Jill Biden slammed for comparing Latino people to tacos in what Hispanic journalists called a 'stereotype'

First Lady Jill Biden.

Seth Wenig/AP

• The first lady Jill Biden addressed a Latino group and compared their diversity to breakfast tacos.
• She called the community as "unique as the breakfast tacos here in San Antonio."
• The National Association of Hispanic Journalists said in response: "Do not reduce us to stereotypes."

A Hispanic journalists' group slammed the first lady, Jill Biden, for a Monday speech where she compared the diversity of the Latino community to the uniqueness of "breakfast tacos."

Biden was addressing the progressive Latino nonprofit group UnidosUS in San Antonio, Texas, where she said one of the group's former presidents built it with diversity in mind.

She said Raul Yzaguirre built it "with the understanding that the diversity of this community, as distinct as the bodegas of the Bronx, as beautiful as the blossoms of Miami, and as unique as the breakfast tacos here in San Antonio." She also appeared to mispronounce "bodegas" in the speech.

The comments prompted a small cheer from the crowd, and Biden laughed, according to video footage of the event.

The National Association of Hispanic Journalists shot back at Biden's speech, saying: "Using breakfast tacos to try to demonstrate the uniqueness of Latinos in San Antonio demonstrates a lack of cultural knowledge and sensitivity to the diversity of Latinos in the region."

"NAHJ encourages Dr. Biden and her speech writing team to teak the time in the future to better understand the complexities of our people and communities."

"We are not tacos. Our heritage as Latinos is shaped by various diasporas, cultures & food traditions. Do not reduce us to stereotypes."

A number of Republicans also seized on Biden's speech, with Rep. Andy Bigg of Arizona tweeting: "Jill Biden says Hispanics are as 'unique' as tacos and calls bodegas 'bogidas.' No wonder Hispanics are fleeing the Democratic Party!"

And Steve Guest, an advisor to Sen. Ted Cruz, tweeted: "Which White House speechwriter just won a bet for getting the First Lady to say something like this?" 

Janet Murguía, the president and CEO of UnidosUS, tweeted that the group was "honored" to host Biden, saying: "She has been a great educator in, and a great amiga to, our community for years. Privileged to call her a friend."

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