ArcaMax

SAN DIEGO -- The word of the day is reverberating through the world of college football: "Heismendoza." And it's powerful.

As a Mexican American, my father was always excited to see a brown face in a high place. We'd be watching the news, and he'd spot a Spanish surname. He'd point at the screen like a little boy on Christmas morning and blurt out: "Look, a Latino!"

Born in 1941 and raised in the farmland of California's Central Valley, he worked his whole life to overcome discrimination, low expectations and a limited sense of possibility. He figured out that seeing someone who looks like you accomplish something great could motivate you to reach your dreams. When I was a teenager, he would come into my room holding a newspaper clipping to show me a story about someone breaking a barrier, making history or achieving excellence.

Someone like Fernando Mendoza, the 22-year-old star quarterback for the Indiana Hoosiers and winner of the 2025 Heisman Trophy. In his acceptance speech, Mendoza -- who previously played for the California Golden Bears of U.C. Berkeley before transferring to Indiana University -- came across as an impressive young man whose qualities extend beyond the gridiron. He comes across as humble, classy and respectful. He was quick to share the award with his teammates. He also shared the honor with his mother, Elsa, who is battling multiple sclerosis and who the football player often cites as his inspiration.

"You taught me that toughness doesn't need to be loud," he said from the stage at the Heisman ceremony in New York City. "It can be quiet and strong. It's choosing hope. It's believing in yourself when the world doesn't give you much reason to."

That's what my dad was talking about. Having graduated near the bottom of his high school class before finding purpose in the U.S. Army, my old man understood that the world doesn't offer a whole lot of laurels or salutes. Quite the contrary. It's full of people who are going to tell you that you can't do something. You ignore those people, he would say. And then you work your tail off to prove them wrong.

It's clear that Mendoza worked hard to get to where he is today. Having shepherded the Hoosiers to their perch atop the Big 10 Conference with a perfect record of 13-0, his story is the shot in the arm that the Latino community needed during this dark period.

"The Troubles" is what I call it. In today's distorted version of America, having dark skin or a Spanish accent -- or doing anything that raises the suspicion of a racist immigration agent -- is enough to get U.S. citizens thrown to the ground, zip-tied and detained for days.

Mendoza was born in Boston and raised in Miami. His parents were both born in the United States, and the family is of Cuban heritage. All four of Mendoza's grandparents were born in Cuba and fled to the United States after communist revolutionary Fidel Castro ousted dictator Fulgencio Batista in 1959.

Being Hispanic is a source of pride in the Mendoza family. In accepting the Heisman, the Hoosier addressed his grandparents with a few words in Spanish

This year marked the first time that the Heisman finalists included two Hispanics. Vanderbilt University quarterback Diego Pavia also made the cut.

"What a special moment for the Hispanic community," Mendoza told reporters the day before the ceremony. "It really shows all the Hispanic kids out there, whether you're Cuban, Mexican, whatever Hispanic ethnicity you are, you can make it and you can do it. This is a new age of Hispanic kids coming up."

Thanks to Mendoza -- and other high-performing children and grandchildren of castaways -- we see the real reason that many Americans feel the need to turn away refugees. It's for our survival.

We're desperate to keep out refugees because we're afraid that we can't compete with them. They come here with gravel in their guts, optimism in their hearts and a fiery spirit fueled by resilience and perseverance. Americans step into the arena with soft hands, victim mentality and a sense of entitlement. Refugees are hungry and determined, while Americans are complacent and comfortable. From there, you know how the story goes -- often for generations to come.

The complaint starts out as: "They're taking our jobs." And, with hard work and sacrifice, in a couple of generations, it can mature into: "They're taking our Heisman Trophy."

Only in America.

========

To find out more about Ruben Navarrette and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

Copyright 2025 Creators Syndicate, Inc.