Share

A Conversation with Julián Castro, Mayor of San Antonio

By Richard André and Elana Hazghia

A rising Latino politician speaks on issues of education and immigration reform at the launch of New Destinations & Hispanic Immigrants.

Welcoming Remarks:

  • Susan Segal, President and CEO, Americas Society and Council of the Americas

Introductory Remarks:

  • Jason Marczak, Director, Policy, Americas Society and Council of the Americas

Speakers:

  • Julián Castro, Mayor, City of San Antonio
  • James Montoya, Vice President for Relationship Development, College Board (moderator)

Summary

The Americas Society and Council of the Americas and the Stanford Alumni Association hosted San Antonio Mayor Julián Castro in a program that focused on education, job creation, and immigration reform. Mayor Castro—one of the youngest mayors of a major U.S. city—discussed these issues from both a Latino and non-Latino perspective. With the U.S. Latino population now totaling over 50 million, Mayor Julián Castro’s insight was especially relevant given the national attention focused on his political rise.

This event coincided with Americas Society’s release of New Destinations & Hispanic Immigrants. This Rockefeller Foundation-funded compendium of immigration-related articles presents a multifaceted picture of what policymakers, advocates, and the general public face when trying to devise an approach to immigration that responds to the interests and needs of actors across society. Jason Marczak of the Americas Society and Council of the Americas pointed out that this report, along with the organization’s Hispanic Integration Hub, compliment Castro’s local and national work by drawing increased attention to the economic contributions of immigrants and their role in building U.S. competitiveness.

Mayor Castro’s American Dream

James Montoya of the College Board introduced Castro and reflected on the first time they met, when Montoya was dean of admissions at Stanford University. In discussing his desire to seek a life of public service, Castro spoke about the influence of his mother, who was also involved in local politics. He attributed his career in politics to her influence as a local politician and advocate for Mexican-Americans in Texas, as well as her commitment to providing a quality education for her children. “You need people who believe in you…that won’t allow failure,” said Mayor Castro. Growing up in San Antonio’s Hispanic community, Castro saw how the closeness of the population fostered his development, but at Stanford, he was also exposed to Silicon Valley and its unparalleled spirit of entrepreneurship.

These experiences taught him the value of long-term planning and community building. For that reason, he launched SA 2020—a San Antonio-wide planning initiative focused on educational attainment and economic development that has, at its core, to goal of helping the city realize its potential by 2020.

The Mayor’s Agenda

As mayor, he is faced with a wide range of issues efforts to improve Hispanic integration and promote quality education. From his personal experience in San Antonio’s inner-city school system, he learned the value of strong schools and of parental involvement. Although it’s technically out of his jurisdiction, the mayor has been involved in supporting candidates for the school board who understand the system’s dynamics and how to manage multimillion-dollar budgets.

For the Latino community, quality public education remains a top priority. According to the Texas Education Agency, Hispanic students account for 50 percent of the population of Texas schools. The U.S. Census notes that the Latino population under age 18 grew by 39 percent over the last decade. Because of the Hispanic community’s significant presence in the United States, Castro sees immigration reform as a necessary policy discussion to have on a national level. Although he does believe that there should be a penalty for entering the United States illegally, he said, “It is unrealistic to think that we will deport 11 million people.”

Hispanics in the Media

When asked about how immigration is discussed in the media, Castro initially referred to his interview last year with Stephen Colbert, where he discussed the Arizona immigration law and joked about his own legal papers and other media stereotypes about Hispanics. A 2010 article in The New York Times Magazine referred to him as a ““Post-Hispanic Hispanic Politician.” He does not view this title in a negative light, per se. In fact, Castro said that speaking in ethnic terms can be an asset.

Despite this national attention—and speaking to a public audience at AS/COA—the mayor chose not to give any indication about whether he plans to run for a higher office. In Texas, statewide office for a Democrat is an uphill battle. The mayor noted that none of the 29 statewide offices in Texas are occupied by Democrats. With Latinos now making up 16 percent of the U.S. population, he made the case that politicians at the local and national levels must appeal to the growing Hispanic voter base.

Related

Explore