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Responding to a November 2017 CPC public opinion poll
measuring public support for President Trump's proposal to build a wall
along the border between Mexico and the U.S., Garcia thinks that the
wall would serve less as a physical deterrent and more as a symbol of hatred,
expressing a message to "Stay out, Mexico."
"It’s really
unfortunate in this country and some people just scapegoat the new guy,"
said Garcia. "You live in the middle of the country, your job doesn’t
exist anymore, you're frustrated, you're poor, you're broke and
you’re like well let’s take it out on the Mexicans ... We’re all trying
to support our families. My dad worked in an industry where his job
became obsolete ... A coal miner and my dad have more in common than
sometimes a coal miner and his own neighbor."
In his career,
Garcia wants to develop entertainment and content that humanizes
Latinos. "So far the narrative has just been we’re just the help. You
know? We’re just here to help you. We’re a nuisance. We’re illegal, a
term you shouldn’t use to describe a person. It’s a term that should
describe an action."
Ultimately, Garcia wants to connect with people who feel
disenfranchised. "I don’t have a huge political agenda. I would like to
impart
something to people like me that grew up the fringes, marginalized parts
of
society. I would love to leave a legacy where they feel a sense of
belonging. I
think that would be a great gift to be able to give people."
The
seventh annual National Agenda speaker series, hosted by UD’s Center for
Political Communication, brings nationally known speakers to
campus. This year’s theme, “As We Stand | Divided,” explored religious,
political, cultural and other divides in the United States. National
Agenda is free and open to the public
and made possible with support from the
University of Delaware Office of the Provost. For more information,
please visit www.cpc.udel.edu/nationalagenda.