:26,600 --> 00:16:31,520 Speaker 1: also started saying why now, and he just said the economy. 263 00:16:31,800 --> 00:16:36,160 Speaker 1: That's the number one issue that impacted the vallee, the economy. 264 00:16:39,760 --> 00:16:41,400 Speaker 2: So actually, I want to ask the both of you, 265 00:16:41,440 --> 00:16:44,960 Speaker 2: and we'll ask you Alexis first, are you religious? 266 00:16:45,240 --> 00:16:46,760 Speaker 3: Yes, I am. I'm a Christian. 267 00:16:47,520 --> 00:16:52,720 Speaker 2: So how do those religious values of a Christian household 268 00:16:53,360 --> 00:16:55,800 Speaker 2: impact your understanding of politics? 269 00:16:56,200 --> 00:16:59,960 Speaker 1: I think that impacted my mom first, right, like, for example, 270 00:17:00,360 --> 00:17:07,520 Speaker 1: the Democratic Party's constant message towards abortion, like being very 271 00:17:07,600 --> 00:17:08,159 Speaker 1: pro abortion. 272 00:17:08,880 --> 00:17:10,520 Speaker 3: She heavily disagreed with that. 273 00:17:11,920 --> 00:17:14,560 Speaker 2: So when you look at Donald Trump and you see 274 00:17:14,600 --> 00:17:20,440 Speaker 2: everything that he's done, the convictions around sexual issues with women, 275 00:17:20,560 --> 00:17:23,879 Speaker 2: the fact that he's had multiple divorces. How do you 276 00:17:23,920 --> 00:17:27,840 Speaker 2: square that with your traditional Christian values as a Latino man. 277 00:17:28,119 --> 00:17:31,439 Speaker 1: That's one of the big things why I, especially my 278 00:17:31,880 --> 00:17:36,159 Speaker 1: parents were very against him in the start, right, but 279 00:17:36,240 --> 00:17:38,639 Speaker 1: then we kind of looked past that, and the party 280 00:17:38,680 --> 00:17:43,520 Speaker 1: in general is very pro life, very conservative. They embrace 281 00:17:43,600 --> 00:17:47,880 Speaker 1: a lot of the Christian values that we support. And yeah, 282 00:17:47,920 --> 00:17:51,320 Speaker 1: we know that Trump is not perfect. He has a 283 00:17:51,400 --> 00:17:56,000 Speaker 1: lot of laws a ton, but we just look at 284 00:17:56,000 --> 00:18:00,280 Speaker 1: the overall policies how we lived in twenty seventeen through 285 00:18:00,440 --> 00:18:03,760 Speaker 1: twenty twenty, and that's one of the big reasons we 286 00:18:03,840 --> 00:18:05,480 Speaker 1: started supporting him. 287 00:18:06,040 --> 00:18:09,520 Speaker 2: And what about you, Alejandro, does your spiritual or religious 288 00:18:09,560 --> 00:18:12,560 Speaker 2: perspective Does that inform how you're a voter. 289 00:18:13,440 --> 00:18:15,880 Speaker 3: I did grow up following the Roman Catholic faith. 290 00:18:16,119 --> 00:18:19,560 Speaker 4: I kind of fell off of religion sometime around high school. 291 00:18:20,359 --> 00:18:22,280 Speaker 4: I kind of just arrived at the point to where 292 00:18:22,440 --> 00:18:26,560 Speaker 4: I would say, my religion or lack there at this 293 00:18:26,680 --> 00:18:31,639 Speaker 4: point should have no bearings on my political beliefs because 294 00:18:31,640 --> 00:18:34,440 Speaker 4: we're all different. This country's is made up of different 295 00:18:34,480 --> 00:18:37,520 Speaker 4: faiths and different backgrounds. And there was so muching of 296 00:18:37,560 --> 00:18:41,640 Speaker 4: abortion between you and Alexis my family, well, my mom specifically, 297 00:18:41,800 --> 00:18:45,240 Speaker 4: she's anti abortion, but she wouldn't go as far as 298 00:18:45,800 --> 00:18:49,760 Speaker 4: preventing other folks access if they desperately needed to. You 299 00:18:49,800 --> 00:18:53,159 Speaker 4: know that decisions between a pregnant person and their doctor 300 00:18:53,440 --> 00:18:58,439 Speaker 4: and having that enshrined in our laws just facilitates that. 301 00:19:05,520 --> 00:19:07,160 Speaker 2: So we're going to talk for a moment now about 302 00:19:07,160 --> 00:19:09,760 Speaker 2: the issue of immigration, because the both of you come 303 00:19:09,800 --> 00:19:14,200 Speaker 2: from Mexican immigrant families, and all