NPR Series: 2 Languages, Many Voices: Latinos In The U.S. https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=141162599 Latinos make up America's largest minority group — more than 50.5 million and growing. A <em>Morning Edition</em> series looks at the ways Latinos are changing — and being changed by — the U.S. en Copyright 2024 NPR - For Personal Use Only Story API Shim 1.2.24 Thu, 03 Apr 2025 04:53:51 -0400 https://media.npr.org/images/podcasts/primary/npr_generic_image_300.jpg?s=200 NPR Series: 2 Languages, Many Voices: Latinos In The U.S. https://www.npr.org/series/141162599/two-languages-many-voices-latinos-in-the-u-s In Miami, School Aims For 'Biliterate' Education At Coral Way, the children of political refugees fleeing Cuba in the 1960s were not only expected to learn English, but also expected to remain fluent in Spanish and hold on to their culture. Today's students can read, speak and write in both languages. Tue, 25 Oct 2011 05:00:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2011/10/25/141584947/in-miami-school-aims-for-bi-literate-education https://www.npr.org/2011/10/25/141584947/in-miami-school-aims-for-bi-literate-education At Coral Way Elementary School in Miami-Dade County, students take classes in Spanish in the morning, then switch to English in the afternoon.

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At Coral Way, the children of political refugees fleeing Cuba in the 1960s were not only expected to learn English, but also expected to remain fluent in Spanish and hold on to their culture. Today's students can read, speak and write in both languages.

(Image credit: Claudio Sanchez)

]]> Claudio Sanchez Moreno, Leguizamo Talk Latin Life In 'Hollywouldn't' They rose to fame 40 years apart, but Rita Moreno and John Leguizamo say they both faced some of the same hurdles in a town that sometimes just sees brown — and they both got over them with a signature sense of humor. Mon, 24 Oct 2011 05:21:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2011/10/24/141594495/moreno-leguizamo-talk-latin-life-in-hollywouldnt https://www.npr.org/2011/10/24/141594495/moreno-leguizamo-talk-latin-life-in-hollywouldnt Four's The Score: One of a handful of performers to score an EGOT — an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony — Rita Moreno is revisiting the highlights and lowlights of her life and career in a new solo show.

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They rose to fame 40 years apart, but Rita Moreno and John Leguizamo say they both faced some of the same hurdles in a town that sometimes just sees brown — and they both got over them with a signature sense of humor.

(Image credit: Michael LaMonica)

]]> Mandalit del Barco Spanish, English And Spanglish: Facebook Fans React We turned to NPR's Facebook fans to learn how they are being affected by the increased use of Spanish in the United States. We were surprised by the range and diversity of responses. Wed, 19 Oct 2011 06:00:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2011/10/19/141235534/spanish-english-and-spanglish-facebook-fans-react https://www.npr.org/2011/10/19/141235534/spanish-english-and-spanglish-facebook-fans-react A sign spells out Se Habla Espanol (Spanish Spoken Here).

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We turned to NPR's Facebook fans to learn how they are being affected by the increased use of Spanish in the United States. We were surprised by the range and diversity of responses.

]]> Tasnim Shamma U.S. Hispanics Choose Churches Outside Catholicism As their numbers grow in the U.S., Latinos are not only changing where and how they worship; they're also beginning to affect the larger Christian faith. Wed, 19 Oct 2011 00:01:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2011/10/19/141275979/u-s-hispanics-choose-churches-outside-catholicism https://www.npr.org/2011/10/19/141275979/u-s-hispanics-choose-churches-outside-catholicism Natalie Ochoa (left) and her mother, Betty Ochoa, say that services at the New Life Covenant church are less formal than those of the Catholic church they once attended.

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As their numbers grow in the U.S., Latinos are not only changing where and how they worship; they're also beginning to affect the larger Christian faith.

(Image credit: Barbara Bradley Hagerty)

]]> Barbara Bradley Hagerty Girl In A Coma: Rockers Tackle Their Second Language The Texas trio performs loud Latin alt-rock in both English and Spanish — though its members are only fluent in one of the two. Wed, 19 Oct 2011 00:01:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2011/10/19/141475757/girl-in-a-coma-rockers-tackle-their-second-language https://www.npr.org/2011/10/19/141475757/girl-in-a-coma-rockers-tackle-their-second-language Girl in a Coma performs in both English and Spanish — though none of the members is fluent in the latter.

