Ted Loza

Mr. Loza came to the United States with his family when he was eight years old from Ecuador. He did not speak a word of English when he came, but is now fluent in four languages: English, Portuguese, French, and Spanish. He urged the students to recognize their roots while being thankful for the opportunities the U.S. provides—especially access to education.

• Ward 1 is home to the largest concentration of Latinos, Asians, and Africans (specifically Ethiopians) in Washington, D.C. Ward 5 covers the neighborhoods of Adams Morgan, Columbia Heights, LeDroit Park, Mount Pleasant, Park View, Pleasant Plains, Reed Cooke, and Cardozo/Shaw.
   
• Immigrants first came to Ward 1 in the 1970s to flee the wars in Central American countries. Immigrants, especially Latinos, were attracted to Ward 1 because the housing was cheaper than in other parts of the city. However, in the last five years, Ward 1 has undergone lots of changes due to gentrification that affects immigrants and their ability to live in their homes and access services.
   
• Many of the first Latino immigrants who came to Ward 1 were from El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico (the Chiapas region), and Honduras. Immigrants continue to arrive to reunite with family members.
   
• Immigrants often leave everything behind in their home country for better opportunities in the U.S., whether it is for work or for an education. Mr. Loza told us his own story as a young boy growing up in poverty in Equador. He remembered that his expectations of the U.S. were based on t.v. programs that made him think the U.S. was a beautiful place with beautiful people and lots of money everywhere.
   
• It is important for Latinos to vote so that their voice can be heard politically in the country. As of February 2006, there are 28.5 million Latinos in the U.S., followed by 27.5 million African Americans.