Sea Fuerte, Buena Suerte

Today, I spent a good deal of time talking with our weekend cleaning contractors, Cesar and Maria, about the post-Trump era. This is the last day of our tourist season, so I will probably not see them until the Spring. I told them that there were 'anglos' who still support their latino friends and neighbors, and will defend them if things take a turn for the worse. Cesar is Peruvian by birth, so he remembers the Fujimori regime, with its corruption and civil rights abuses. We commiserated a bit about a society which would put a ladrón in the seat of power. I tried to reassure Maria that Trump was lazy and mendacious, so he probably wouldn't follow up on many of his campaign promises. I also told her somos juntos, that New Yorkers will stand with their immigrant friends.

When Maria's husband came with their children to pick her up, I bid farewell to this family that I have come to be very fond of, and told them 'Buena suerte, sea fuerte. Somos juntos. No olvidaremos nuestros amigos inmigrantes.' Good luck, be strong. We are united. We will not forget our immigrant friends. When it came time for Cesar to leave, I bid him the same. I told them both that they knew where to find me if they ran into any problems. In a time of uncertainty, we have to stick together. I know a lot of people are sad. That's not my nature, I'm motivated.