Hispanic Support for Kennedy in New York

American Values 2024 Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month

On September 26, American Values 2024 held a vibrant celebration in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month at an uptown bistro, Bocaditos, in New York City.

The event brought together people from diverse backgrounds to commemorate Hispanic Heritage Month, a time to celebrate and recognize the significant contributions, rich culture, and enduring heritage of Hispanic and Latino Americans. The yearly celebration honors people with roots in Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, and South America.

Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. sent a video message expressing his commitment to assisting the Hispanic community in the United States.

The Kennedy Beacon was there to engage with attendees and capture their thoughts on Kennedy and his potential impact on the political landscape.

Colombian actor Harry Geithner, who has lived in the US for 14 years, expressed his admiration for Kennedy. “I read about all the philosophies of RFK, and I think he's a very good candidate for the president of the country." 

He admires Kennedy for his life story. “He has had a very interesting life. Very hard life. I’m a fan of the Kennedy family too. I am very honored to be here and represent the voice of RFK Jr.”

Geithner said that he invited a lot of people to the event to hear about Kennedy’s policies.

The Hispanic community often feels unheard, especially on issues like immigration and the hard work they contribute to the country, Geithner told the Beacon. He emphasized the need for a leader like Kennedy, who, he believes, genuinely listens and cares about the concerns of the Hispanic community.

“I think Robert Kennedy Jr. might be the solution right now,” Geithner said. 

Unifying factor

Johnny R. Nunez, a retired NYPD sergeant, told the Beacon that it’s unbelievable how the Democratic Party ignores Kennedy. “We have free speech in this country but it seems that free speech only applies if you agree on certain opinions,” he said.

Nunez underscored the importance of having a platform for candidates like Kennedy, especially in today's polarized political climate. “You need someone who could bring people together,” he said.

Nunez said Kennedy’s treatment by the Democratic Party reminded him of past instances of political infighting, including the case of Bernie Sanders. “The Democratic Party has been hijacked,” he said. “They're in trouble, and if they are going to go down the drain. Don't be surprised if there's a red wave coming.”

Nunez said that if Kennedy continues his message about supporting American values, he is going to get the Hispanic votes. 

Mandates are not “American Values”

Damaris Moné, a native New Yorker, highlighted Kennedy's environmental expertise as a key reason for her support. “We need leadership who really understands what it means to be living in a changing climate and how we're going to combat that,” she said.

Moné also praised Kennedy's stance on vaccine mandates, advocating personal choice and accommodations for those with concerns.

“I ​​think it was a personal choice for everybody, knowing what their own health issues and concerns are.” She said it was unacceptable “that a lot of people were fired or lost their jobs.

She also hopes Kennedy is allowed to participate in debates. “Part of the Democratic process is to have competition, real conversations, to have debates about these issues,” she said. “I'm looking forward to the public getting the word out and demanding that Bobby has an opportunity to be at the debates.”

Kennedy defends free speech

Rosangel Perez, from independent media platform Cafecito Break, which has been around for 12 years, said that they had never been censored as heavily as in 2020, mainly because they were challenging the narrative about COVID-19 and questioning mask mandates. For them, Kennedy is a relentless advocate for free speech, regardless of the censorship he encounters. 

Perez said she encourages people to remain open-minded about Kennedy. “Get to know him…. The media is full of censorship. You might be surprised what you learn.”

Perez said the Democratic Party’s censorship of Kennedy has made a lot of people hope that he would reconsider running as a Democrat. “People just don't trust the Democrats anymore. They don't trust their policies.”

“Bobby Kennedy is bringing back American values,” she continued. “I love that he is bringing back gentlemanship to politics.”  She added that she feels as if she’s been “watching a reality show gone bad. This is not the way people communicate.”

For 2024, she wishes for one thing: “That Robert F. Kennedy’s name is on the ticket.”

Support from both parties

Edwin R. De La Cruz, founder of Northern Manhattan Republicans, described Kennedy as a moderate Democrat and expressed support for his ability to bring the country back together. He believes that Kennedy's moderate approach could resonate with voters. “What I like about him the most is that the Democrats are scared of him. If they are scared of him, there has to be a reason.” 

Cruz flipped from Democrat to Republican in 2015. He felt disappointed by his party. When Cruz was a Democrat, he and a lot of the party shared the same mindset as Kennedy now. “He should be debating,” said Cruz. 

Cruz said that, more than anything, the country needs a unifying president, and that could be Kennedy. Otherwise, with the way the country is going, he is concerned that an actual civil war might be a possibility. 

A successful event

Tony Lyons, cochair and cofounder of American Values 2024, spoke about Kennedy's commitment to listening to all perspectives and his ability to bridge divides. Lyons discussed the ongoing efforts to combat censorship and propaganda and the importance of ensuring the American public is informed about Kennedy's policies and vision.

The event was a success. “It was great to hear so many different people with so many different perspectives,” said Lyons. “And that's a lot of what Bobby Kennedy is all about. It's about people being able to fully and freely express what they believe and have a politician respond to that.”

Lyons expressed optimism that Kennedy's message would resonate with a broad spectrum of Americans.

“I think it's fascinating that the people who are on the Right and the Left recognize that they have the same issues with the two-party system that is not fighting for them,” he said. “And they want to have a politician like Bobby Kennedy, who doesn't care about partisan politics at all.”

Lyons said that to tackle the censorship and propaganda about Kennedy, American Values 2024 plans to launch a series of infomercials, advertisements, and outreach efforts to inform the public about the real Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

As the event concluded, attendees shared their hopes for the future, with many expressing a desire to see Kennedy’s name on the presidential ticket in 2024. They believe that his leadership, values, and dedication to unity can bring positive change to the nation.

American Values 2024 is committed to amplifying Kennedy's message and ensuring that voters have the opportunity to hear and evaluate his vision for the future of the United States.

“If the American people knew what Bobby Kennedy really stood for, and what he's gonna do as president, they would welcome him as a folk hero,” Lyons said. “That is our job at American Values 2024 super PAC, to burst through all of that propaganda and censorship.”