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Mel Martinez Biography

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The United States’ fastest growing ethnic group, Hispanic Americans, have made grand achievements in developing the state of Florida. Through times of discrimination and hardship, it is immensely important to recognize the accomplishments that these individuals have attained. Mel Martinez is a Cuban-Floridian who not only used his political success to fight for the rights of Hispanic Americans, but overcame tremendous obstacles in his homeland, therefore serving as a role model for Hispanic/Latino American youth. First of all, Martinez had overcome a great deal of hardship from his homeland before he had any career in politics. Born in Sagua La Grande, Cuba in 1946, he was forced to flee to America alone in 1962 due to violence in …show more content…

He Serving for Florida on both the Senate and House of Representatives, he was the first Cuban-American to serve on the U.S. Senate. George W. Bush appointed him Secretary of the Department of Urban Housing in 2001. As senator, he voted in favor of programs to provide affordable housing to low-income families, creating financial programs for investors to build affordable housing, as well as helping low income families with homeownership. He continued to fight for the rights of immigrants throughout his career, acknowledging a soft spot for young immigrants. In the early 2000s, he worked on the establishment of the DREAM (Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors) program, the goal of which to aid undocumented minors in obtaining financial support for an education and permanent citizenship. Judging by his work in government during his many years of experience, it is apparent that Martinez is highly in favor of immigrants from less fortunate backgrounds having a chance at a bright future. This further emphasizes the point that Mel Martinez is a huge advocate for the rights of Hispanic-Americans, especially those who are first generation

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As the son of Cuban immigrants, Rubio wanted to make sure that the American Dream was achievable by everyone and anyone. In 1999, an unexpected vacancy occurred in the Florida House of Representatives and Rubio jumped at the opportunity. In the year 2000, Rubio challenged the better known, Angel Zayón, for the Representative seat and won. According to Patricia Mazzei from the Miami Herald, “ ...he used his early arrival to the statehouse — fellow freshmen lawmakers wouldn’t be sworn until the following year — to round up support as House speaker in 2006”. Upon getting to the Florida legislature, Rubio had his heart set on much higher things, including becoming the Speaker of the House.

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834 Words | 4 Pages

During the Chicano Nationalist Movement, a well-known speaker, Rodolfo ‘Corky’ Gonzales, delivered a speech titled Chicano Nationalism: Victory for La Raza. In this speech, Rodolfo Gonzales tries to unify the Latin American people within the United States by using the idea of a family and to create a new political organization for the Chicano people. This speech was a cumulation of various ideas which stemmed from his own life, the experiences of the Chicano people, and the Chicano Nationalist Movement in general. Each of these factors contributed to the context of the speech and how the ideas within the speech are presented by Rodolfo Gonzales.     Rodolfo ‘Corky’ Gonzales was born to Federico and Indalesia Gonzales, two Mexican immigrants, on June 18, 1928.

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456 Words | 2 Pages

Marco Rubio is a Hispanic American who has influenced Florida in many ways. Currently, Marco Rubio is a Florida senator and has been one since 2011. Marco Rubio is most known for running for President in the 2016 election and for being a strong politician. Some of the ways that Marco rubio has shaped Florida is by helping out with many community issues, and by making sure all people are both safe and have all the things they need. Marco Rubio is greatly known for doing many things for the community.

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1286 Words | 6 Pages

Originally born Enrique Barbosa Gonzalez, Henry B. Gonzalez was a member of the Texas Senate and the first Mexican American from Texas to be elected to the House of Representatives. Henry B. was a highly revered and outspoken Congressman that established a national reputation for public service and for his advocacy of economic justice and equality for all Americans (Henry B. Gonzalez - Voice of the People). He accomplished so many achievements that left their mark in American by shaping the economy and society in the last half of the twentieth century. Henry B. Gonzalez was born on May 13, 1919 in San Antonio, Texas to Leonides Gonzalez Cigarroa and Genoveva Barbosa Prince de Gonzalez. Mexicans that fled to America from their home in Mapimi,

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544 Words | 3 Pages

"Those who came to this land sought to build more than just a new country. They sought a new world. So, I have come here today to your campus to say that you can make their vision our reality" (Johnson). Towards the end of his speech, he aimed towards immigrants that came to America so they can have a fresh start and a better life. In other words, he wants to eliminate poverty for everyone not only Americans.

