Kansas City Hispanic News, 1722 Holly Street, Kansas City, MO (2025)

08/13/2025

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08/13/2025

D.C. Museum will tell the stories of Latinos in the U.S.

By Joe Arce and Corey Crable

Museums aren’t built only using brick and mortar. The stories of real people also make up their foundation.

And though it doesn’t yet have a brick-and-mortar building to call home, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Latino is already spreading the word about its founding, why it is needed, and the people who have woven their stories into its tapestry.

Officials with the museum have been traveling to large cities throughout the U.S., announcing the museum’s addition to the Smithsonian name following more than three decades of trying to gain the support necessary to bring it to life. Most recently, an event at Union Station introduced the concept of the museum to Kansas Citians; it eventually will be based in Washington, D.C. The community night, titled “Making History: Building the National Museum of the American Latino,” included a workshop on how to preserve family heirlooms, printmaking with the Mattie Rhodes Art Center and Gallery, tortilla making with Yoli’s Tortilleria, and meet-and-greets with local community-based organizations.

Before the evening’s festivities, organizers spoke about the museum and its long journey to the nation’s capital.

“We’re positioning ourselves as a national community-centered museum, so that means we’re not only just rooted in history, but we believe that we’re rooted in community as well,” said David Coronado, Assistant Director of Communications and Marketing for the museum. “That’s why it’s important for us to travel across the country making the stops in all of the major Latino community areas. … I believe we all crave human connection, and so that’s just a natural thing to do, and these activities are a great way to do that, reconnect with one another, catch up with each other, but again, learn about what is happening, what is impacting our lives, and why.”

The museum’s founding director, Jorge Zamanillo, said he and other museum representatives have already visited 50 cities and rural areas in this nationwide tour, gathering stories and crafting the narrative of what it means to be Latino in the U.S.

“It’s about connecting with our staff, our curators. It’s about contributing stories, ideas, and eventually we’ll add a component to this tour where we’ll start collecting the objects, the artifacts, that will be in the museum, the oral histories,” he said, “and that’s where we’ll really get into building that storyline.”

Efforts to get the museum off the ground go back to the 1990s, when lobbying efforts began. Legislation creating the museum finally passed in 2020, and Zamanillo was hired two years later. Besides the stories that need to be collected and the staff hired, funding still needs to be secured for the physical museum’s construction -- $500 million from donations and more still from Congress.

Zamanillo was 19 the first time he visited Washington, D.C., later going to college to study archaeology. It seemed that every museum he visited was missing something, however – the history of his own people.

“I didn’t see my story when I visited the Smithsonian. I didn’t see anything about my Cuban immigrant parents or about the stuff I was learning in high school. I didn’t connect with it. It was Civil War and these timelines about the American Revolution, and that just didn’t connect,” he said.

Zamanillo said that now he has begun to see stories of famous Latinos presented, and also everyday stories of regular people, which are just as important.

“We have more than 500 years of Latino history in the United States, along with rich, deep cultural ties to this country, to the development of this nation, and now is the opportunity to uncover those,” Zamanillo said. “I always tell everyone it’s a two-sided coin. Of course, there are stories about resiliency and resistance and advocacy. But there’s also stories about military heroes and soldiers and achievers and first-in-this nation and moms and dads and people who made a difference to make sure our family values, our family ties are so important to our culture and how we were brought up and how we appreciate families.”

George Guastello II, president and CEO of Union Station, said that as an affiliate of the Smithsonian, it only made sense for the beloved Kansas City landmark to host the event.

“Union Station is Kansas City’s home, where our doors are open to everyone,” Guastello said.

Janet Murguia, president and CEO of Latino advocacy organization UnidosUS, said the efforts to bring the museum to life have been robust and inspirational, but that there is work left to do.

