Hispanic Evangelicals Rising

Much has been said about the rise of Hispanic Evangelicals in U.S. public life in the last decade. The question here is: What has contributed to this meteoric rise? Allow me to suggest three major factors.

First, the national debate about immigration reform. Second, the Latino/a demographic boom and the increasing Latino presence in historic swing states. Third, the coming of age of national Hispanic Evangelical leaders who are fully bilingual and bicultural and can transact in the public sphere -- essentially, a rise of Daniels and Esthers who speak the language of the king/queen. All three of these realities have produced a watershed moment for Hispanic Evangelicals. I, for one, am glad that we can be part of the new mosaic of national leaders speaking for the common good.

Immigration reform looms large when we speak of the Hispanic Evangelical rising. I've been a part of continued conversations about immigration reform with Congressman Luis Gutierrez and a cadre of committed Hispanic Evangelicals. The "Families United" tour is just one sign of how Hispanic Evangelicals are part of the conversation. I've seen the work and commitment of national faith leaders like the Rev. Luis Cortes, Jr, and the Rev. Wilfredo DeJesus to make sure this agenda stays on the map. I was glad to see this morning that President Obama has chosen to recognize these efforts and continue the immigration reform conversation this year.

This conversation takes political courage and will. The last time this conversation was raised by President Bush, Senators John McCain and Ted Kennedy, and others, much political capital was spent. Still, leaders who know that the system is broken champion on. Hispanic Evangelicals will not rest until this is done, because immigration reform is a spiritual, moral, and ethical issue. None of these Evangelicals is advocating breaking the law, but rather changing the laws in more humane and common-sense ways. Immigration reform can be a win-win for the nation and its millions of undocumented immigrants. Demonizing, nativist, and xenophobic rhetoric is not the way of people of faith and good will. The seemingly endless scapegoating of many undocumented immigrants and the separation of U.S.-born children from their families has stirred a faith-filled response by many leaders. Silence is not an option.

In addition, everyone recognizes that there is a Latino boom in the United States. We are no longer -- to paraphrase Black novelist, Ralph Ellison -- The Invisible People. By most accounts Latinos are the nation's fastest growing minority group. This is not bad news nor as some might erroneously argue an ominous sign of an invasion.

In March 2004 BusinessWeek published a special feature entitled "Hispanic Nation." The central question asked was, "Is America ready?" Well, ready or not, the Latino boom is here. About 15% of the U.S. population or over 45 million people are of Hispanic descent. Although Hispanics are under 10% of the U.S. electorate the Hispanic electorate looms large in several "swing states." According to a Pew Hispanic Center report, Hispanics make up 14% of the electorate in Florida, 12% in Nevada and Colorado, and 37% in New Mexico.

There is no mystery to why both parties held Spanish-language debates on Univision. Latinos and Latinas matter. Although the vast majority of these Hispanic voters is Catholic, there is a growing number of Evangelicals who make an impact in the voting booth. These voters remember the President Obama's promises on immigration reform. We will support him in his campaign to seek comprehensive immigration reform that honors border security while seeking a way to earned citizenship.

Perhaps not as discussed as the aforementioned factors is the cadre of Hispanic Evangelical leaders making an impact on the national landscape. The rise of these bi-lingual and bi-cultural leaders has spawned the growth of organizations that seek to be a voice for issues that affect all Latinos, not just Evangelicals. Moreover, there are many of these Latinas and Latinos serving on boards of organizations like Bread for the World, WorldVision, etc.

Let me highlight just a few of many possible examples of the last several years:

Some years ago, the Rev. Luis Cortés, Jr. was identified by Time Magazine as one of the 25 most influential evangelicals. Cortés the founder of Esperanza US, the largest Hispanic Faith-Based organization in the nation was on a list with Rick Warren, Franklin and Billy Graham, and T.D. Jakes.

President Barack Obama tapped the Rev. Wilfredo DeJesus, an Assembly of God pastor in Chicago, to serve as an adviser to his campaign on outreach to Latino/a Evangelicals.

The Rev. Noel Castellanos, was named the CEO of the Christian Community Development Association. Noel serves the largest multicultural Christian constituency serving faith-based under resourced Community Development Associations. Rev. Castellanos is also a member of the White House Council on Faith and Neighborhood Relationships.

Finally, the emergence of national and regional organizations like the Latino Leadership Circle, The Center for Emerging Latina Leadership, CONLICO, and other Latino-led coalitions shows that there is a ground swell for Latino Evangelicals involved in the common good. They speak to a wide array of issues like poverty, education, human-trafficking, genocide in Darfur, climate-change, and urban-transformation.