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The Texas trio performs loud Latin alt-rock in both English and Spanish — though its members are only fluent in one of the two.

(Image credit: Josh Huskin)

]]> Felix Contreras Author Malin Alegria Builds On 'Estrella's' Star Power In 2006, Malin Alegria's debut novel was unique in the world of young adult fiction: It followed a Mexican-American girl through a quintessential coming-of-age experience — the <em>quinceanera</em>. Today, Alegria's book is still celebrated in Latino communities — and publishers are starting to pay attention. Tue, 18 Oct 2011 00:01:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2011/10/18/141428890/ya-author-celebrates-growing-up-latino-in-the-usa https://www.npr.org/2011/10/18/141428890/ya-author-celebrates-growing-up-latino-in-the-usa Malin Alegria lives in San Jose, Calif., where she teaches and writes.

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In 2006, Malin Alegria's debut novel was unique in the world of young adult fiction: It followed a Mexican-American girl through a quintessential coming-of-age experience — the quinceanera. Today, Alegria's book is still celebrated in Latino communities — and publishers are starting to pay attention.

(Image credit: Dulce Baron)

]]> Nishat Kurwa For A Bilingual Writer, 'No One True Language' Gustavo Perez Firmat is a Cuban-American who writes novels, memoirs, poetry, and academic works in both Spanish and English. "But I have the feeling that I'm not fluent in either one," he says. "Words fail me in both of them." Mon, 17 Oct 2011 00:01:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2011/10/17/141368408/for-a-bilingual-writer-no-one-true-language https://www.npr.org/2011/10/17/141368408/for-a-bilingual-writer-no-one-true-language Gustavo Perez Firmat is a Cuban-American who writes novels, memoirs, poetry, and academic works in both Spanish and English. "But I have the feeling that I'm not fluent in either one," he says. "Words fail me in both of them."

]]> NPR Staff Immigrant Parents Rely On Kids For Help Online The digital divide separates those who have access to technology from those who don't. But there's another digital divide that has gotten less attention: Those who don't speak English are often ill-equipped to navigate the online world, even when they have good access to it. Kids are helping their parents bridge that gap. Wed, 12 Oct 2011 00:01:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2011/10/12/141232534/immigrant-parents-rely-on-kids-for-help-online https://www.npr.org/2011/10/12/141232534/immigrant-parents-rely-on-kids-for-help-online A Spanish-language pamphlet for Cingular phone-rate information is displayed in a Cingular store in Elmhurst, Ill. Cingular announced in 2006 that it was converting 420 of its stores to "a bilingual concept," with both English and Spanish phone information and payment options, and bilingual staff members.

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The digital divide separates those who have access to technology from those who don't. But there's another digital divide that has gotten less attention: Those who don't speak English are often ill-equipped to navigate the online world, even when they have good access to it. Kids are helping their parents bridge that gap.

(Image credit: Tim Boyle)

]]> Alex Schmidt I Love Ricky For one Cuban-American kid growing up in Miami, hearing Spanish spoken on <em>I Love Lucy</em> was a surprisingly important experience with English-language media. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 08:48:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2011/10/11/141229077/i-love-ricky https://www.npr.org/2011/10/11/141229077/i-love-ricky For one Cuban-American kid growing up in Miami, hearing Spanish spoken on I Love Lucy was a surprisingly important experience with English-language media.

]]> Luis Clemens The Subtleties Of Marketing Beer To Latinos As Latinos become a bigger segment of the U.S. population, the beer industry is trying more nuanced ways of influencing them. "We segment them by their attitudes as well as demographics," says marketer Jim Sabia, whose company distributes Corona and other Mexican beers. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 00:01:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2011/10/11/141152273/the-subtleties-of-marketing-beer-to-latinos https://www.npr.org/2011/10/11/141152273/the-subtleties-of-marketing-beer-to-latinos

As Latinos become a bigger segment of the U.S. population, the beer industry is trying more nuanced ways of influencing them. "We segment them by their attitudes as well as demographics," says marketer Jim Sabia, whose company distributes Corona and other Mexican beers.

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