This past weekend, I was in San Antonio, Texas, attending several meetings and participating in a speaking event. One of the most meaningful moments occurred before anyone took the stage.
The event began with the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by our national anthem, sung by a member of the United States Air Force.
As I stood listening, my thoughts went to Francis Scott Key and the story behind The Star-Spangled Banner.
Key wrote the poem that became our national anthem during the War of 1812. After boarding a British ship to help secure the release of an American prisoner, he was prevented from immediately returning to shore. From a vessel in Baltimore Harbor, he watched the British bombardment of Fort McHenry through the night.
Through the smoke and uncertainty, the question was whether the American flag was still flying.
When morning came, it was.
Standing in San Antonio more than two centuries later, I thought about that image—and about Hispanics in America today.
These are difficult and uncertain times, particularly for many immigrants. Families who have worked, paid taxes, raised children, started businesses, built homes, and strengthened communities can feel targeted or even under siege. The rhetoric surrounding immigration can leave people wondering whether their contributions are valued and whether they are truly wanted in the country they have helped build.
And yet, there we were.
We stood to pledge allegiance. We stood to honor the flag. We stood respectfully as a member of our Armed Forces sang the national anthem.
There is a powerful irony in that moment: a population that can feel persecuted still rises for the flag of the country in which that struggle is taking place.
But perhaps it is more than irony. Perhaps it is an extraordinary expression of faith in America.
When people who feel marginalized still say “liberty and justice for all,” those words carry special meaning. They become both a declaration of loyalty and an expectation that America will live up to its promise.
Our history is filled with people who loved this country enough to challenge it to become better. People who were denied equality continued to demand equality. Those who faced discrimination continued to work, serve, sacrifice, and contribute.
Hispanics are part of that American story.
We build America’s homes and infrastructure. We start businesses and create jobs. We educate children, care for families, serve our communities, and wear the uniform of the United States military. Our growing population will be increasingly important to America’s workforce, economy, and continued prosperity.
That isn’t simply a Hispanic issue. It is an American one.
We don’t stand for the flag because America has always been perfect. We stand because we believe in what America promises to be.
Patriotism does not require silence when our country falls short of its ideals. Loving America and demanding that America live up to its promises are not contradictions.
That is what stayed with me as I left San Antonio.
More than 200 years ago, Francis Scott Key looked through the smoke and searched for a flag.
Today, many Hispanics are looking through a different kind of uncertainty and asking: Is America’s promise still there for us?
I believe it is.
Despite everything, we still rise. We still pledge allegiance. We still contribute. We still believe.
We are not standing outside the American story asking to be let in. We are already part of it. And the flag belongs to us, too.
Sergio Barajas is the executive director of the National Hispanic Construction Alliance, where he leads the organization’s work to expand capacity building, access to capital, and business opportunities for Hispanic contractors and construction professionals. Over a 30-year career spanning housing development, construction, and financing, he has held roles with the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals, Freddie Mac, the National Community Stabilization Trust, and the Los Angeles Housing Department. Based in San Diego, California, Sergio writes about workforce development, advocacy, and the role of the Hispanic construction workforce in building a stronger and more equitable industry.
Keep up with Sergio Barajas HERE!
