Local Latinx Leaders Addressing Racist Statements at Trump Rally

Members of Rochester LatinX Roundtable, left to right; Beatriz LeBron, Isaiah Santiago, Miguel A. Meléndez Jr., and Yversha Roman

Members of Rochester LatinX Roundtable are speaking out against racist statements made at a Trump Rally Sunday at Madison Square Garden.

“As elected officials representing the Latinx Roundtable and the local Latino community, we express deep frustration and anger over the recent disrespectful remarks aimed at Puerto Rico and the broader Latino community in the United States during a political rally. This isn’t a matter of partisanship—it’s about the dignity our community and island deserve. When Puerto Rico is disparaged on national television, it’s an affront to our heritage and impacts how our community is viewed across this nation,” the group wrote in a statement.

The statement was signed by Beatriz LeBron, Vice President of the Rochester City School Board; School Board Member, Isaiah Santiago; Rochester City Council President, Miguel A. Meléndez Jr.; and Yversha Roman, President Monroe County Legislature.

“This disrespect ignores the resilience, culture, and contributions of Puerto Ricans and Latinos in the United States. It’s more than disheartening; it’s an affront to the values we uphold and the legacy we continue to build in Rochester, across New York, and throughout the United States. Our families come from a beautiful island with a rich history, not from a ‘place of floating trash.”

The inflammatory rants included comments by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe calling Puerto Rico “a floating island of garbage” and remarks about Black people carving watermelons. The Trump campaign, Monday, tried to distance themselves from the remark but did not offer an apology.

“This joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign,” the Trump Campaign wrote.

But the remarks comes days before the highly contested presidential election and set off a barrage of criticism on social media from Puerto Rican celebrities and performers.

“We also stand with other communities who were a part of this political assault. Moments like this remind us of how far we’ve come and how much further we must go to ensure our community receives the respect and representation it deserves,” The Rochester Latinx Leaders Roundtable wrote.

The group ended the statement saying ¡PUERTO RICO SE RESPETA! [Respect Puerto Rico]

Latinx Leaders Roundtable is a group of leaders in the Rochester community. that “has a deep focus on advocacy, leveraging their collective power, resources, and creating a united voice.”

Their vision statement as posted on their website https://rochesterlatinx.org states. “We create meaningful policy changes, and ensure adequate/equitable direct services for Latinx individuals. We are seen and heard at the various decision making tables of our community. The systemic barriers that negatively impact the Latinx community have been eliminated, and our needs are intentionally prioritized.”