The explosive recording of Los Angeles city council members making racist and disparaging remarks have deeply hurt the city’s Indigenous immigrants from Mexico.
Ofelia Platon, right, from Oaxaca, holding a sign while protesting before the cancellation of the Los Angeles City Council meeting Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022 in Los Angeles. – Bricia Lopez has welcomed people of all walks to dine at her family's popular restaurant on the Indigenous-influenced food of her native Mexican state of Oaxaca — among them Nury Martinez, the first Latina elected president of the Los Angeles City Council.
Martinez resigned from her council seat Wednesday and offered her apologies. But the disparaging remarks still deeply hurt the city’s immigrants from Oaxaca, which has one of Mexico's large indigenous populations. Sadly, many said, they are not surprised. Both growing up in their homeland and after reaching the U.S., they say they've become accustomed to hearing such stinging comments — not only from non-Latinos but from lighter skinned Mexican immigrants and their descendants.
Following Martinez' departure, two other Latino city council members also are facing widespread calls to resign since the year-old recording surfaced of them mocking colleagues while scheming to protect Latino political strength in council districts. Martinez used a disparaging term for the Black son of a white council member and called immigrants from Oaxaca ugly.
Lopez said she heard such racist comments growing up in California but had hoped they would be a thing of the past, that young Oaxacan immigrants would not have to hear them.Oaxaca has more than a dozen ethnicities including Mixtecos and Zapotecs. The southern Mexican state is known for famously hand-dyed woven rugs, pristine Pacific tourist beaches, a smokey alcohol called Mezcal and sophisticated cuisine including moles — thick sauces crafted from more than two dozen ingredients.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Los Angeles City Council president resigns after racist commentsLos Angeles City Council president Nury Martinez announced her resignation as president after she was heard making racist comments about a councilmember's Black son in a leaked audio recording of a conversation with other leaders.
Read more »
Op-Ed: The cyberattack on Los Angeles schools could happen anywhereOp-Ed: The cyberattack on Los Angeles schools could happen anywhere (via latimesopinion)
Read more »
Los Angeles City Council president resigns following racist commentsLos Angeles City Council president Nury Martinez announced her resignation as president Monday after she was heard making racist comments about a councilmember's Black son in a leaked audio recording of a conversation with other leaders.
Read more »
Los Angeles Council president resigns after racist remarksThe president of the Los Angeles City Council has resigned from the post after she was heard making racist comments and other coarse remarks in a leaked recording of a conversation with other Latino leaders.
Read more »
Los Angeles reels from racist recording
Read more »
Los Angeles City Council racist leaked audio fallout prompts resignation of second official: reportLA County Federation of Labor President Ron Herrera reportedly resigned after leaked audio captured City Council President Nury Martinez and others making openly racist remarks.
Read more »