“There's a real need for Latinos in the United States. It's not a question of us trying to prepare our community for our own success. It's preparing our community to help America succeed.”
Those words were shared by Jose Antonio Tijerino, president and CEO of the national non-profit Hispanic Heritage Foundation, on the eve of his scheduled appearance at the Hispanic Heritage Council of Western New York’s annual celebration breakfast in Buffalo, June 20.
The native of Nicaragua leads an organization which advocates for the advancement of Hispanic and Latino populations through positive narratives, economic mobility, and a spirit of service.
“‘Aqui estamos,’ which means we are here,” Tijerino said. “But we're here to contribute. We came here for the same reasons that our founding fathers came 250 years ago.”
The theme of the Western New York based council’s celebration this year is ‘Celebrating the Trailblazers.’
Tijerino’s interview with BTPM NPR’s Michael Mroziak may be heard in its entirety by clicking the link above.
