Maria Hinojosa, Keynote Speaker and Inspiration
Optimism is slipping through the fingertips of those whose stories do not get told; the truth that a country so “united” is hardly listening. CSU’s Diversity Symposium took place in the Lory Student Center Theatre at 6:00p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 20. Keynote Speaker, Maria Hinojosa, filled the Theatre with a little under 250 people, expressing her fears and hopes for the future of Latinx and America as a whole. Diving into politics, education, and emotions, Hinojosa gave the eager audience a vivid perspective into the future, revealing that there is certainly work to be done within America.
Specifically, Donald Trump's plans for America have Hinojosa frightened. She worries that locations like…show more content… Questioning how Latinos truly exist in the year of 2016 when “we can be loved and despised at the same time” said Hinojosa, “the centerpiece of the Trump campaign and yet we are so deeply invisible”.
Sharing with the audience stories of Detention centers, where an immigrant by the name of Jose de Jesus, was placed in suicided watch, even still, Jesus committed suicide by lodging a sock down his throat because he would rather that then be held like a prisoner. Hinojosa reminded the in awe audience that Detention centers are said to be places were women and children are being taken care of and treated with respect. When in fact, there are more reports of immigrants and people with green cards being denied due process and being mistreated in the detention centers then the media is releasing.
Hinojosa told CSU, that these things have to be talked about to make progress, no matter how difficult it may be. She mentioned that Latina women are seriously being denied quinceaneras, because in 2016 is it being looked at as a form of Brown-girl resistance. And it is little reported that Latina women also have one of the highest rates in suicide. Events and statistics like so are happening today and are being looked at as unbelievable, but this is where America is today. Where Latinx are also becoming the highest numbers behind bars, and not just just
