GIOVANNI Vidana (better known as Gio) is a 21-year-old, second-generation Mexican American living in Houston, a city in which the Latino community constitutes over 35% of its 5.9 million population.
Having followed the angry stand-off between TV anchor Jorge Ramos and Donald Trump; as well as the Republican candidate's vituperative comments on Mexicans, I had expected to encounter a loyal and unwavering support base for Hillary Clinton's candidacy.
However, my stint in Texas has shown me the extent to which the Latino community - amongst many others - has somehow been swayed by the relentless negativity of the right-wing media including Fox News, as well as the need to approach this extremely diverse and disparate community with extreme caution.
Gio's family is large, quintessentially Mexican and very close-knit.
Driving around his neighbourhood he points out the homes of his numerous relatives, as his mother, Silvia Caldas, a youthful 43-year-old explains: "There are so many of us, so when we have a party there's no need to invite outsiders!"
Living with his mother and step-father in Spring Shadows, Gio spends his days at community college as well as working with his elder brother Josh who has a small business selling gun parts online.
Spring Shadows is a predominantly Mexican-American neighbourhood with modest, single-storey homes and surprisingly large yards. It doesn't appear run-down until you visit the predominantly White-American Hedwig Village on the opposite side of the freeway that divides the two neighbourhoods.
There, the schools and government facilities are much smarter and almost lavish. The homes are larger and the roads and pavements better maintained. Still, Gio loves his neighbourhood, acknowledging that he doesn't know much beyond his own 'little bubble' - though he did make an eye-opening (for him), two-week long trip earlier in the year to New York and Yale University to stay with a high school friend.
"Everyone at Yale values social connections and the environment is so productive. I was amazed by the density of New York - so different from Houston - and I kept on thinking you'd have to do something really special to stand out in that city."
When we stop at Taqueria Cancun - a lively local eatery - for dinner, Gio, whose Spanish is barely adequate mumbles through the orders. Later he explains: "I can understand and I can speak a bit. After my parents separated, my mother (unlike my father) wasn't so insistent about me using Spanish. My elder brothers are fluent. In fact they talk with my dad in Spanish all the time. Now that I'm older, I notice the distance from my culture I guess that's what's made me separate from my Mexican identity."
He can still remember visiting Monterrey, his father's home-town and being struck by how much more difficult life was over there.
Gio defers a great deal to Josh, falling silent as his brother explains the gun business, showing in turn the various AR15 automatic rifle parts they stock and later showing me how to handle a gun safely.
Josh is a passionate Libertarian. He is scathing of 'big' government and is critical of President Obama's anti-gun rhetoric.
In fact, unbeknownst to me, Josh has been carrying a small Glock pistol all along, tucked in to his waistband of his jeans. Coming from a country where gun-ownership is a taboo I feel slightly uneasy and ask him to cover the weapon immediately.
But it's as we tackle politics that the hidden subtleties of American politics are revealed: the underlying strength of Texan chauvinism and the need for outsiders to pause before they make sweeping statements about the Latino community.
The two young men and especially Josh are clear on their distaste for Mrs. Clinton, outlining their deep distrust of the former Secretary of State.
Both were disappointed by the choice of candidates but felt that Trump was the best of the two. Gio even felt that he might not vote.
Perplexed, I ask Gio how he feels about Trump's attacks on Mexicans. He answers clearly, "Trump is referring to the criminal class. I understand what he means. There's a lot of crime around my neighborhood and even we've been shot at."
Going forward it's important to bear in mind that for Hillary to win the Presidency, she'll need all the elements of President Obama's rainbow coalition to come together.
Hillary cannot afford to lose any of these all-important constituencies - educated women, gays, Asians, Latinos and African Americans and that they need to be fueled by hope for a better America and not with a sense of frustration and despair at the paucity of choices.
Karim Raslan
Mon Nov 07 2016
Three generations of the Vidanas in their home. - Karim Raslan
Kes cubaan bunuh digugur, keluarga mohon penjelasan AGC
Ahli keluarga kepada bekas anggota polis, Koperal Muhamad Khairul Syafiq Ahmad yang lumpuh selepas dilanggar sewaktu bertugas mengejar penjenayah meminta penjelasan Jabatan Peguam Negara (AGC) susulan kes cubaan membunuh dibawah Seksyen 307 kanun keseksaan digugurkan.
Mengambil manfaat daripada kisah lampau menerusi ziarah luar
Beberapa kepentingan Ziarah Luar termasuk mengambil pengajaran tentang sirah atau sejarah Rasulallah untuk dimanfaat secara bersama dalam konteks hari ini diterapkan semasa program Ziarah Luar yang dirangka Tabung Haji kepada petugas yang menjalankan operasi sempena musim haji tahun ini, 1445H/2024M.
