The document discusses the increasing diversity and "browning" of America due to rising rates of immigration from Latin American and Hispanic countries since the 1950s. It notes that by 2050, the U.S. is projected to no longer have a single racial majority. The rest of the document profiles over 50 influential Hispanic Americans from various fields like entertainment, sports, politics and literature to showcase the contributions of this growing demographic.

1. THE BROWNING OF AMERICA
ERCILIA DELANCER
AMERICAN CORNER
DUSHANBE, TAJIKISTAN
JANUARY 19, 2012

2. THE BROWNING OF AMERICA
 Since the early 1950s when immigration rules
in the United States were relaxed to allow for
more workers from foreign countries, people of
Spanish descent have come into the country
and intermarried with other people of Anglo-
Saxon, African-American, Native-American or
Asian-American background.

3. THE BROWNING OF AMERICA
 The rates of intermarriage continue to go up and is
estimated that by the year 2050, the United States
will have a majority of people from a multiracial
background instead of the 69% of Caucasian
people there today.
 Since1990, the U. S. census has allowed people in
the U. S. to select “multiracial” as their category if
they belong, or identify with, to two or more racial
groups.

4. HISPANIC GROWHT IN THE U.S.
 People of the Hispanic/Latino origins now
constitute more than 15% of the population in
the United States. They have surpassed people
of African-American descent who have
traditionally made up the minority population.
 Hispanic/Latino people are now the fastest
growing segment of the population in the
United States.

5. THE BROWNING OF AMERICA
 The following is a limited catalog of the
many people of Hispanic/Latino descent
that have influenced popular culture, the
arts, politics and literature all over the
United States and beyond.

6. DESI ARNAZ
Hispanics were invisible
on TV until Desi Arnaz,
Jr. convinced his wife,
Lucille Ball, that a
comedy about their real
life marriage would
make for a good
sitcom. He was from
Cuba.

7. RICHIE VALENS
Richie Valens
(Ricardo
Valenzuela) was
forced to change his
name so American
teenagers wouldn’t
know he was
Mexican.

8. CESAR CHAVEZ
We can consider Cesar
Chavez as our Martin
Luther King, Jr. as he also
fought for the rights of
Mexican-Americans and
adhere to the teachings
of Mohanda Ghandi.

9. RITA MORENO
She was able to break
the glass ceiling of
Hollywood as the first
Puerto Rican actress to
play a major role in
the movie “Westside
Story”.

10. RAQUEL WELCH
Well-known actress
from the early 60s
whose father came
from Bolivia. She’s
best recognized
today for her TV
commercials.

11. CARLOS SANTANA
Born in Mexico, the legendary
guitarist, bandleader,
Grammy winner and
philanthropist has been active
in the music scene since
1966.

12. GERALDO RIVERA
He is an attorney,
journalist, author
and reporter. Of
Puerto Rican
descent, Geraldo
became a popular
talk show host.

13. LYNDA CARTER
Best known for her
role as “Wonder
Woman”, Lynda
Carter is a former
Miss World and
renown singer. Her
mother came from
Mexico.

14. OSCAR DE LA RENTA
He’s part Dominican
and part Spaniard
and has become one
of most sought after
fashion designers in the
U.S.A.

15. ANDY GARCIA
Actor with memorable
roles in such films as
“The Godfather III”
and “Internal Affairs,
has turned director.
He was born in Cuba
and grew up in
Miami.

16. ANTONIO BANDERAS

17. ALBERTO (BETO) PEREZ
The founder of the
fitness craze, zumba,
was born in
Colombia.

18. DON OMAR
Born in Puerto Rico,
Don Omar has
become one of the
best known
reggaeton singers in
the world.

19. SOLEDAD O’BRIEN
Of Cuban descendent,
the TV presenter has
done research into the
widespread racism still
present in the U. S.

20. JIMMY SMITS
Well-known actor who has
had major roles in such TV
series as L. A. Law and
NYPD is of Puerto Rican
descent and active in
political protest for the way
the U. S. government
administers the island’s
resources.

21. CHRISTINA AGUILERA
An original member
of the Mickey
Mouse Club, she
has written her own
songs . Her father
was from Ecuador

22. JULIA ALVAREZ
Julia Alvarez is best known for her
first book, ”When the Garcia Girls
Lost their Accents” which dealt with
the adjustments made by a group
of sisters when their family moves
to New York from the Dominican
Republic. She subsequently wrote
“In the Time of the Butterflies”,
which was turned into a film. She is
currently a writer-in-residence at
Middlebury College.

23. ALEX BLEDEL
Actress and model known
for her role in the TV show
“Gilmore Girls”. Her
mother is from Mexico and
her father from Argentina.

24. BENJAMIN BRATT
Well-known actor, whose
mother hails from Peru, is
best know for his role in
the TV show “Law &
Order”.

25. CAMERON DIAZ
Actress famous for roles
in films such as “My Best
Friend’s Wedding” and
“Something about Mary”
whose father is of
Cuban/Spaniard
descent.

26. CELIA CRUZ
From Cuba. Entertained several
presidents in the White House.
She was widely known for her
powerful voice and flamboyant
dresses, wigs and makeup.

27. PENELOPE CRUZ
Very well known actress
from Spain who has
been nominated for
several Oscars for her
performances in such
films as “All about my
Mother”.

28. DADDY YANKEE
The best know reggaeton
singer in the entire world. He is
also a producer and actor and
comes from Puerto Rico.

