Latinos and Farmers for Trump
Leyla, a proud Latina with Puerto Rican roots, and I talked a lot on air when I had my show on CNN. Like with one of other regular on-air CNN guests, Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling, I’ve always wanted to hear more about Leyla’s backstory and her thoughts on America.
She lives in Trump turf, as she calls it, now. “My neighbor has a big sign that says Farmers for Trump. There's a huge sign downtown that basically says F@#k Joe Biden right across from the church, by the way.”
For many Americans, the rural countryside is the 'real' America. Trump and his team have been hugely successful in crafting the image of rural life as something that is pure America; untainted and disrespected by outsiders, liberals and urbanites.
“I think there is very much this us versus them mentality,” she says. “It's two Americas."
For many rural voters, immigration and inflation will be key in their choice of President.
Trump has promised to be tough on immigration.
Farmers and Latinos for Trump
Leyla Santiago (Part 1)
I asked Leyla why many Latino men have moved right and support Trump’s hardline threats on immigration even though he’s used racist tropes to describe them?
As a Latina woman with Puerto Rican background, Leyla says the Latino communities in the USA are a blend of different people in different places. “When he says they're coming over the border and they're not bringing their best, they're bringing the rapists and the criminals. Cubans don't consider themselves Mexicans, Puerto Ricans don't consider themselves Mexicans. And so it's a little bit like, yeah, he's talking about Latinos, but he's not talking about me.”
Army Brat, Dolly Parton and Puerto Rico
Leyla Santiago (Part 2)
Every week Robyn Curnow asks her guest the same questions in this bonus episode. Where would you go if you could time travel? Dream Thanksgiving dinner guest (dead or alive)? What does it mean to be an American? Why is the country polarized? Favorite movie?
Leyla Santiago answers
Where would you go if you could time travel in american history & other bonus questions
Three words to describe America?
AT A CROSSROADS
Where did you grow up?
I'm an Army brat, so I moved around quite a bit. Born in Puerto Rico, moved to Panama during the Noriega conflict, then moved to South Carolina when my dad was stationed at Ft. Jackson
If you could time travel, which era in American history would you like to visit? Why?
If I'm being honest, the idea of traveling back in time as a minority is not thrilling.
But if I had to pick an era, I would travel back to either the roaring 20s to watch women (though not all) obtain the right to vote or to the 60s to see the civil rights movement in action, albeit tough to watch.
Iconic American landscape that means something to you? Or epitomizes your America?
Stateside, Shenandoah National Park inspires me. Of course nothing soothes my soul and inspires me quite like the mountains of Puerto Rico. They have a way of reminding me of the resilience of my own people. Plus, I'm from the mountains of PR.
Dream dinner party guests? Which Americans would you invite to you Thanksgiving table (dead or alive?)
Felisa Rincon de Gautier
Dolly Parton
Harriet Tubman
Selena
Which books or movies explain America? Fiction or non-fiction?
The Warmth of Other Suns- Isabel Wilkerson
When did your family arrive in the USA? Where were they from originally?
My family has Spanish roots and arrived in Puerto Rico in the 1800s. My immediate family moved stateside in 1989. We moved to South Carolina, talk about culture shock!
When was the last time you cried?
A week ago-- in a conversation with my mother about aging. Tough to watch your parents age
What's your motto?
Passion. Compassion.
Why is America so divided?
I think there are a number of factors.
-Demographics are changing
-social media, news, fake news-- we are constantly being bombarded with divisive messaging in media and these messages are making their way into more than just our facebook feeds. Just watch a congressional hearing or heck, a local school board meeting and you'll see it on full display.
- it feels like politics is playing a bigger role in even our identity-- and I think that play a role in the silos many of us live in.
Have you lost friends or family because of politics?
I wouldn't say I have lost any, but it certainly has put distance between some.
What issues are driving you to vote? Or not?
Issues that I am passionate about...
gun violence
climate change
immigration
An American president you admire?
President Lincoln
An American president you dont admire?
President Polk and the idea of Manifest Destiny.
Sports team?
Not a sports gal
What were your parents careers? How has that influenced your career?
My father was in the U.S. Army. My mother was a teacher.
My mother was a single mom with three kids on a teacher's salary and yet, she taught me some of the most valuable lessons that served me as a journalist. She had to hustle and be tenacious to survive. As a child, I remember watching her refuse to back down. If we would go to the store and she received bad customer service (often because of her accent), my mother would ask to speak to the manager. She demanded answers from a local manager all the way to the U.S. Capitol. I think that played a huge role in my life and influenced the path I took in my career
Best advice from a parent or grandparent?
I'm not sure it's advice. But a conversation with my grandmother that stuck with me...
My grandmother lived next to the federal prison in Puerto Rico. I remember driving by it one day as a child and saying something like, "that's where the bad people go." She responded by saying... "those are people who've made mistakes." I think that very brief exchange molded how I see people today. I try not to see people as good or bad. We are all people. Some of us have had different life experiences, different set of circumstances and have certainly all made different mistakes.
What does it mean to be an American in 2024?
Confusion.
I I feel like as a society, we're a little bit lost and confused. I still think we aspire to be great.
I genuinely believe most people want to do well and want to do right by their neighbor and their fellow citizens.
But we're in a space right now where we've got so much being thrown our way that it's hard to make sense.
Maybe I'm describing myself. I'm confused.
Who do you think will win in November?
I've learned not to predict in the world of politics