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873 Words | 4 Pages

Some advocated for limited Mexican immigration into the United States since they realized that they would make it difficult for them to integrate into white society because Mexicans were typically seen as “poor, dark-skinned, and did not speak English.” This shows how Mexican officials helped shape the way migration was handled as well as how they contributed to the racial subordination they faced in the United

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802 Words | 4 Pages

Many individuals like Ruiz struggles to achieve far, for they are highly monitored and given little to no opportunity to thrive toward the American dream. All the above happens simply because the majority has no intention to accept a different ethnicity,

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424 Words | 2 Pages

Being a Cuban immigrant has provided me with a unique bicultural perspective that has become my support system in the United States. For the first eleven years of my life, my culture was composed of music and dancing. In every street corner of my hometown, there was a group of seniors playing domino and close by, their grandchildren dancing to the Salsa music being played on the radio to pass the time. The hardships created by the communist regime are overshadowed by memories of my mother teaching me how to sew and by my paternal grandmother teaching me how to enjoy a strong Cuban coffee. Those precious memories of home became a source of pain when I migrated to the United States.

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1122 Words | 5 Pages

Injustice and inequality often ignite the sparks of social and political movements. The Chicano (Mexican-American) and Puerto Rican movements of the 1900s provide such examples. Latinos are often considered a homogeneous and involved political subsection or as Beltrán describes a ‘sleeping giant.’ The metaphor describes a sleeping giant who contains much political control through its sheer size but does little with its power. Mexican-Americans and Puerto Ricans have historically proven this metaphor wrong and mobilized in great numbers to affect real change within their respective communities.

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1963 Words | 8 Pages

Maria Gabriela “Gaby” Pacheco is a nationally recognized leader who is constantly advocating for the rights of immigrants. She has been on the stage since the early 2000’s. It is this constant fighting on behalf of others that makes her the embodiment of Don Quixote in this modern era. That is to say, despite all costs, Pacheco is seen fighting for what she seems to be right. Therefore, in this paper I will provide an overview of her history, discuss her accomplishments, and state what she seeks to achieve.

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1406 Words | 6 Pages

The Rhetorical Strategies of a Latina Judge's Speech To End the Lack of Representation Throughout the diversity in the United States, there is a multitude of factors that underestimate and terminate the presence or idea of women and minorities in government roles. In current times, awareness of gender equality and excluded minorities has rose to an all- time high. Many are advocating that the way our country sees and treats intersectionality needs to change for the better. Judge Sonia Sotomayor is an advocator by spreading this public announcement through a piece of a speech. She discusses the obstacles she and other minorities face to place higher on the social ladder and to be represented during a speech at the Judge Mario G. Olmos Memorial

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1078 Words | 5 Pages

Undocumented immigrants live with fear of deportation every day of their lives. Those with control of state institutions who do not consider undocumented immigrants as worthy American residents in our society, take advantage of their power by instilling fear of deportation. The restrictive federal and state laws towards migration in the U.S. has become a way to keep undocumented immigrants and their families living in the shadows. Arrocha (2013) claims that the paradox of the U.S. migration seems be that our free democratic republicanism is viewed as the land of freedom, equality, and justice. Yet, these undocumented immigrants aren’t treated equally or given the freedom to live in our society without intimidation.

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2083 Words | 9 Pages

Growing up in a small town in, he felt that he would not be able to grow. He is a great example a person that was seeking a better life and chose to come here. This man had a chance to migrate and made very great use of the opportunity. From the mid 1950’s to today, there has been a drastic change in how we view immigration. It seems to carry a negative stigma towards

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1757 Words | 8 Pages

Being a 1.5 generation immigrant myself, I was interested to see if we shared similar experiences growing up in America especially since we’ve grown up around the same area. My interview with Mario has given me deeper understanding of the difficulties and challenges immigrants have to go through in their first few years in America. Through Mario’s experiences,

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873 Words | 4 Pages

In this paper, I conducted a Community Report regarding the Hispano Bar Association of Austin, I have always been interested in law and I think that conducting an interview with the president of the organization (Keyla Martinez Robertson) who I met up with to ask a quick Q&A about HBAA, which would help me in understanding how organization such as how they play an important role in the public life of the Mexican American community of Austin. Throughout this paper I will explain the history of the organization along with its mission, and will give a brief summary of my interview that I conducted. This paper will also be a great way of helping me acquire more in depth knowledge about how it is being a Hispanic lawyer in Austin.

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