MTA tries to reach Latino riders with Spanish-language blog

Responding to an increasing Latino population and ridership, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Friday launched “el pasajero”, the nation’s first blog in Spanish from a major transit agency.

“We have to recognize that the majority of our customers are Latino,” said Marc Littman of Metro. “We want to put a Latino face on Metro, so people can identify that it’s not just white bureaucrats running this agency.”

At least 61% of Metro’s bus and rail passengers are Latino, as well as 37% of the agency’s employees, Littman said.

Jazmín Ortega, a former journalist for La Opinión and head editor of the blog, said the aim was to create an interactive experience for Metro’s Latino passengers by providing news and features from the agency as well as photos and video.

 “Metro can be an agency that’s misunderstood,” Ortega said. The blog aims to answer questions such as “What does Metro do? How do they spend their money?”

The blog’s first post was a welcome message - “¡Bienvenido!” the headline read. “Todos somos pasajeros en busca de nuestro destino,” the lede read – “We are all passengers in search of our destination.”

“The growing influence of Latinos is everywhere,” said Jose Ubaldo of Metro, who oversees the blog. “And it’s growing.”

Actor Edward James Olmos was at the launch of the blog and said the blog was necessary and that increasing public transportation “is the most important thing we can be doing in this city.”
He spoke passionately about the removal of the Red Car trolleys that once crisscrossed the city, and said he hopes Metro can re-create and increase the public transit access that was once provided.

The launch came as part of the second annual Hispánicize 2011 public relations and social media conference. A piece of artwork in the hotel’s hallway where the event was held was a hologram with the words “The English Language is about one half redundant.”

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--Ari Bloomekatz

Photo: Riding a Metro rail line. Mel Melcon / L.A. Times

Comments

[Marley]

This is EXACTLY what's wrong with this city. If you cater to just them why should they bother to learn English and adopt American culture. What about Korean riders, or Chinese? This is just another step toward the Mexicolizing of the city and state. Disgusting.

[Astonished]

Thank you Marley, I couldn't have said it better myself, and I completely agree with you.

[lolo]

I also agree with you, it should all be in English only!

[lolo]

The whole LA transit system already caters to only Mexicans! Everything is in spainish...even the transit tv is all Mexican. All the subways only run through the Mexican neighborhoods. Now we have to wait 30 years for a west side subway?????

[GBradshaw]

MTA should spend time updating the systems for the hearing-impaired coummunity so we will know in case of emergency. I have nothing against this program, but you really need to be focusing on other issues.

[DrZaius_H8s_U2]

And the balkanization of the United States continues...

[greg]

Mexican culture and the Spanish language has been, is and will be a part of American culture. Deal with it. There is no official language of this country. Deal with that, too. We are multilingual and multicultural society. Speaking languages other than English does not make someone less patriotic or American because of it. Check your history and check yourself.

[Joan 2nd]

Greg, you need to reread the history books since you have a problem of comprehending what the history books have to say.

[DrZaius_H8s_U2]

In the history of Man there has never been a nation that could be described as being ‘multicultural’ that has risen up into prominence and prosperity. To the contrary, multiculturalism has proven to be the source of much societal tension, unrest, and ultimately destruction. Regional variances in cultures with the same basic foundation are one thing, intrusion of wholly foreign cultures into an established culture are another thing all together. The United States was (and notice I said ‘was’) successful due to the deliberate and willful act of assimilation practiced by its variety of immigrants. In today’s world, however, liberals have tried to make ‘assimilation’ into a dirty word associated with nefarious sounding concepts like ‘imperialism’ and ‘colonialism’. Cute little catch phrases like ‘strength through diversity’ roll off the tongue like feel-good drops of honey, but those parroting the mantra never stop to realize the utter nonsense of this naive idea.

[hector]

"Hispánicize 2011 public relations and social media conference. A piece of artwork in the hotel’s hallway where the event was held was a hologram with the words “The English Language is about one half redundant.”

Well i knew they were taking over, but i didnt realize they are organized now.

"The English language is about one half redundant??" I dont care, this is america- learn it, use it, embrace it!!!

[Vikram]

greg, well said!

[Kim]

Greg what color is the sky in your world?? English is the language the Constitution is written in. English is the language taught in America's schools...I guess you draw your own conclusions. We are not an amalgamation of languages rather a mix of cultures, legal immigrants who come here should at least learn English out of respect for the country. When I lived in Paris for 2 years, I learned to speak fluent French. We are not multilingual just because you say we are...we are multilingual in California because the government doesn't respect the country and wants as many Democratic voters as they can mash into the state.

[Skip]

I agree with Greg. Obviously these Mexi-phobes havent been to Lil Armenia, Tokyo,Chinatown, lil Saigon and so on. All these little places are filled with signs of their respective languages and people speak those languages there all the time. And yes they have their gang problems there too. But all the focus and hate is on Hispanics. ---Fear of a Brown Planet

[swhitS]

I think it is time for a lawsuit against these "authorities" who do not uphold our immigration laws.
Learn English, assimilate and be loyal to one country - America.