“Despite the challenges, the setbacks and the years it took, we never gave up. And today we’ve made tremendous progress to making this dream a reality. Our fight is far from over. We still need congressional support to bring our whole vision to fruition. It will still take all of us to help secure the commitments and resources necessary for the museum,” Janet said. “And especially, we need each and every one of you in this room to continue the fight and continue to tell the story of why this museum matters so much. I am confident that we will succeed because we never give up. We will always work toward this goal, and together we have the strength and unity and the power to move this forward.”

Local attorney Ramon Murguia, a trustee of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and Janet’s brother, said the stories of Latinos in the U.S. show that younger generations “stand on the backs of giants.”

“For me, it’s about respecting all these old, what we used to call ‘old -timers’ in our neighborhood. … All that history needs to be reflected at a national level because we matter,” Ramon said. “Our sons and daughters have died in these wars, going back to the Civil War. And that needs to be reflected somewhere because people have a concept of us as just recent immigrants. Our history is rich in this country.”

Julian Zugazagoitia, director and CEO of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, said that in the time he’s been at the helm of the museum, he’s enjoyed seeing the Latino population grow and offer its own special contributions to
Kansas City.

“It is good for us Latinos who don’t always know our own history to learn and share it with everyone, because it’s American history,” Zugazagoitia said. “It’s no longer Latino history, it’s American. This is what this country is about.”

Zamanillo, meanwhile, said there is still plenty that Latinos in Kansas City can do to support the museum.

“Kansas City Latinos can get involved with the museum simply by following us on our website, connecting with us on social media, learning about your own history and resharing that history,” Zamanillo said. “We’ll try to facilitate that as much as possible, so reshare what we share and then follow us along, and know your support really goes a long way, especially in these times where it’s important that we spread knowledge and enlightenment.”

For more information about the Smithsonian Institution, visit www.si.edu.

08/13/2025

El Museo de Washington D. C. contará las historias de los latinos en EUA

Traduce Gemma Tornero

Los museos no se construyen solo con ladrillos y cemento. Las historias de personas reales también constituyen su base. Y aunque aún no cuenta con un edificio físico, el Museo Nacional del Latino Americano del Smithsonian ya está difundiendo información sobre su fundación, su necesidad y las personas que han tejido sus historias en su entramado.

Funcionarios del museo han viajado a grandes ciudades de Estados Unidos para anunciar la incorporación del museo al nombre Smithsonian tras más de tres décadas de intentar conseguir el apoyo necesario para darle vida. Recientemente, un evento en Union Station presentó el concepto del museo a los habitantes de Kansas City con el tiempo, su sede estará en Washington, D.C. La noche comunitaria, titulada “Haciendo Historia: Construyendo el Museo Nacional del Latino Americano”, incluyó un taller sobre cómo preservar reliquias familiares, grabado con el Centro y Galería de Arte Mattie Rhodes, elaboración de tortillas con Yoli’s Tortillería y encuentros con organizaciones comunitarias locales. Antes de las festividades de la noche, los organizadores hablaron sobre el museo y su larga trayectoria hasta la capital del país.

“Nos estamos posicionando como un museo nacional centrado en la comunidad, lo que significa que no solo estamos arraigados en la historia, sino que también creemos que estamos arraigados en la comunidad”, dijo David Coronado, Subdirector de Comunicaciones y Marketing del museo. “Por eso es importante para nosotros viajar por todo el país, visitando las principales zonas de la comunidad latina… Creo que todos anhelamos la conexión humana, y es algo natural, y estas actividades son una excelente manera de hacerlo: reconectarnos, ponernos al día, pero, de nuevo, aprender sobre lo que está sucediendo, qué está impactando nuestras vidas y por qué”. El director fundador del museo, Jorge Zamanillo, afirmó que él y otros representantes del museo ya han visitado 50 ciudades y zonas rurales en esta gira nacional, recopilando historias y creando la narrativa de lo que significa ser latino en Estados Unidos.

