Follow LA Observed on Twitter here
Time magazine's cover this week unveils its take on the "25 Most Influential Hispanics in America." Locals meriting mini-bios include Antonio Villaraigosa, of course (looking uncharacteristically sullen in the photograph), Angels owner Arturo Moreno, entertainers George Lopez and Gustavo Santaolalla (with an honorable mention to J Lo, who still has offices in my old building in Westwood) and Antonio Gonzalez of the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project. Special L.A. Observed shout-out to the ex-Angeleno media types on the list, the former Los Angeles Times reporter-turned-novelist Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez (pictured), whose time in L.A. did not end happily, and Univision anchor Jorge Ramos, who's now based in Miami. The package says there are 41 million Americans of Hispanic heritage and includes a nationwide poll of Latino adults that found these demographics, among others:
Country of ancestryMexico … 58%
Puerto Rico … 10%
Spain … 5%
Cuba … 5%
Dominican Rep. … 4%
U.S. … 4%
El Salvador … 2%
Portugal … 1%
All others … 11%Place of birth:
Mainland U.S. 46%
Elsewhere 49%
Puerto Rico: 5%Primary language spoken at home:
Spanish 43%
English 32%
Both 23%
Other/No answer: 2%
Spanish-language blog Noti Los Angeles reacts here.