The Mesquite Online News - Texas A&M University-San Antonio

Commentary: Jorge Ramos resonates with the San Antonio community

Since the release on Feb. 27 of Jorge Ramos’ book “Stranger: The challenge of a Latino immigrant in the Trump Era,” Latinos across the country say his work resonates strongly with them because they feel the Trump administration has classified them as a threat to the United States.

In his book, Ramos explains what happened on the day of August 25, 2015, when he was removed from candidate Donald Trump’s press conference in Dubuque, Iowa. Ramos wanted answers concerning immigration, investigating not only for himself but for the entire Latino community who reside and work in this nation.

All of that I knew, from afar. I knew that he had a great influence on the Latino community, but I gained a new perspective on April 7 at the San Antonio Book Festival when I had the opportunity to meet and hear from Jorge Ramos myself.

The San Antonio Book Festival is a free annual event opened to the public. Authors throughout the nation are invited to present their latest publications and to take the time to meet and speak with their readers.

I was on location about 30 minutes prior to his event. People of all ages were already reserving their seats. I took a seat in the front row where he would be presenting. About five minutes before his presentation I heard a loud commotion from the back of the canopy. People began to stand and clap as Ramos made his way towards the front.

People yelled “Te Queremos, Gracias por lo que haces por nosotros.” We love you, thank you for what you do for us.

As Ramos made his way through the crowd he took the time to meet and to take pictures with his readers. The entire audience wanted the opportunity to personally meet Ramos.

The festival’s staff had to graciously escort Ramos from the audience in order for his presentation to begin on time.

Ramos began by speaking about President Trump’s racist remarks towards the Latino community and how the Dreamers are courageously confronting their undefined future. He clearly stated that he is not an activist, but he is practicing his rights as an American and as a journalist in order to provide his community with answers.

He reminded everyone present the importance of letting your voice be heard and not to conform to racial comments. He emphasized the importance of the Latino vote and to never underestimate the power the Latino community can have in today’s government.

As a student reporter, this experience was truly an eye-opener. It’s amazing to see how one influential man can be a voice for an entire community.

Growing up, the only news medium I was exposed to was Univision and this is where I was introduced to Jorge Ramos, one of the most influential Latino journalists. As a child, I remember that his career captivated my attention and it gave me a reason to pursue higher education.

Now as an adult, I reflect on Ramos’ actions and I realize that he has the option to stand behind the scenes and just observe how the Dreamers fate takes place. But instead, he is proactive in every avenue to help his community remain well-informed.

His book, which I highly recommend, is dedicated to all Dreamers who have inspired him to take action and to do more for his community. He supports them in every aspect and believes that the “Dreamers will prevail.”

About the Author

Ruben Betancourt
Editor-in-Chief
Ruben Betancourt is a senior Communication major and a Spanish minor at Texas A&M University-San Antonio. Ruben is the Editor-in-Chief for The Mesquite and works part-time at the Alamo Colleges District Business Office, as an Accounts Receivable Assistant. He is a Greehey Scholar and a San Antonio Association of Hispanic Journalists scholarship recipient. He is also a member of the National Leadership and Success Society. He enjoys the performing arts and he enjoys learning new languages. He plans to work in the public relations field locally and in the future, he plans to live abroad and work in international PR.

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