“Se trata de conectar con nuestro personal y nuestros curadores. Se trata de aportar historias e ideas, y con el tiempo añadiremos un componente a esta gira donde comenzaremos a recopilar los objetos, los artefactos que estarán en el museo, las historias orales”, explicó, “y ahí es donde realmente nos adentraremos en la construcción de esa narrativa”.

Los esfuerzos para poner en marcha el museo se remontan a la década de 1990, cuando comenzaron las actividades de cabildeo. La legislación para la creación del museo finalmente se aprobó en 2020, y Zamanillo fue contratado dos años después. Además de las historias que deben recopilarse y contratar al personal, aún es necesario conseguir financiación para la construcción del museo: 500 millones de dólares procedentes de donaciones y aún más del Congreso. Zamanillo tenía 19 años la primera vez que visitó Washington, D.C., y posteriormente estudió arqueología en la universidad. Sin embargo, parecía que a cada museo que visitaba le faltaba algo: la historia de su propia gente.

“No vi mi historia cuando visité el Smithsonian. No vi nada sobre mis padres inmigrantes cubanos ni sobre lo que estaba aprendiendo en la preparatoria. No conecté con eso. Era la Guerra Civil y estas líneas de tiempo sobre la Revolución Americana,y eso simplemente no conectaba”, dijo.

Zamanillo dijo que ahora ha comenzado a ver historias de latinos famosos, y también historias cotidianas de gente común, que son igual de importantes.

“Tenemos más de 500 años de historia latina en Estados Unidos, junto con profundos y ricos lazos culturales con este país, con el desarrollo de esta nación, y ahora tenemos la oportunidad de descubrirlos”, dijo Zamanillo. “Siempre les digo a todos que es una moneda de dos caras. Por supuesto, hay historias de resiliencia, resistencia y defensa. Pero también hay historias de héroes militares, soldados, triunfadores, pioneros en esta nación, mamás y papás, y personas que marcaron la diferencia para asegurar que nuestros valores y lazos familiares sean tan importantes para nuestra cultura, nuestra crianza y nuestro aprecio por las familias”.

George Guastello II, presidente y director ejecutivo de Union Station, dijo que, como filial del Smithsonian, era lógico que el querido monumento de Kansas City albergara el evento.

“Union Station es el hogar de Kansas City, donde nuestras puertas están abiertas a todos”, dijo Guastello. Janet Murguía, presidenta y directora ejecutiva de la organización de defensa latina UnidosUS, afirmó que los esfuerzos para revitalizar el museo han sido sólidos e inspiradores, pero que aún queda trabajo por hacer.

“A pesar de los desafíos, los contratiempos y los años que nos llevó, nunca nos rendimos. Y hoy hemos logrado un progreso tremendo para hacer realidad este sueño. Nuestra lucha está lejos de terminar. Aún necesitamos el apoyo del Congreso para hacer realidad nuestra visión. Todavía será necesario que todos ayudemos a asegurar los compromisos y los recursos necesarios para el museo”, declaró Janet. “Y, especialmente, necesitamos que todos y cada uno de ustedes en esta sala continúen la lucha y sigan contando la historia de por qué este museo es tan importante. Confío en que triunfaremos porque nunca nos rendimos. Siempre trabajaremos para lograr este objetivo, y juntos tenemos la fuerza, la unidad y el poder para sacarlo adelante”.

El abogado local Ramón Murguía, fideicomisario del W.K. La Fundación Kellogg y el hermano de Janet dijeron que las historias de los latinos en Estados Unidos demuestran que las generaciones más jóvenes “se apoyan en gigantes”.

“Para mí, se trata de respetar a todos estos viejos, a los que solíamos llamar ‘veteranos’ en nuestro vecindario... Toda esa historia debe reflejarse a nivel nacional porque somos importantes”, dijo Ramón. “Nuestros hijos e hijas han mu**to en estas guerras, desde la Guerra Civil. Y eso debe reflejarse en algún lugar porque la gente nos ve simplemente como inmigrantes recientes. Nuestra historia es rica en este país”.

