I was born and raised in Sauk County, Wisconsin, the son of 1st generation Mexican Americans. I grew up listening to music by Jenni Rivera and going to Latino markets in Milwaukee. One day, when I was 10 years old, I saw a man on television. The man was Donald Trump. I listened to him speaking about Mexicans, about me, in such a nasty way that it stuck with me. At that point I didn’t know he’d become president, but I was terrified of him and his ideas.

He won that election off of fear and blame. His presidency has made many Americans angry, disgusted, and even hostile towards Mexican immigrants. Immigrants around here in rural Wisconsin help a lot more than one would think. Small family farms and cheesemakers need helpers and staff. A lot of these small businesses find their staff being made up of Latinos. Latinos help Wisconsin do what Wisconsin does best. I do not want to live in an America where I fear for myself and my family. I seek the same change I’ve looked for since I was 10.

We find ourselves unsatisfied with the state of our county. People like Donald Trump and Ron Johnson divide us and pit us against one another. Now is not the time for division and anarchy. We may never see eye-to-eye on everything, but we can still work together.

Around that same time, I started listening to the words of another man. This time the man, Bernie Sanders, spoke of hope, progress, and a future we could believe in. I was a naive little kid who thought everyone would agree with the good guy and Donald Trump would never lead our country. When the results of the 2016 Democratic Primary were in, I realized change is hard, change is slow, but change is possible.

Today, I see another person who is ready to bring change one step at a time. A man not afraid to accept people’s differences and is ready to fight for the people. That man is Tom Nelson. For years I’ve felt apathetic towards our government and our politicians. But as a high school sophomore, I’ve been inspired to get involved and continue the fight for change in my community. Tom Nelson is the change we need. He has stayed true to his beliefs and is willing to stick up for the people. Happy Hispanic Heritage Month!

Sincerely,
Hugo Flores