SAN ANTONIO — First lady Jill Biden faced criticism for a comment she made in San Antonio on Monday.
Dr. Biden was the featured speaker at the UnidosUS 2022 Annual Conference, called Siempre Adelante: Our Quest for Equity. She said, "The diversity of this community, as distinct as the bodegas of the Bronx, as beautiful as the blossoms of Miami and as unique as the breakfast tacos here in San Antonio."
The event is the largest gathering of Latino advocates, community members and businesses. They talk about the issues that are affecting the more than 62 million Latinos across the country.
Michael LaRosa, the press secretary to the first lady and special assistant to President Biden, took to Twitter to say, " The First Lady apologizes that her words conveyed anything but pure admiration and love for the Latino community."
The National Association of Hispanic Journalists said it encourages the first lady and her team to better understand the complexities of the community. "We are not tacos. Our heritage as Latinos is shaped by various diasporas, cultures & food traditions. Do not reduce us to stereotypes."
But on Twitter, others were defending the first lady. Education advocate Rodrigo Bravo said, "Because breakfast tacos are a community identifier for San Antonio. We're literally known for that, like NYC and bodegas, and Miami and blossoms. It makes sense actually. I initially thought it was corny but it's fitting."