Julian Zugazagoitia, director y presidente ejecutivo del Museo de Arte Nelson-Atkins, dijo que durante el tiempo que ha estado al frente del museo, ha disfrutado ver cómo la población latina crece y ofrece sus propias contribuciones especiales a Kansas City.

“Es bueno para nosotros, los latinos que no siempre conocemos nuestra propia historia, aprenderla y compartirla con todos, porque es historia estadounidense”, dijo Zugazagoitia. “Ya no se trata de historia latina, sino de historia estadounidense. De esto se trata este país”. Zamanillo, por su parte, afirmó que los latinos de Kansas City aún pueden hacer mucho para apoyar al museo.

“Los latinos de Kansas City pueden participar en el museo simplemente siguiéndonos en nuestro sitio electrónico, conectándose con nosotros en redes sociales, aprendiendo sobre su propia historia y compartiéndola”, dijo Zamanillo. “Intentaremos facilitarlo al máximo, así que compartan lo que compartimos y sígannos, y sepan que su apoyo es muy valioso, especialmente en estos tiempos en los que es importante difundir el conocimiento y la iluminación”.

Para obtener más información sobre el Instituto Smithsonian, visite www.si.edu.

08/13/2025

Black Caucus members speak out against Missouri redistricting

By Joe Arce and Corey Crable

Members of Missouri’s Black Caucus, a group with deep political ties to the Democratic Party, are speaking out against potential redistricting efforts, saying such efforts would harm the state’s voters and place Congressman Emanuel Cleaver’s seat in danger of being lost.

The recent gathering of caucus members happened last week in the shadow of Republican politicians’ drafting of a redistricting map in Texas. Democratic lawmakers fled the state ahead of a vote on the new map, meaning the session did not have a quorum of lawmakers present and thus the vote could not be taken. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has demanded that those Democratic lawmakers return to Texas in order to execute their duties.

Last Friday August 8, Black Caucus Chair Michael Johnson, a state representative serving the 23rd District, said efforts to redraw district boundaries for the benefit of one party “threatens the very foundation of democracy.”

“This is not just an attack on our district, it is an attack on fairness, on representation. It is an attack on our people and the will of the people. Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District is proudly represented by Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, a beloved leader who has served our community with integrity for over 20 years,” Johnson said. “Congressman Cleaver has earned respect from both sides of the aisle in Washington, not through partisan games, but through his unwavering commitment to the people of Kansas City and beyond.”

Johnson said he views current redistricting efforts as an act of desperation, initiated by members of a party who realize their attempts to remain in power during next year’s midterm elections are viewed as being in peril.

“Let’s be clear about what’s happening here. Redistricting is a process that happens every 10 years following the census to ensure fair representation. Missouri’s congressional maps were redrawn just three years ago in 2022. After careful deliberation, to revisit those lines now in 2025, it’s not about improving representation. It’s about political desperation,” Johnson said. “President Trump and his allies see the writing on the wall. They see the strength of our community, the power of our voices, and the impact of our votes. And theyare trying to change the rules before the people have their say. This isn’t about democracy. It’s about damage control. It’s about a party clinging to power in any means necessary, even if it means undermining the democratic process.”

According to a news story from KMBC Channel 9, a spokesman from the office of Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe insists redistricting in the state is not on the table, and that the governor hasn’t made any firm plans for a special session to address the issue.

“We’re deeply opposed to it, especially here in the Kansas City region,” said State Rep. Mark A. Sharp (D-Kansas City). “This is something, I think, that goes against Missouri values. This is something we should not be doing in a special session, considering how partisan that it is.”

Johnson, meanwhile, had messages both for state lawmakers and for Missouri voters.

