Those that have any common sense know just how much Latinos contribute to the economy. Without Latino frontline workers and their immense sacrifices during the pandemic, the country would’ve been in even rougher shape. Yet one representative seems to think we aren’t deserving of vaccines.

Arizona Rep. Debbie Lesko said “we have to take care of American citizens, or people that are here legally, first" when talking about Latinos getting vaccinated. State Sen. Martin Quezada, whose district overlaps with Lesko’s, called her out saying “it reeks of racism”.

Lesko’s remarks insinuate that Latinos aren’t American. Yet, we’ve worked tirelessly during the pandemic, whether we’re citizens or not. One cardiologist pointed out that a large number of Latinos are essential workers and are “right in the forefront of the pandemic”. 

While many in the U.S. received unemployment and stimulus payments throughout the pandemic, 2.3 million Latinos did not. And about 11 million people in the country are undocumented immigrants, which means help from the government is not an option. 

 

Lesko’s remarks remind us of the disparity in vaccine distribution, and hopefully the backlash against her will help show that frontline workers should be prioritized. We consider the sacrifices that Latinos make every day to be very American, and we should be protected as such 🙌 

 

Author