A recent clip of Representative Delia Ramirez speaking in Mexico City ignited a firestorm. In Spanish, she stated, “Yo soy guatemalteca con mucho orgullo, primero que soy americana.” Some rushed to incorrectly translate this as “I’m a proud Guatemalan before I am an American,” prompting justified outrage.
But that’s not what she said.
As someone who came to this country from Mexico and became a naturalized citizen, Spanish is my first language. It’s the language I speak with my son at home. I want him to know his roots. And because of that, I can tell you that a more accurate translation of what Ramirez said is: “I am Guatemalan with great pride; first of all, I am American.”
That’s not anti-American—it’s exactly what we should want from immigrants in this country: proud of their background, but loyal to America.
But this moment highlights something bigger than a debate over translation. It’s a reminder that we need to talk about what it means to be American First.
When I took my oath of citizenship, I didn’t just recite words—I made a choice. I renounced all other allegiances because I wanted to be part of this country fully, without conditions or divided loyalties. That meant something to me. It still does.
I’m proud of my Mexican heritage but as an American–I consider myself a proud American Mexican. I’m an American First.
The funny thing is that this is such an uncontroversial issue. I’ve spoken with dozens of Americans whose ancestry comes from all over the world—Mexico, Italy, Greece, Argentina—you name it. And they all get it. No matter where their families came from, they are American First.
That’s the kind of unity we need more of.
Rather than obsess over what makes us different, let’s celebrate what brings us together. That’s why the Our America Foundation is launching the Our American First Initiative, a campaign that highlights proud Americans of diverse backgrounds who share a deep love for this country. Whether their roots are in Guatemala, Nigeria, Poland, Russia, Australia or Vietnam, they are bound by the same values and the same allegiance—to the United States of America.
They all came from somewhere else…but ended up in the same place–America.
No matter where we came from, we are all Americans. And we should all be united in our support for our great nation.
To get involved in this initiative, send me your 30-second videos gabe@joinouramerica.org and answer the following questions.
- What’s your name?
- Where is your family from? (Are you a first generation American, new immigrant or has your family been here for generations?)
- Why do you love America?
- Be sure to end your video with “I am proud of my XXXX heritage, but I am an American First.”
