Although the
majority of Hispanics living in San Antonio are of Mexican descent, there are
several other groups representing the city's Latino population.
According to
the 2010 U.S. Census, people of Mexican origin make up 91.3 percent of San
Antonio's Hispanic population, which totals 1,035,000.
Making up the
rest are Puerto Ricans, with 1.5 percent of the local Hispanic population, and
other groups, including those of Cuban and South American ancestry, making up
an additional 3.9 percent.
Nationally,
people of Mexican ancestry make up the largest percentage of the country's
Hispanic population, with 63 percent of the total Hispanic population in the
United States, according to the latest census figures. Hispanics of Mexican,
Puerto Rican and Cuban descent remain the country's three largest Hispanic
groups.
When you look
at the current San Antonio City Council you see six Hispanics representing
various parts of town to include the Westside, Southside and Northside. In
District 1 you have Roberto Trevino, District 3 Rebecca Viagran, District 4 Rey
Saldana, District 5 Shirley Gonzales, District 6 Ray Lopez and District 7 Cris
Medina. They include an architect, business owners, a former Northside ISD
School Board President and an Air Force Reserve Officer.
Two of the five
serving on Commissioner’s Court include long time Pct. 2 Commissioner Paul
Elizondo who was a former high school band director for many years, and Pct. 1
Commissioner Chico Rodriguez whose brother Ciro Rodriguez is a former
Congressman and current Pct. 1 Justice of the Peace.
Dr. Cynthia
Teniente-Matson, the current President of Texas A&M University San Antonio
is a native born San Antonian who is only the second president of the campus
following Dr. Maria Ferrier who received her Master’s Degree from Our Lady of
the Lake.
Both Dr.
Teniente Matson and Dr. Ferrier have been instrumental in increasing educational
opportunities for not only Hispanic students but all students to earn degrees
and make a better life for themselves and their families.
Recently
selected SAISD Superintendent Pedro Martinez is already raising the bar for the
largest school district in San Antonio to ensure higher tests scores. Before
coming to San Antonio he was Superintendent in Residence for
the Nevada Department of Education in Reno, Nevada and was responsible for
advising the Governor’s office and the State Superintendent of Instruction on
education policy decisions.
Currently
in the midst of the presidential cycle, rumors are flying about
a
possible Hispanic Vice-Presidential candidate being picked for the Democratic
ticket.
San
Antonio’s own former Mayor and current HUD Secretary Julian Castro’s name has
been mentioned by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as being on her short list
of VP candidates should she be nominated.
Imagine
if that happened and the first Hispanic Vice President of the United States was
from San Antonio. It could happen and that would put the Alamo City Hispanic
community once again in the spotlight. What a thought!
As always, what I write is “Just a Thought.”
Steve Walker is a Vietnam Veteran and former Justice of the
Peace and Journalist.
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