Another strike to the Biden family, it would appear that the First Family is generating headlines, particularly with the midterm elections. As a political ploy, this one is turning heads. Who would want to be compared with food?
After Jill Biden equated the cultural richness of the Hispanic community to “breakfast tacos,” the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) issued a statement saying, “We are not tacos.”
“NAHJ encourages Dr. Biden and her speech-writing team to take the time in the future better to grasp the intricacies of our people and communities,” the organization concluded.
At the 2022 UnidosUS Annual Conference, held in Texas earlier that day, Biden commented on the Hispanic “Quest for Equity.”
While addressing the Latinx IncluXion Luncheon on Monday, First Lady Michelle Obama said that the Hispanic population is “as distinctive as the breakfast tacos here in San Antonio.”
“Raul helped build this organization with the understanding that the diversity of this community—as distinct as the bodegas of the Bronx, as beautiful as the blossoms of Miami, and as unique as the breakfast tacos here in San Antonio—is your strength,” Biden said, referring to UnidosUS founder Raul Yzaguirre.
Within hours of Biden’s address, NAHJ released a statement criticizing the First Lady’s comments.
Breakfast tacos symbolize Latino diversity in San Antonio and betray a lack of cultural awareness and empathy, according to NAHJ’s report.
There’s also an accusation that “Biden’s speechwriters didn’t understand the subtleties” of the Hispanic population in San Antonio.
NAHJ urges Dr. Biden and her speech-writing team to take the time to learn more about our people and communities in the future.
We are not tacos, NAHJ said. As Latinos, we should never be confined to one stereotype because our background is molded by diverse diasporas, cultures, and gastronomic traditions.
As a result of Biden’s pronunciation of “bodega,” many social media users were outraged.
Jorge Bonilla, director of the Media Resource Center, tweeted: “Yet again, Dr. Jill Biden abuses the Spanish language to appeal to a client population (the org FKA National Council of La Raza).” Dr. Jill’s rendition of “bodega” is officially blessed into your timelines.
No matter where you come from, there’s no assurance that your mannerisms will be read similarly if you travel to a different nation. What may be praise or expression of affection in one culture or country may be a savage attack in another. So, Ms. First Lady, it’s best to keep quiet or read on.
