I was sitting at my local Starbucks enjoying what will soon be my last, in a long while, of $4 non-recession-proof lattes, when a group of teenagers strolled in and quickly made their presence felt. They sported that young, hip, self-assured urban energy that this generation has. They also happened to be Latino. I was immediately drawn to them as I was thinking about our new president. So I struck up a conversation with them about the state of our country, asking them mainly what they thought about the financial crisis and whether they were feeling the financial struggles firsthand. This quickly evolved into their thoughts on the newly elected president, what his election meant for them, followed by whether they thought they'd live to see a Latino/Hispanic president in their lifetime. They were candid, they were real, and I heard and saw before me the insightful comments of five young people whose futures lie before them. The generation of change for our country.
LRM: How's it going for you guys?
Stephanie: It's hard out there.
LRM: In what way?
Stephanie: With the economy and having less money.
Fernando: Everything is so expensive ... it sucks.
Stephanie: I lost my part-time job as a food runner at the downtown Marriot. I was laid off right before Christmas.
LRM: Do you live in La Jolla? [La Jolla is an affluent neighborhood in San Diego]
Fernando/Stephanie: No, we live here in Golden Hill [neighborhood near downtown San Diego].
LRM: Are you all originally from San Diego?
Joanna: Yeah, I was born here.
Fernando: Not me, I was born in Mexico.
Stephanie: Me either, I came as a baby from Tijuana.
LRM: But you've all been here [San Diego] since you were infants?
All: Yeah.
LRM: There are a lot of things going on in the country with the recent election. What do you expect from the new president?
Joanna: I expect change like he promised [in his platform].
Stephanie: For him to address the immigration issue and fix it.
Brian: I expect him to fix pretty much everything. It can't be worse than it is.
LRM: Is that realistic?
Fernando: I don't know. More African Americans voted, so they expect him to do something too.
Brian: I don't think race mattered during this election. He was the best candidate.
Joanna: Yeah, it depends on the person. I wouldn't have voted for someone just because he/she was Latino.
Stephanie: But Latinos are stereotyped too.
LRM: Well, speaking of Latinos, do you think you will see a Latino president of the United States in your lifetime?
All: No way!
Brian: I could be president. Why not?
Joanna: Again, it depends on the person. I think a woman is more likely [to be elected president] than a Latino.
LRM: Why is that? Why not a Latino president?
Fernando: Because people in this country stereotype Latinos all the time.
LRM: OK, so what do you think they need to do to break stereotypes and be successful?
Stephanie: They need to have a plan and stay focused.
Joanna: Stay in school.
Stephanie: Friends come and go but education pays off.
Fernando: Don't give up.
LRM: Are all of you planning on going on to college?
Fernando: Community college.
Stephanie: Yes, community college first because a four-year [college] is expensive.
Roberto: I'm going into the Marines when I graduate [high school] next year.
Brian: Hopefully we'll be pulling out of Iraq.
LRM: What's your message to other young people like yourselves?
All: Stay focused, educate yourself, and don't give up.
Special thanks to Fernando Ramirez, Stephanie Martinez, Joanna Garay, Roberto Durazo, and Brian Garcia for their time and participation.