The documentary “Latin American in America” perhaps might be the beginning of an attitude change in the country.

Finally I met in television. And it was not giving news in Spanish. I turned out to be in fact represented in the program of CNN “Latin American in America” (Latin American in the United States) together with dozens of other Latin Americans who, like me, do part of the biggest minority in this country, 50 millions and growing.

The documentary of Soledad O'Brien that was transmitted on the 21st and 22nd of October has generated opposing opinions. I am of the side of those who think that so much she as his producers did a magnificent work. Yes, it is possible that could have had a better balance between the histories of success and those of the challenges that there face the young Latin Americans, like the pregnancy and the suicide in adolescents. But that I remember, is the first time that we could see in the television in English a wider image of whom we are the Latin Americans, our problems and challenges, the tremendous contribution that we do to the society and the diversity that we have inside our own community.

The question is: Are there enough 4 hours of programming in two days to change the negative perception that a part of the North Americans has about the Hispanics? What happens later that the history stops being put to the air? The only images of the Latin Americans showed in CNN will be those that there presents the controversial presenter Lou Dobbs, who has been obsessed during aso blaming the immigrants of the south of the border of all the evil of this country, showing them like criminals and invaders who intersperse nastiness.

One of the things that I found more interesting in the days before to the transmission there were the conclusions of an opinion poll of CNN that reflects the absence of knowledge between many not Hispanic Americans, on whom we are the Latin Americans. 50 per cent of the interviewees said that they take up office that the Latin Americans are immigrant. One of every five believes that all the Latin Americans are undocumented immigrants. It had not to of being surprised. How might they know that six of 10 Latin Americans are born in the United States and millions more sound naturalized citizens, when the images that they see in his newscasters are those of Latin Americans cornered in migratory raids and members of bands tattooed and handcuffed in the apartment?

Hollywood and the mass media also perpetuate the mistaken interpretations on the Latin Americans. In television programs and in movies of movies almost always they give to the Latin Americans stereotyped roles of servants and hoodlums. (By the way, it was pleasant to see the actress Lupe Ontiveros in the CNN documentary telling how she really is not a servant but an educated woman who speaks four languages).

The people need to know that between the Hispanics there are many professionals, businessmen, artists with talent, thousands of elected officials, and the very wise Latin one in the Supreme Court. We come in all colors and some of us have accents likewise the common and current North Americans have it. And if most of us we speak Spanish it is because the language is what joins all of us like Latin Americans that we are.

The Latin community not only has grown in number but it has scattered for the 50 states taking diversity to communities in all the corners of the country. Our purchasing power has overcome the million million dollars and our political power is changing the way as the campaigns are done in the country.

We are a proud community of our cultural heritage and we spend our traditions to our children. We are a young community. The age mediated between the Latin Americans he is 27 years old. One hopes that the Hispanic school population should increase in 166 per cent for 2050. This means that the future of this country will be in the hands of our Latin youth.

“ Latin American in America” can be perceived only as special other of television or perhaps it might be the beginning of an attitude change. This is a perfect moment so that the people in this country begin to meet better his neighbors. After everything, we are North American also and one day we will be the majority, not only the biggest minority.

(c) 2009 by Maria Helen Salinas.