First Lady Jill Biden is coming under fire for a speech she made in San Antonio, Texas on Monday, in which she compared diversity among Latinos to the uniqueness of breakfast tacos. Biden had been speaking with the progressive Latino nonprofit group UnidosUS.
“Raul [Yzaguirre] helped build this organization with the understanding that the diversity of this community, as distinct as the bodegas of the Bronx, as beautiful as the blossoms of Miami and as unique as the breakfast tacos here in San Antonio, is your strength,” Biden said Monday.
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The first lady also mispronounced the Spanish word “bodegas” during the same portion of the speech.
The comments quickly received backlash on social media and The National Association of Hispanic Journalists released a statement criticizing the speech.
“Using breakfast tacos to try to demonstrate the uniqueness of Latinos in San Antonio demonstrates a lack of cultural knowledge and sensitivity to the diversity of Latinos in the region,” the group said. “NAHJ encourages Dr. Biden and her speech writing team to take the time in the future to better understand the complexities of our people and communities. We are not tacos. Our heritage as Latinos is shaped by various diasporas, cultures & food traditions. Do not reduce us to stereotypes.”
Biden has since apologized for her words being interpreted as “anything but pure admiration and love for the Latino community.”
Check out a clip from Biden’s speech in San Antonio below.
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