Why Would a Taiwanese Mayor Speak Spanish?*

Published in Sankei Shimbun
(Japan) on 26 January 2024
by Yusuke Hirata (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Dorothy Phoenix. Edited by Michelle Bisson.
At a Democratic primary election event held in New Hampshire on Jan. 23, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, who was calling for people to vote for President Joe Biden in the November, spoke to reporters in Spanish.

Republican Sen. Marco Rubio, who is of Cuban descent, is notable for speaking Spanish, but Wu is a second-generation Taiwanese immigrant. I thought that this was an unexpected combination, but when asked if she routinely speaks Spanish, Wu responded that while Spanish is not her native language, she uses it when she feels that it is appropriate.

About 8% of people in the Boston metropolitan area speak Spanish. While not thought to be absolutely necessary, Wu's practice of speaking to others in Spanish as well demonstrates a belief in not failing to hear minority voices.

From early childhood, Wu helped her parents, who struggled with English, and even after she became a working adult, she often took care of her older siblings. While the goodness of her personal character is certainly not a guarantee of her administrative skills, I think that this episode calls to mind where her political position of showing warmth to newcomers comes from.

I also like the thought of this personal history of a child of immigrants becoming the mayor of a major city, living the all-American dream. It gives the sense that even now, as many talented people from all around the world come to the U.S. and are given a chance at active participation, the good American tradition is still alive.


*Editor's Note: Boston Mayor Michelle Wu is a Taiwanese American.


台湾系市長がスペイン語を話す理由は?

11月の米大統領選に向け東部ニューハンプシャー州で23日に行われた民主党側の予備選で、バイデン大統領への投票を呼びかけたボストン市のミシェル・ウー市長がスペイン語で取材に応じる姿を見かけた。

米国の政治家ではキューバ系のルビオ上院議員(共和党)がスペイン語の使い手として有名だが、ウー氏は台湾系移民の2世。意外な組み合わせだと思い、普段からスペイン語を使うのか尋ねたら、ウー氏は「母語ではないが、スペイン語が妥当だと思うときには話します」と答えた。

ボストン都市圏でスペイン語を話す人の割合は約8%。絶対に必要というわけではないと思うが、相手に合わせてスペイン語で話すウー氏の様子には、「少数派の声を聞き逃さない」という信条が表れていた。

ウー氏は幼少期から英語に苦労する親を助け、社会人になってからも年下のきょうだいの世話をよくしたという。人柄の良さが行政手腕の確かさを担保するわけではないが、新参者に温かい視線を向ける政治姿勢の原点を想起させるエピソードだと思う。

移民の子が全米有数の大都市の市長となるという経歴も、世界中から多様な人材を受け入れ、活躍の機会を与えてきた米国の良き伝統が今も息づいていることを実感させてくれ、好ましいと思った。(平田雄介)
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