“I want to speak directly to the lawmakers and majority general assembly, particularly the Republican supermajority. You have a choice to make. You can choose to uphold the integrity of our electoral process, or you can choose to be complicit in the scheme that undermines it. The voters of Missouri deserve better than to have their districts manipulated for partisan advantage. Redistricting should reflect the will of the people, not the whims of those in power,” he said. “To the people of Kansas City and the Fifth District, I say this, your voice matters. Your vote matters. And we will fight to ensure that we have vote protected.”

Sharp said that deep down, he believes all legislators, regardless of political affiliation, realize what is being asked of them.

“As Missouri legislators, it is incumbent upon us to put Missouri first above our political affiliations,” he said. “We must not be so consumed with political wins and losses that we forget to call balls and strikes. Everyone knows what is being asked of us is wrong.”

City Councilman Jonathan Duncan was blunt in his assessment of the motives of the GOP’s redistricting efforts in the Fifth District.

“This isn’t about one vote. This isn’t about one district. This is about democracy,” Duncan said. “And I’m a firm believer this is about taking the voice out of the hands of black and brown people who predominantly make up the Fifth District. … We have to raise our voices loud so everybody in this state understands what’s happening. This is an attack on democracy.”

Jackson County Legislator Manny Abarca said he encourages Fifth District voters to write to local and state politicians to make their voices heard – and that he’s already working on addressing the issue himself as well.

“I filed an ordinance from the floor that says if the state goes about this process toillegally redistrict, the county is prepared to sue. We have put our attorneys on notice to tell them to start digging up the legal preparedness so that we can go and file against the state Republicans and name them all in a lawsuit and claim gerrymandering, because that’s what they’re looking to do,” Abarca said. “They have no new data. They have no population change that they can quantify to do an appropriate reapportionment. So all they’re doing is taking heed from Trump, and it’s a purely political move. Whether you’re a Democrat or a Republican, this is a clear erosion of democracy. This is America. This is the democracy we all have
to protect.”

Theresa Garza, a Raytown alderwomen, said the loss of Cleaver would cause a ripple effect in communities like hers where the longtime congressman has supported and funded critical projects.

“He has helped a lot of communities throughout the Fifth District in getting dollars into those communities to help with infrastructure projects. We have a new park that we are putting into place that required a lot of abatement because it was an old pool area. So a lot of abatement had to be done with that particular property,” Garza said. “And that’s very expensive when you start getting into those details. And so Congressman Cleaver has helped us with the funding for those types of things.”

08/13/2025

Integrantes del Caucus Negro se manifiestan en contra de la redistribución de distritos en Missouri

Traduce Gemma Tornero

Integrantes del Caucus Negro de Missouri, un grupo con profundos vínculos políticos con el Partido Demócrata, se manifiestan en contra de posibles iniciativas de redistribución de distritos, argumentando que perjudicarían a los votantes del estado y pondrían en peligro la pérdida del escaño del congresista Emanuel Cleaver.

La reciente reunión de los integrantes del caucus tuvo lugar la semana pasada en el contexto de la elaboración del mapa de redistribución de distritos por parte de políticos republicanos en Texas. Los legisladores demócratas huyeron del estado antes de la votación sobre el nuevo mapa, lo que significó que la sesión no contó con el quórum de legisladores presentes y, por lo tanto, la votación no pudo realizarse. El gobernador de Texas, Greg Abbott, ha exigido que esos legisladores demócratas regresen a Texas para cumplir con sus funciones. El pasado viernes 8 de agosto, el presidente del Caucus Negro, Michael Johnson, representante estatal del Distrito 23, afirmó que los esfuerzos por redefinir los límites distritales en beneficio de un partido “amenazan los cimientos mismos de la democracia”.