Polis buru dua suspek kes tembak di Pasir Mas
Polis sedang memburu dua suspek disyaki terlibat dalam kes tembakan di Kampung Alor Pinggan, Gelang Mas, Kelantan pada awal pagi Sabtu.
Kedudukan Malaysia perlu dilihat secara menyeluruh
Laporan Indeks Kebebasan Media Dunia 2024 yang disiarkan Wartawan Tanpa Sempadan (RSF) mengenai kedudukan terkini Malaysia perlu dilihat dalam konteks yang menyeluruh.
MB zahir terima kasih atas komitmen PM bangunkan Kedah
Menteri Besar Kedah, Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor menzahirkan ucapan terima kasih dan penghargaan di atas kesediaan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim mendengar dan meluluskan permintaan Kedah berkaitan projek-projek pembangunan di negeri ini.
PM arah TPM cari solusi tingkat pelajar TVET
Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim turut meminta TPM, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi untuk mencari jalan penyelesaian dalam menangani kekurangan pelajar TVET bagi memeuhi permintaan industri berteknologi tinggi.
Masalah di Kedah selesai dalam tempoh dua bulan- PM
Kerajaan Persekutuan memberikan komitmen untuk menoktahkan masalah miskin tegar membabitlan 2,500 keluarga di negeri Kedah dalam tempoh dua bulan.
China padam impian Malaysia beraksi di pentas final
Hasrat Malaysia untuk menamatkan kemarau 32 tahun menjulang Piala Thomas tidak kesampaian apabila tewas kepada tuan rumah China, 1-3 dalam aksi suku akhir edisi 2024.
Berita tempatan pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Berikut adalah berita yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang Sabtu, 4 Mei 2024.
14 terkorban, banjir dan tanah runtuh di Sulawesi Selatan
Pasukan mencari dan menyelamat kebangsaan Indonesia (Basarnas) mengesahkan 14 terkorban susulan banjir dan tanah runtuh yang melanda Kabupaten Luwu di wilayah Sulawesi Selatan pada Jumaat.
Ceritalah USA: Masyarakat Afrika-Amerika dan peralihan kepada Trump
Dilema Andy Russell, masyarakat Afrika-Amerika dan peralihan kepada Trump.
Ceritalah USA: Lawrencia Atakora bosan persepsi ke atas kelompok minoriti
Wanita yang bosan dengan sentimen minoriti ini turut kecewa dengan kempen Republikan yang menurutnya, dibangunkan daripada pembohongan.
Ceritalah USA - Alyiah Al Bonjim
Reaksi Alyiah Al-Bonijim, pelajar 19 tahun di University Michigan, tentang Donald Trump yang bakal menjadi Presiden Amerika Syarikat yang ke-45.
Ceritalah USA: Zachary Shinske, si anak kampung
Baginya, Obama pemimpin yang membawa kerosakan. Walaupun tidak menuduh Presiden ke-44 itu rasuah atau tidak jujur, dia menggelengkan kepala pada Obamacare dan kekacauan yang memuncak di Asia Barat
Ceritalah USA - Ketika China bertambah kuat, Amerika semakin lemah: Kisah dua kuasa besar
Tentunya, kombinasi kekeliruan tentang penggunaan akaun emel Hilary serta sumber dana Yayasan Clinton telah membangkitkan perasaan curiga terhadap integriti pasangan ini.
Ceritalah USA: Menjadi warga Texas - Giovanni Vidana
Ketika lawatan singkatnya menemui masyarakat Mexico di Houston, Texas, Karim Raslan mendapati tidak semua warga Mexico membenci Donald Trump.
Ceritalah USA - Industri teknologi perlu dimensi kemanusiaan
Siapa lagi yang perlukan pekerja apabila robot boleh melakukan kerja yang sama?
Ceritalah USA: Filipino Amerika sebagai kuasa baru
Meskipun masyarakat Filipino Amerika adalah kelompok Asia Amerika yang kedua terbesar di negara itu, mereka merasakan mereka selama ini diabaikan oleh arus perdana.
Ceritalah USA - Quinn Dang: Menjadi Orang Amerika
Duduk di luar perpustakaan universitinya yang tampak anggun, dia bercerita kepada saya tentang satu masalah utama yang dihadapi oleh banyak pelajar kolej di Amerika: hutang.
Ceritalah USA
Mendarat di London pada pagi 23 Jun 2016, saya adalah antara jutaan orang yang tergamam dengan tindak balas pengundi terhadap sempadan terbuka, perdagangan bebas serta elit liberal dan kosmopolitan.