Dear Hot Taco,

Take it down!

Your decor is racist. Yes, R-A-C-I-S-T!  Your entry statue, of the sleeping Latino man, is one of the oldest and most widespread Latino stereotypes that exist.  The proverbial “lazy Mexican dozing off” is offensive, and the association of laziness to the ‘siesta’ is a misrepresentation of Latino culture, and without a doubt a harmful stereotype.  It’s beyond belief that you spent money on these statues, and consider them decoration-- when at best they are the work of deliberate prejudice, ignorance, and a complete lack of historical knowledge of Latinos, Mexicans in particular.

For years, this image has been used as a shorthand way to ridicule Mexicans (and other Latinos), mock their culture, and devalue their identity.  Racist caricatures have no business decorating a business, and they must come down.  The stereotype that Mexicans are lazy is one that Mexicans & other Latinos are still battling to this day—despite the fact that many of our friends and family work long hours in low-wage service sector jobs, or on dangerous construction sites, where wage theft, racial profiling and other abuse driven by an anti-immigrant climate are a daily reality.

Negative, offensive and harmful cultural stereotypes shouldn't be reinforced.  Latinos in a city like Charlotte, with one of the fasted growing populations, shouldn’t have to tolerate public racism. Remove the statues now!

Sincerely,

Amalia Deloney