immigrant families right now 304 00:19:14,320 --> 00:19:18,679 Speaker 2: have been hit pretty hard by these first executive orders 305 00:19:19,080 --> 00:19:22,840 Speaker 2: coming from now President Donald Trump. We've seen reports of 306 00:19:23,119 --> 00:19:27,320 Speaker 2: US citizens who were speaking Spanish and they got detained 307 00:19:27,480 --> 00:19:32,800 Speaker 2: by ice. We've seen Native peoples from the Navajo Nation 308 00:19:33,000 --> 00:19:37,000 Speaker 2: saying that they were being racially profiled and also detained 309 00:19:37,040 --> 00:19:41,600 Speaker 2: by ice. And we've heard that in Mississippi there is 310 00:19:41,640 --> 00:19:45,399 Speaker 2: a proposed law that would make being undocumented a crime 311 00:19:45,440 --> 00:19:48,399 Speaker 2: in and of itself. And then Donald Trump announced that 312 00:19:48,440 --> 00:19:50,480 Speaker 2: he was going to send thirty thousand immigrants to a 313 00:19:50,480 --> 00:19:54,080 Speaker 2: detention camp in Guantanamo Bay, which of course is infamous 314 00:19:54,160 --> 00:19:58,160 Speaker 2: as a site for extreme torture. Alexis, do you support 315 00:19:58,240 --> 00:19:58,959 Speaker 2: these orders? 316 00:20:00,000 --> 00:20:04,720 Speaker 1: I agree with him going after criminals, that's the number 317 00:20:04,720 --> 00:20:08,159 Speaker 1: one priority that should be set and of course strengthening 318 00:20:08,160 --> 00:20:11,600 Speaker 1: our borders. I mean, that's why I voted for President Trump, 319 00:20:11,680 --> 00:20:15,560 Speaker 1: because we just have a very broken immigration system. 320 00:20:15,880 --> 00:20:17,919 Speaker 2: You do know, right that people are being picked up 321 00:20:17,920 --> 00:20:22,840 Speaker 2: who are not violent criminals. So you're okay with people 322 00:20:22,920 --> 00:20:26,440 Speaker 2: being separated from their children. You're okay with Donald Trump 323 00:20:26,560 --> 00:20:30,919 Speaker 2: saying for Venezuelans, many of whom supported him, Hey, no 324 00:20:31,000 --> 00:20:33,639 Speaker 2: more tps for Venice. Wellens, you too are going to 325 00:20:33,640 --> 00:20:35,760 Speaker 2: be set to be deported. You're okay with this? 326 00:20:36,440 --> 00:20:38,040 Speaker 1: Well, of course, I'm not going to agree with a 327 00:20:38,080 --> 00:20:42,240 Speaker 1: lot of it, but overall sense of deporting the people 328 00:20:42,280 --> 00:20:45,679 Speaker 1: that have committed crimes, that have committed very heineous crimes. 329 00:20:45,720 --> 00:20:46,760 Speaker 3: I do support that. 330 00:20:47,200 --> 00:20:51,119 Speaker 2: Violent crime has decreased by about fifty percent over the 331 00:20:51,160 --> 00:20:55,920 Speaker 2: past thirty years. And in the RGV, the data shows 332 00:20:56,000 --> 00:20:59,159 Speaker 2: that actually your communities are among the safest and that 333 00:20:59,240 --> 00:21:04,520 Speaker 2: immigrants are responsible for less crime, not more crime. How 334 00:21:04,520 --> 00:21:06,119 Speaker 2: do you put those two things together? 335 00:21:06,800 --> 00:21:10,080 Speaker 1: Well, I will talk about one of my experiences going 336 00:21:10,119 --> 00:21:13,120 Speaker 1: down to the southern border and doing a border cleanup 337 00:21:13,240 --> 00:21:16,800 Speaker 1: there because there was a lot of people that came 338 00:21:16,840 --> 00:21:20,400 Speaker 1: into Brownsville and it exceeded a lot of resources. So 339 00:21:21,119 --> 00:21:25,000 Speaker 1: in the cleanup, we saw a lot of very horrific stuff. 340 00:21:25,200 --> 00:21:26,720 Speaker 1: There was a lot of drugs on the floor. There 341 00:21:26,800 --> 00:21:30,760 Speaker 1: was so much trash everywhere, and that's where I supported 342 00:21:30,800 --> 00:21:31,640 Speaker 1: Trump even more. 343 00:21:31,880 --> 00:21:35,720 Speaker 2: Alexandro, what's going on for you as you watch these 344 00:21:35,760 --> 00:21:37,720 Speaker 2: executive orders on the issue of immigration. 