I’m starting to understand the cultural challenges more personally - I’m going to Paris soon & relearning French. Even I can tell the difference between a Parisian French accent and a Canadian French accent. I can imagine how each would respond to the other — so I can also imagine how a Mexican-American would respond to a Colombian Spanish accent.
Let’s get culturally relevant here - I hope that some Dems with Influence read this post. Thank you, as always, Sylvia, for raising these issues.
Thank you, Stephanie! It is something that I want people to understand and say it in a way that will click.
Having Spanish content is better than NO Spanish content, but if you really want that investment to be effective, the right way to do it is to pick the people who will speak in a way the intended audience identifies with.
For non political things I think it's ok. Like if you're dubbing a comedy show then sure, you don't need a different accent for every region where you'll air it, but for this? yeah, it matters
This part really got me. Your explanation to them was perfect:
"I have a Colombian accent. It wouldn’t resonate.
They didn’t get it… until I asked: 'Would you hire Sean Connery to run political ads in Texas?'"
It boggles my mind how it rarely occurs to English-only speakers how varied Spanish accents, language, slang, idioms, etc. are, but those same Americans can't watch Guy Ritchie movies without subtitles.
You are exactly right. We need to be organizing in purple districts now. And we need to be communicating in Spanish to the Latinos. It so obvious, but as you point out, the Dems have mostly been oblivious to what works to win the Latino vote. Let's try to change that this year.
If anyone has connections to the DCCC, you should suggest that they invest money in the purple districts now, rather than holding funds for some future candidate, which is what they seems to be doing. Supporting county parties in the purple districts to do organizing now in both English and Spanish will pay off in 2026 and years to come.
Spanish organizing needs to be done very carefully. Part of what plagues us in these districts is that we are not talking to Latinos in culturally relevant ways and language. Translation is a true ART and should be honored as such.
This is so important and such a great read!
I am in DFW, and Republicans have already held a candidate workshop— likely for 2026 races.
Investment in 2026 races (in Texas and beyond) starts now.
I am glad you're here, knowing that you, Kat and I will not shut up about this. We have to start NOW
I’m starting to understand the cultural challenges more personally - I’m going to Paris soon & relearning French. Even I can tell the difference between a Parisian French accent and a Canadian French accent. I can imagine how each would respond to the other — so I can also imagine how a Mexican-American would respond to a Colombian Spanish accent.
Let’s get culturally relevant here - I hope that some Dems with Influence read this post. Thank you, as always, Sylvia, for raising these issues.
Thank you, Stephanie! It is something that I want people to understand and say it in a way that will click.
Having Spanish content is better than NO Spanish content, but if you really want that investment to be effective, the right way to do it is to pick the people who will speak in a way the intended audience identifies with.
For non political things I think it's ok. Like if you're dubbing a comedy show then sure, you don't need a different accent for every region where you'll air it, but for this? yeah, it matters
This part really got me. Your explanation to them was perfect:
"I have a Colombian accent. It wouldn’t resonate.
They didn’t get it… until I asked: 'Would you hire Sean Connery to run political ads in Texas?'"
It boggles my mind how it rarely occurs to English-only speakers how varied Spanish accents, language, slang, idioms, etc. are, but those same Americans can't watch Guy Ritchie movies without subtitles.
Thank you. It was an interesting conversation because I know they had good intentions but didn’t get why they couldn’t just hire any Spanish speaker.
And I don’t know why I came up with that analogy on the spot but it worked 😂
Hey, if it worked, it worked lol
You are exactly right. We need to be organizing in purple districts now. And we need to be communicating in Spanish to the Latinos. It so obvious, but as you point out, the Dems have mostly been oblivious to what works to win the Latino vote. Let's try to change that this year.
If anyone has connections to the DCCC, you should suggest that they invest money in the purple districts now, rather than holding funds for some future candidate, which is what they seems to be doing. Supporting county parties in the purple districts to do organizing now in both English and Spanish will pay off in 2026 and years to come.
Spanish organizing needs to be done very carefully. Part of what plagues us in these districts is that we are not talking to Latinos in culturally relevant ways and language. Translation is a true ART and should be honored as such.