So the Hispanic Evangelical church has no lack of rising leaders, some well known and others leading in relative anonymity. Still, in the words of Victor Hugo, "this is an idea whose time has come." I, for one, will be glad to see the Zeitgeist continue to raise these leaders in all communities, races, genders, and ethnicities.

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In Response to the remarks made by MMM1110 I must say your grossly myopic comments on “ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS” speak volumes to your level of maturity and knowledge you have in the area. In addition your comment which stated “Right now it is a piece of cake for anyone to enter the country” only applies to individuals more closely related to the “dominant culture.” With this truth I challenge you to examine these laws you consider to be so fair. I also challenge you to familiarize yourself with the terms “illegal Immigrant” since you feel the term “undocumented immigrants” is somehow a form of media propaganda. In fact much of the media still used the term “illegal immigrants and aliens.” Terms like “Illegal Immigrant or Illegal Alien” foster a weak understanding of the individuals directly centered in the mix of the situation and often provided a gateway for racism and ethnocentrism. What is ironic about the ethnocentrism that develops around immigration and Latinos is that somehow all Latinos become affected, regardless of immigration status, in a country were many the states are Spanish names. (Florida, Colorado, Montana, Texas…).
Take a moment to examine the social implications of this term (Illegal Immigrant). Realistically speaking these terms often are inaccurately used to describe families of mixed immigration status and dehumanize honorable individuals with strong family values. Usage of the term implies that these individuals are suspect and engaged in illegal activity prior to U.S. entry. “Illegal” criminalizes individuals who traveled through harsh “terrain” (which people often die from) in order work 3 and 4 jobs so food is put on the table for their families. A work ethic many American do not understand. Some of these individual pay taxes send their children to schools and do many of the same things “legal” Americans do (as if all American honor all of the countries legalities). “Undocumented” intern provides the individual with the respect and dignity they deserve and at the same identifies with the fact that their entry into the United States did not occur through the proper channels.
Often when I reflect on these honorable “Undocumented” providers I am reminded of the poem by the late Pedro Pietri Titled “Puerto Rican Obituary.”
The Poem begins with:
They worked
They were always on time
They were never late
They never spoke back when they were insulted
They worked
They never took days off that were not on the calendar
They never went on strike without permission
They worked ten days a week and were only paid for five
They worked
They worked
They worked
They died broke
They died owing
They died never knowing
what the front entrance
of the first national city bank looks like
Juan
Miguel
Milagros
Olga
Manuel
All died yesterday today
and will die again tomorrow……
All died
dreaming about America…..

Posted by: fsepulveda | April 14, 2009 12:52 PM
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Undocumented workers are ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS. There is no point in calling them anything else. They must deported for breaking U.S. immigration laws. Their children should be sent back with them. The Constitution needs to be amended to end automatic citizenship. Times have changed. ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS make sure to have a baby here so it is more difficult to send the parents back to their countries. That is too bad. No children born to ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS should be considered citizens just because they are born on U.S. soil.

Refering to ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS as undocumented workers is media propaganda, an attempt to brainwash people. The media try to pound this into people's heads. It is not hard to understand the concept that people born in another country who come here illegally are illegal immigrants. That is the only way to describe them. Immigration laws need to be made much tougher. Right now it is a piece of cake for anyone to enter the country. The laws are not harsh at all. Nobody born in a foreign country haa the automatic right to live in the United States.

It seems we will have more problems with Hispanics trying to infect the government with religion. Religion has no place in government. This country is founded on secular law and secular law must prevail. Hispanics need to understand the concept of separation of church and state.

Any pathway to give illegal immigrants citizenship will be nothing but trouble. Everyone from Third World countries around the world will want the same thing. The country will be lawless. I hope this crazy idea is defeated. Obama will burn a lot of political capital on immigration reform. I hope he gets more Republicans in Congress in 2010 so that both parties do nothing but fight. The best thing for the country is for both parties to accompish nothing.

Posted by: mmm1110 | April 14, 2009 2:45 AM
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Senor, porque esta celebrando que su pueblo tambien esta moviendo antras al siglo quince? Es el siglo 21 ahora, no? Porque celebra ser primitiva? Quiere vivir en Afghanistan tal vez? Estamos luchando contra el Taliban alla. Porque tiene que recrearlo aqui en los Estados Unidos?

Posted by: B2O2 | April 14, 2009 1:18 AM
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Gabriel Salguero

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Hispanic Evangelicals Rising

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