COMMENTARY: My hometown was in the national news, unfortunately as usual for another troubling reason.
Courtesy photo
Samuel LeDoux
Two young Española Valley Native American boys saved their own money and drove by themselves to get a tour of Colorado State University to try and improve their education. Upon arriving, these young boys had to experience something many brown young men fear may always happen.
A Coloradan mother called the cops on them because they “looked suspicious.”
America is supposed to reward hard work and self-sacrifice, especially in instances where young people are trying to improve themselves. We have failed these young men.
Gray brothers, keep pushing forward. As a big, scary-looking guy from the valley myself, I know how much it hurts to be discounted just because of the way you look and where you’re from.
When I was in elementary school, I was told I would probably be dead or in jail by 21. In high school I had some folks tell me I’d never graduate.
Even when I worked at the state Capitol while the Legislature was in session, someone complained to one of my coworkers that I “looked like a thug” and was “scaring people in the gallery.”
I proved them wrong. I am 26. I graduated from New Mexico Highlands with a 4.0 and now I attend a top university in Washington, D.C.
The fact that you guys saved your own money to take a chance on your education shows you have what it takes to make it. Keep proving them wrong, Gray brothers. Don’t let them hold you back. Get your degrees. Keep working hard and get good grades. The best way we can fight these stereotypes is by succeeding in spite of them.
A brown young man should never be afraid of being excluded from a place of learning because ignorant people think he is “scary looking.”
I really hope this incident doesn’t deter Native American and Hispanic men from going to college. Latinos in particular have a hard time becoming comfortable with academic life in comparison to Latinas.
Incidents like this only confirm their fears.
Samuel LeDoux is a George Washington University graduate student studying political management. He formerly held field positions on the Susana Martinez 2014 gubernatorial campaign and John McCain’s 2016 Senate campaign. He’s also the former chairman of the Republican Party of Santa Fe County and was a delegate for New Mexico at the 2016 Republican National Convention. Agree with his opinion? Disagree? NMPolitics.net welcomes your views. Learn about submitting your own commentary here.