“Esto no es solo un ataque a nuestro distrito, es un ataque a la equidad, a la representación. Es un ataque a nuestra gente y a la voluntad popular. El Quinto Distrito Congresional de Missouri está orgullosamente representado por el congresista Emanuel Cleaver, un reconocido líder que ha servido a nuestra comunidad con integridad durante más de 20 años”, declaró Johnson. “El congresista Cleaver se ha ganado el respeto de ambos partidos en Washington, no por maniobras partidistas, sino por su inquebrantable compromiso con la gente de Kansas City
y sus alrededores”.

Johnson afirmó que considera los actuales esfuerzos de redistribución de distritos un acto de desesperación, iniciado por integrantes de un partido que se dan cuenta de que sus intentos de permanecer en el poder durante las elecciones intermedias del próximo año corren peligro. Seamos claros sobre lo que está sucediendo aquí. La redistribución de distritos es un proceso que se lleva a cabo cada 10 años después del censo para garantizar una representación justa. Los mapas electorales de Missouri se rediseñaron hace apenas tres años, en 2022. Tras una cuidadosa deliberación, para revisar esos límites ahora en 2025, no se trata de mejorar la representación. Se trata de desesperación política —dijo Johnson—. El presidente Trump y sus aliados ven lo que está por venir. Ven la fuerza de nuestra comunidad, el poder de nuestras voces y el impacto de nuestros votos. Y están intentando cambiar las reglas antes de que la gente se exprese. No se trata de democracia. Se trata de controlar los daños. Se trata de un partido que se aferra al poder por todos los medios necesarios, incluso si eso significa socavar el proceso democrático. Según un reportaje de KMBC Canal 9, un portavoz de la oficina del gobernador de Missouri, Mike Kehoe, insiste en que la redistribución de distritos en el estado no está sobre la mesa y que el gobernador no ha hecho planes firmes para una sesión especial que aborde el tema.

“Nos oponemos firmemente, especialmente aquí en la región de Kansas City”, declaró el representante estatal Mark A. Sharp (demócrata por Kansas City). “Creo que esto va en contra de los valores de Missouri. Es algo que no deberíamos hacer en una sesión especial, considerando lo partidista que es”.

Johnson, por su parte, envió mensajes tanto a los legisladores estatales como a los votantes de Missouri. Quiero hablar directamente con los legisladores y la asamblea general mayoritaria, en particular con la supermayoría republicana. Tienen que tomar una decisión. Pueden optar por defender la integridad de nuestro proceso electoral o pueden optar por ser cómplices del plan que lo socava. Los votantes de Missouri merecen algo mejor que la manipulación de sus distritos para obtener ventajas partidistas. La redistribución de distritos debe reflejar la voluntad del pueblo, no los caprichos de quienes ostentan el poder —dijo—. A la gente de Kansas City y del Quinto Distrito, les digo esto: su voz importa. Su voto importa. Y lucharemos para garantizar la protección del voto.

Sharp afirmó que, en el fondo, cree que todos los legisladores, independientemente de su afiliación política, comprenden lo que
se les pide.

“Como legisladores de Missouri, nos corresponde priorizar a Missouri por encima de nuestras afiliaciones políticas”, declaró. “No debemos obsesionarnos tanto con las victorias y derrotas políticas que olvidemos los errores. Todos saben que lo que se nos pide está mal”.

El concejal Jonathan Duncan fue contundente al evaluar los motivos de los esfuerzos de redistribución de distritos del Partido Republicano en el Quinto Distrito.

“No se trata de un voto. No se trata de un distrito. Se trata de democracia”, declaró Duncan. “Y creo firmemente que se trata de quitarle la voz a la población negra y morena, que predominantemente compone el Quinto Distrito… Tenemos que alzar la voz para que todos en este estado entiendan lo que está sucediendo. Esto es un ataque a la democracia”. El legislador del Condado de Jackson, Manny Abarca, dijo que anima a los votantes del Quinto Distrito a escribir a los políticos locales y estatales para que se escuchen sus voces, y que él mismo ya está trabajando para abordar el problema.