29. SOFIA VERGARA
Actress, comedian
and TV host. She has
become a hit in the
popular TV sitcom
“Modern Family”. She
comes from
Barranquilla,
Colombia.

30. MARIO LOPEZ
Television host and
actor and one of the
dancers who
participated in the
“Dancing with the Stars”
show. His family came
from Mexico.

31. GEORGE LOPEZ
Popular comedian of
Mexican descendent
and the first to have
his own comedy show.

32. GLORIA ESTEFAN
Along with her husband,
Emilio, the Estefans have
created the Motown of
South Florida molding
new talent into the hit
makers of tomorrow.

33. JEAN-MICHEL BASQUIAT
The actor, producer,
singer and graffiti painter
of Haitian and Puerto
Rican descendent
became a well-known
painter before his heroin
addiction caused his
death in 1988.

34. ENRIQUE IGLESIAS
The song of the famous
crooner, Julio Iglesias,
has become a
heartthrob even here in
Tajikistan.

35. ISABEL ALLENDE
The writer fled her native
Chile to avoid political
persecution during the
Pinochet regime. Her novels
have been widely translated
and are studied at many
universities.

36. JENNIFER LOPEZ
Of Puerto Rican descent
and born in the Bronx, the
singer, actress and
entrepreneur is widely
known.

37. SELENA GOMEZ
The much hated
steady girlfriend of
teen heartthrob Justin
Bieber, and whose
parents came from
Mexico.

38. EVA LONGORIA
Popular actress of
Mexican extraction
who became known for
her role in the TV
program “Desperate
Housewives”.

39. JUAN LUIS GUERRA
Prestigious composer,
musician and singer
who studied music at
the Berklee College
and has won numerous
Grammys. From the
Dominican Republic.

40. MARC ANTHONY
Of Puerto Rican
descent, born in the
Bronx, and an
accomplished musician.
Former husband of
Jennifer Lopez and
father to her twins.

41. EVA MENDES
Popular actress of
Cuban descendent
who played the
female role in the
movie “Hitch”
opposite Will
Smith.

42. EDWARD JAMES OLMOS
Veteran actor and civil
rights leader of Mexican
descendent whose most
memorable role was
playing the Bolivian
teacher in the movie
“Stand and Deliver”.

43. RICKY MARTIN
He started out playing a
minor role in a daytime
soap opera, but reached
fame when he played
“La Vida Loca” for the
Grammys in 1998 . He
was born in Puerto Rico.

44. ALEX RODRIGUEZ
One of the highest paid
baseball players in the U. S.
His parents hails from the
Dominican Republic and he
grew up in Miami.

45. CHRISTY TURLINGTON
Famous supermodel
who has appeared on
over 500 magazine
covers, numerous
videos and
documentaries. Her
mother came from El
Salvador.

46. SALMA HAYEK
The actress, and now film
director and producer of
such films as “In the Time
of the Butterflies”, has
become a sex symbol in
the U. S. She started her
career acting in soap
operas in Mexico where
she was born.

47. LINDA RONSTADT
A singer, songwriter,
and record producer
of Mexican
descendent. She’s
become known for
her blend of country
and rock & roll music.

48. AVENTURA

49. SANDRA CISNEROS
Her book, ‘The House on
Mango Street”, has
become mandatory
reading in almost all high
schools in the U. S. Of
Mexican descent, she
grew up in Chicago, IL.

50. SAMMY SOSA
Baseball player from the
Dominican Republic whose
competition with Mark
McGuire in 1998 to
become the top hitter was
widely televised.

51. SELENA
Popular songwriter,
singer and actress from
Texas whose parents
came from Mexico and
whose life was cut short
when she was killed in
1995. She popularized
the Tejano-style of
music.

52. ESMERALDA SANTIAGO
A former actress best
known for her memoirs
including “When I was
Puerto Rican”, has
also created a
company that has
produced award-
winning
documentaries.

53. SHAKIRA
Of Lebanese father and
Colombian mother, she has
risen to the top of the
charts with her blend of
Arab and Latin rhythms.
She has become a UN
goodwill ambassador.

54. DAISY FUENTES
Popular MTV
presenter and
fashion
designer of
Cuban
descent.

55. AMERICA FERRRA
She’s the popular
actress from the hit
TV series “Ugly
Betty” and her
parents came
originally from
Honduras.

56. ZOE ZALDANA
Of Dominican descent,
she played the romantic
role in the movie
“Avatar”. She has been
active in community
theater to prevent the
spread of AIDS.

57. JESSICA ALBA
She began acting at the
age of 13 and has been
called one of the most
beautiful people in the
planet. Her father is from
Mexico.

58. BILL RICHARSON
Of Mexican and Anglo-
Saxon descent, he has
risen to top posts in the
U. S. government and is
currently the governor for
the state of New Mexico.

59. OSCAR DE LA HOYA
Born in East Los
Angeles to Mexican
parents, he had one
of the most
impressive records as
a boxer in the U.S.

60. SONIA SOTOMAYOR
The first Hispanic jurist
nominated to the
Supreme Court, she’s
been an associated
judge since 2009. She
grew up in the Bronx
and her parents came
from Puerto Rico.

61. PITBULL
Born to Cuban
parents, Pitbull
had a difficult time
breaking into hip
hop because he
was white, blue
eyed and Cuban.