345 00:21:38,600 --> 00:21:42,000 Speaker 4: Well, I'll say this, my family this time around for 346 00:21:42,000 --> 00:21:44,680 Speaker 4: the Trump presidency, they're a little more prepared than they 347 00:21:44,680 --> 00:21:48,800 Speaker 4: were during his first administration. Since then, my parents have 348 00:21:48,840 --> 00:21:51,760 Speaker 4: gotten their legal regidency status. My two older sisters have 349 00:21:51,840 --> 00:21:56,120 Speaker 4: completed their doctor process, so they're now American citizens who 350 00:21:56,200 --> 00:21:58,560 Speaker 4: voted for the first time last year at that. But 351 00:21:58,840 --> 00:22:00,400 Speaker 4: it's so scary for a lot of pe people out 352 00:22:00,400 --> 00:22:04,040 Speaker 4: there who are just here trying to find an opportunity 353 00:22:05,280 --> 00:22:08,840 Speaker 4: to have a better life. And we really do feel 354 00:22:08,880 --> 00:22:12,280 Speaker 4: for them because we relive those ferod ourselves. These executive 355 00:22:12,359 --> 00:22:17,800 Speaker 4: orders are sending people who speak Spanish, and that makes 356 00:22:18,040 --> 00:22:22,119 Speaker 4: folks here suspicious of them of being criminals or just 357 00:22:22,160 --> 00:22:26,320 Speaker 4: being here without any documentation whatsoever. You understand that that's unfair. 358 00:22:33,840 --> 00:22:37,359 Speaker 2: I want to bring this again to Latino men, like, 359 00:22:37,560 --> 00:22:41,560 Speaker 2: what is the thing that you would like to shout 360 00:22:41,560 --> 00:22:47,000 Speaker 2: from the mountaintops about Latino men when you hear journalists 361 00:22:47,080 --> 00:22:51,359 Speaker 2: or analysts talking about Latino men, and we'll start with you, Alexis. 362 00:22:51,720 --> 00:22:54,720 Speaker 1: I guess just not all the same. We are all 363 00:22:54,760 --> 00:22:58,000 Speaker 1: different in our own manners, right. Of course, Mexican Americans 364 00:22:58,040 --> 00:23:00,080 Speaker 1: are going to be so much more different than and 365 00:23:00,400 --> 00:23:04,640 Speaker 1: Cuban Americans, and that's something that the media, I think 366 00:23:04,760 --> 00:23:09,359 Speaker 1: still quite doesn't understand or the different issues that matter 367 00:23:09,440 --> 00:23:11,960 Speaker 1: to us the most. A lot of Latinos are going 368 00:23:12,040 --> 00:23:14,439 Speaker 1: to be very focused on immigration, while others are just 369 00:23:14,480 --> 00:23:16,440 Speaker 1: going to be focused on other things like the economy. 370 00:23:16,720 --> 00:23:19,679 Speaker 2: Alejandro, what do you think that we need to know 371 00:23:19,840 --> 00:23:22,920 Speaker 2: and understand about Latino men in our country? 372 00:23:23,520 --> 00:23:26,200 Speaker 4: Yeah, I think similar to what Alexis said, I would 373 00:23:26,200 --> 00:23:30,040 Speaker 4: say that the state of being a Latino man in 374 00:23:30,040 --> 00:23:33,119 Speaker 4: this country is a spectrum. It's not just oh, we 375 00:23:33,160 --> 00:23:36,680 Speaker 4: all speak the same language. And of course Latino man 376 00:23:36,720 --> 00:23:39,280 Speaker 4: whose heritage heals from Mexico is different from that of 377 00:23:39,320 --> 00:23:42,119 Speaker 4: a Latino man whose heritage hails on Venezuela or Colombia. 378 00:23:42,600 --> 00:23:47,080 Speaker 4: Their histories of alteritarian leadership, of course, will color their 379 00:23:47,080 --> 00:23:52,919 Speaker 4: political beliefs, and as far as Mexico's political revolutions, of 380 00:23:53,000 --> 00:23:57,000 Speaker 4: the struggle between their conservatives and their liberals will also 381 00:23:57,000 --> 00:23:58,560 Speaker 4: shape view. 382 00:23:58,400 --> 00:23:59,399 Speaker 3: On politics as well. 383 00:24:00,200 --> 00:24:04,200 Speaker 4: Getting to know the historical background of all these nations 384 00:24:04,240 --> 00:24:08,280 Speaker 4: that shape the Latino men that are here today, that's 385 00:24:08,280 --> 00:24:10,560 Speaker 4: something that that should be understood when it comes to 386 00:24:10,640 --> 00:24:14,440 Speaker 4: talking about Latino men and their political beliefs. 