[Lee Lewis]

A couple of years ago the languages spoken in this country is 134 should we print in all languages. We have had a chance to make English our official language if I remember correctly 3 time and each time it failed. It is true that a country must absorb others from other countries and make our language, culture and way the only ones of the people who adopt this country and stop trying to change our society, if they miss their country they can alway go back to the country they move from because of what was going on in their country, don"t bring it to ours.

[Spokker]

Speaking as a person of Hispanic descent, it is completely condescending for Metro to "reach out to Latinos" by starting a Spanish language blog, as if Latinos don't know English. Most do. And most are learning.

Important information should be translated to Spanish and other languages to help those from previous generations to get around on transit, but a whole blog? Come on.

I hope that someday we don't have to print everything in sixteen different languages. Today's generation is growing up and learning English. To accommodate Spanish and other languages even more only slows down that transition.

[Spokker]

"We are multilingual and multicultural society. Speaking languages other than English does not make someone less patriotic or American because of it. "

Yes, it's all very cute to go down to Olvera Street on Cinco De Mayo and pretend to be multicultural for a day, but for the day to day business of society, agreeing on one language to conduct that business in is preferred over having 20 different languages that must all be accommodated equally.

There are pros and cons to multiculturalism and this is something we must have an honest discussion about.

[Jesse]

to me this has nothing to do with special treatment towards latinos. it is business. they are, we are, the majority of the ridership. i guess. and if the customer is happy, he keeps coming back.

you think corporations care about your xenophobia? they make spanish commercials to sell their products to us regardless. in the end, money is money. i bet you that if you had a business, you would realize too that the latino market is a gold mine. you're going to denigrate it?

[Ruben]

Just because some of you are talking about history: 1) Southern California was Mexico. 2) America continent was discovered thanks to kingdom of Spain. 3) Have you seen the bells along the 101 freeway? Those with "El Camino Real" signs? Do you know what they mean? 4) Do you know something about the 21 missions in California and why are here? Who was Junipero Serra? (from Spain, by the way) 5) Language on the United States constitution is English, but itself has no text saying that English is the official language of the country. 6) We can go on and on and on... so please, don't talk about history when the very roots of this country are from Spain, Ireland, French, England and Latinamerica. This country was made and will be made by immigrants. Those who call themselves "the american people", where are they coming from? When this piece of land was discovered everybody here was indian.

If you simply don't understand that this country is plural, multilanguage and multicultural, you simplty don't understand the reality or what is worst, you don't want to accept it. But the reality is that there are more latinos everyday. Do you know the Mayor? Do you know the Speaker of the California Assembly? Do you know the President of the City Council? Have you seen the census numbers as well? Have you heard what experts are saying?

Come on, guys, the days when United States was just white and English are OVER! If you don't start learning Spanish now you are the ones who will be in disadvantage. The rules of the game have changed.

[Judy]

Okay so the powers that be have allowed various areas to keep their language. I get it-it's about pandering for votes. People like Greg only foster this. It isn't about multiculturalism it's about many cultures uniting under common bonds; one of which is English!

[Spokker]

"to me this has nothing to do with special treatment towards latinos. it is business. they are, we are, the majority of the ridership. "

Just because the majority of riders are Latino does not mean the majority of riders only speak Spanish. That Latinos don't know English and don't want to learn is an offensive stereotype.

[Spokker]

"Do you know the Mayor?"

He speaks English.

"Do you know the Speaker of the California Assembly?"

He speaks English.

"Do you know the President of the City Council?"

English, again.

Sorry, but those who don't know English are going to be at a big disadvantage. The worst thing that Hispanic community can do is fall into this trap where it's easy not to learn English and just rely on Spanish. Any Spanish speaking parent that doesn't foster their child's English skills is putting their kids at a severe disadvantage. Public agencies are making it easier and easier not to learn English.

[Patty]

All these comments crack me up! Every one is so scared of Hispanics.
Too bad! We are taking over! Have you seen the Census numbers? Welcome to the New America, folks! I think you all need to learn Spanish. This is the reality around you. If you don't want to live in a diverse country, then maybe you should move to one where there's nothing but one race, one culture. Otherwise, suck it up and embrace it! You love us...you eat our tacos, you love our food trucks and have designed some of your own, you love our women...so stop complaining and join in on the fun!

[Xena Fobe]

I'm Caucasian, and I'm learning Spanish. I think it's a beautiful, elegant language, and luckily a lot of the words are just like English with an -o added to the end, lol. Also Ruben's right. The future is brown. I could spend my time being upset about it and insulating myself in an all-white bubble, or I could embrace it and roll with the punches. I choose the latter. In an ever-shrinking world, is knowing only one language really to anyone's advantage?