“Presenté una ordenanza desde el pleno que establece que si el estado emprende este proceso de redistribución ilegal de distritos, el condado está preparado para demandar. Hemos notificado a nuestros abogados para que comiencen a investigar la preparación legal para que podamos presentar una demanda contra los republicanos estatales, nombrándolos a todos en una demanda y alegando manipulación de distritos electorales, porque eso es lo que pretenden”, dijo Abarca. “No tienen datos nuevos. No tienen ningún cambio poblacional que puedan cuantificar para realizar una redistribución adecuada. Así que lo único que están haciendo es seguirle el juego a Trump, y es una maniobra puramente política. Ya sea demócrata o republicano, esto es una clara erosión de la democracia. Esto es Estados Unidos. Esta es la democracia que todos debemos proteger”. Theresa Garza, concejala de Raytown, afirmó que la pérdida de Cleaver tendría un efecto dominó en comunidades como la suya, donde el veterano congresista ha apoyado y financiado proyectos cruciales.

“Ha ayudado a muchas comunidades del Quinto Distrito a conseguir fondos para proyectos de infraestructura. Estamos construyendo un nuevo parque que requería mucha limpieza porque era una antigua zona de piscina. Por lo tanto, se tuvo que realizar una gran limpieza en esa propiedad en particular”, dijo Garza. “Y eso es muy costoso considerando los detalles. Por eso, el congresista Cleaver nos ha ayudado con la financiación para ese tipo de proyectos”.

08/06/2025

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08/06/2025

A beacon of light in the dark

By Joe Arce and Corey Crable
An In-depth report

On this past Tuesday luncheon during the first day of UnidosUS’s Beacons of Change Annual Conference in Kansas City, MO, shone a spotlight on the damage done to the immigrant community by President Trump’s aggressive deportation efforts.

Janet Murguia, President and CEO of UnidosUS, the nation’s largest Latino advocacy organization, addressed a crowd of more than 1,000 attendees at the luncheon on the conference’s opening day. Murguia began her address to the crowd by urging Latinos to come together during such a time of pervasive fear in their history.

“It’s critical, especially in these times, these difficult times, that we come together and share strength and courage so that together we may confront the challenges we face as a community. And the challenges we face are substantial. During the past six months, the Trump administration and Congress have shattered our nation’s democratic norms with a tsunami of legislation and executive orders,” said Murguia, herself a Kansas City native. “And while I recognize that many communities are under threat, for us, it feels different. It feels personal. It feels personal because it is personal. We’re under siege.”

Murguia said that deportation efforts in places like Los Angeles have shown that the actions occur swiftly, with Latinos being whisked away by nameless, faceless ICE agents, bound for a new, uncertain, terrifying life.

“Detentions among our community have skyrocketed. Many people in this room have witnessed firsthand masked men in street clothes or camouflage assaulting neighbors and friends,” she said. “They act without identification, without a warrant, and without a care for the consequences they inflict on families and communities.”

“These actions are unfair, unlawful, and un -American. They are terrorizing our communities and turning them into police states where we are forced to carry our papers at all times to prove who we are,” Murguia continued. “If you visit some neighborhoods in Los Angeles as I did recently, you’ll see church pews empty, storefronts boarded up, and streets deserted. People, including U.S. citizens, are living in fear of their own government.”

Trump’s original assertion that the deportations would mainly target violent criminals has been shown to be false, Murguia said, adding that the wrong people are being caught in the middle of the action.

“While the number of detentions has risen by over 45% during the past six months, the number of violent criminals detained has actually gone down. Less than 10% of those detained have been convicted of violent offenses,” she noted. “The people who are being disappeared are Latinos and Latinas with no criminal records, trying to go to work, checking in at health care facilities, taking their children to school, going to church, and showing up for court appointments.”

Trump’s recent funding increase to ICE, as well as more deportations reported in the Midwest, reveal a situation that will only get worse, Murguia predicted.

