SAN ANTONIO — First lady Jill Biden apologized on Tuesday after receiving backlash for comments she made at a conference in San Antonio on Monday.
ABC News and USA Today reported that while speaking at the annual conference of UnidosUS when she compared the Hispanic community's diversity to breakfast tacos.
CNN reported that the gaffe came while she attempted to compliment the work of the organization's president Raul Yzaguirre, who received the Presidential Medal of Freedom last week.
She said Yzaguirre had "helped build this organization 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, is your strength," the news organizations reported.
The backlash after the speech was swift.
The National Association of Hispanic Journalists responded in a statement directed to the first lady to "not reduce us to stereotypes."
NAHJ encourages @FLOTUS & her communications team to take time to better understand the complexities of our people & communities.
We are not tacos.
Our heritage as Latinos is shaped by various diasporas, cultures & food traditions.
Do not reduce us to stereotypes. pic.twitter.com/KQIq5gwsht
— NAHJ (@NAHJ) July 12, 2022
Biden's spokesperson Michael LaRosa tweeted a brief apology on Tuesday morning.
"The First Lady apologizes that her words conveyed anything but pure admiration and love for the Latino community," the tweet said.
The First Lady apologizes that her words conveyed anything but pure admiration and love for the Latino community.
— Michael LaRosa (@MichaelLaRosa46) July 12, 2022