387 00:24:14,920 --> 00:24:19,040 Speaker 2: All right, final question, So we'll start with you, Alejandro. 388 00:24:19,440 --> 00:24:21,120 Speaker 2: What do you hope to see in the next four 389 00:24:21,240 --> 00:24:25,439 Speaker 2: years for your community, for our country? And yeah, very 390 00:24:25,480 --> 00:24:27,080 Speaker 2: specifically for Latino men. 391 00:24:27,680 --> 00:24:30,120 Speaker 4: Well, first and foremost, I would say that no matter 392 00:24:30,119 --> 00:24:33,080 Speaker 4: who won the election, my biggest hope was that whatever 393 00:24:33,400 --> 00:24:36,680 Speaker 4: the outcome was, that our country as a whole doesn't falter, 394 00:24:37,119 --> 00:24:40,000 Speaker 4: that it continues to prosper, and it continues to open 395 00:24:40,040 --> 00:24:42,480 Speaker 4: doors for folks all over the country, all over the 396 00:24:42,480 --> 00:24:45,640 Speaker 4: political spectrum, no matter which background you come from. So 397 00:24:46,040 --> 00:24:50,680 Speaker 4: to that, I do wish that this second Trump presidency 398 00:24:50,840 --> 00:24:54,760 Speaker 4: will be helpful for more people. However, at the time 399 00:24:55,400 --> 00:24:58,160 Speaker 4: of this recording, I do not see that being the possibility. 400 00:24:59,040 --> 00:25:02,800 Speaker 3: I see doors being hosts for folks who just want 401 00:25:02,840 --> 00:25:03,959 Speaker 3: to have a better life. 402 00:25:04,640 --> 00:25:07,160 Speaker 2: Alexis take us out. What do you hope to see 403 00:25:07,720 --> 00:25:08,840 Speaker 2: in the next four years? 404 00:25:09,200 --> 00:25:11,439 Speaker 1: I hope that he follows through in all of his 405 00:25:11,560 --> 00:25:15,520 Speaker 1: promises that he campaigned on from border security to the 406 00:25:15,560 --> 00:25:19,359 Speaker 1: economy because that was his main message, and hopefully he 407 00:25:19,400 --> 00:25:22,360 Speaker 1: does a great job. Hopefully a lot of Americans prosper, 408 00:25:22,720 --> 00:25:26,680 Speaker 1: and hopefully our economy does good enough that people get 409 00:25:26,720 --> 00:25:28,480 Speaker 1: better opportunities moving forward. 410 00:25:33,720 --> 00:25:36,119 Speaker 2: Alexis and Alejandro, thank you so much for joining me 411 00:25:36,480 --> 00:25:44,080 Speaker 2: on Latino USA for this episode of Ombre Understanding Latino Men. Alexis, yes, 412 00:25:44,119 --> 00:25:48,159 Speaker 2: of course, and thank you, and you Alejandro, thank you 413 00:25:48,280 --> 00:26:15,040 Speaker 2: very muchI. This episode was produced by Nor Saudi and 414 00:26:15,200 --> 00:26:19,240 Speaker 2: edited by Andrea Lopez Gruzado. It was mixed by Julia 415 00:26:19,320 --> 00:26:23,320 Speaker 2: Caruso with engineering support from J. J. Grubin. The Latino 416 00:26:23,400 --> 00:26:28,639 Speaker 2: USA team also includes Rosana Guire, Fernando Chavari, Jessica Ellis, 417 00:26:28,720 --> 00:26:34,359 Speaker 2: Victoria Estrada, Dominique, Ineestrosa Rinaldo, Leanos Junior, Stephanie Lebau, Luis 418 00:26:34,520 --> 00:26:39,640 Speaker 2: Luna Marta Martinez, Tasa Sandoval, and Nancy Trujillo. Penille Ramirez, 419 00:26:39,680 --> 00:26:43,040 Speaker 2: Marlon Bishop, Maria Garcia and myself are co executive producers. 420 00:26:43,359 --> 00:26:45,760 Speaker 2: And I'm your host, Maria jo Josa. Join us again 421 00:26:45,840 --> 00:26:48,000 Speaker 2: on our next episode. In the meantime, I'll see you 422 00:26:48,040 --> 00:26:52,879 Speaker 2: on social media. As always and remember not the bayas Ciao. 423 00:26:54,520 --> 00:26:58,840 Speaker 1: Latino. USA is made possible in part by the Heising 424 00:26:58,920 --> 00:27:03,840 Speaker 1: Simons Foundation, unlocking knowledge, opportunity, and possibilities. 425 00:27:04,359 --> 00:27:11,000 Speaker 3: More at Hsfoundation, dot org, Skyline Foundation, and W. K. 426 00:27:11,280 --> 00:27:16,040 Speaker 3: Kellogg Foundation, a partner with communities where children come first