“They mean to scare us and diminish our presence in this country either by attacking us directly or frightening us into self-deportation. These actions are fueled by government overreach that spawns fear, hatred, and anti-immigrant sentiment,” she said. “This is not the country I was raised to believe in. This is not the country any of us were raised to believe in.”

Though the conference didn’t host many national politicians at the federal level, one who did attend was former Congressman Beto O’Rourke (D-TX), known for his outspoken treatment on Latinos and immigrants. “If you and I fail at this moment of truth for our country, I am afraid the consolidation of authoritarian power in America will be nearly unstoppable. And what that means is, more vast and plain clothed federal agents without warrants or badges, sweeping our fellow Americans up off the streets,” O’Rourke said. “What that means is more of Trump’s political opponents targeted for retribution, persecution, violence, even in this country. And what that means is that we will have a complicit, corrupt, cowardly Congress roll out a royal red carpet for a Trump third term.”

O’Rourke continued, “So we must fight, and we must fight now with everything we have, every single one of us. All that we have, wherever we are, is what we got. Every single day is what it is.”

Attendee Edgar Alvarado, 30, a first-time attendee, made the trip from Oregon to Kansas City to learn about not only immigration but also about other issues affecting the Latino community. He said that each workshop and session thus far has been chock full of resources he plans to use.

“The knowledge I’ve learned here is knowledge that can be shared with people in my community, people that I directly work with, and people in my everyday life,” Alvarado said. “It will help start conversations to kind of spread the word and help people understand some of the things that are taking place.”

Gary Vargas is retired and said he volunteers with the UnidosUS national conference as often as possible. He’s been doing it for more than two decades, in fact.

“We come in and we volunteer and we meet some great people every year,” Vargas said. “Over the years we’ve seen big changes, especially in health care and education and housing. These are all issues that are facing us.”

All of those issues, he added, are being affected by the immigration issue being so hotly debated among family, friends, and neighbors these days.

“I work with a lot of inner-city families, and some of the families are in hiding. They may be in good standing, but that fear, that anxiety of something happening is taking a major toll,” Vargas said. “You don’t have those kids in school, the schools don’t get funded, you’re not getting health care, and you’re afraid to report things to law enforcement. At least UnidosUS has a voice, and I think that is so important to use that voice with a lot of our families who are now struggling.”

Maria Elena de la Garza, who came to Kansas City from California, said she feels it is her responsibility to empower herself with knowledge – knowledge that she can share with the Latinos of Santa Cruz County and beyond.

“It was important for me to be here, to be surrounded by people who care about the same things that I care about, that people who understand what our communities are facing right now, in building our own capacity to do better in our own communities, to help tell the story, to help elevate the situations that we’re dealing with, and to help give voice to the communities that we represent,” de la Garza told KC Hispanic News. “It is more important now more than ever to ensure that we build our capacity, that we understand the impacts on the Latino community, and that we’re mobilized to make an impact change.”

Iris Bojorquez, who accompanied de la Garza and who, like de la Garza, represents the Community Action Board of Santa Cruz County, said she was excited to see the crowd at the sold-out conference, saying she felt inspired to make connections and learn from others.

“I’m really excited to see this many people here that are here for the same thing, to learn off of each other, to continue to take action together,” Bojorquez said. “I’m already chatting away about things that I want to take back to my organization.”

While the conference’s delegates spoke to one another about how to improve their world, Murguia said she had her own message for the Trump administration on behalf of her organization.

“As a community and a country, we will not sit idly by and let our democracies slip away. We will not bow to bullies. We will not be silenced, and we will not be erased,” Murguia said. “I have news for President Trump and Stephen Miller. We have the power of our numbers, the power of our pocketbooks, the power of our voice, and the power of our vote. And we will use this power.” The UnidosUS conference runs through Thursday, Aug. 7.

Kansas City Hispanic News

08/13/2025

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