Tuesday, October 15, 2024

11-year-old Latino Responds to Racial Slurs With Grace After Singing National Anthem at NBA Game

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11-year-old Sebastien De La Cruz has demonstrated maturity beyond his years after confronting racist remarks over his Mexican-American heritage following his national anthem performance during Game 3 of the NBA finals.

Thousands of fans applauded the young singer, while some were appalled by the boy’s traditional mariachi outfit which sparked a series of anti-immigrant tweets.

In a brief press conference Wednesday Sebastien stated, “They don’t know my life. My father was actually in the Navy for a really long time…People don’t know, they just assume that I’m just Mexican. But I’m not from Mexico, I’m from San Antonio born and raised, a true San Antonio Spurs fan.”

Feeling optimistic, De La Cruz acknowledged the overpowering support he has received since his performance.

“With the racism remarks, to be honest, it’s just about how people were raised. My father and my mother told me that you should never judge people by how they look. You should judge them on the inside. And the saying that I go by is ‘never judge a book by its cover,’” said Sebastien.

NBC Latino