Roberto Fernandez

What is something people might not know about your when they first meet you?

It’s hard to say what people think of me when they meet me, I can assume people don’t know I have 2 sisters. Another thing someone might not know when first meeting me is that I am a 2nd Generation Mexican-American.

What made you select this particular article?

I was looking for hate crimes against Mexican-Americans in Orange County, or the LatinX population, and came across this event which happened in Fullerton. Fullerton is not my hometown, but I’m familiar with the area and I felt like the article was relatable in that aspect. Also, the victim was at the hands of law enforcement which made this event relatable as well.

What might be missing from the story that would be important for readers to know?

The exact ethnicity or race of the victim is not stated in the article, but to generalize the victim was part of the LatinX community. The article provides a description of the event but there is video footage that better shows the chain of events that ultimately led to the death of Hector Hernandez.

Share a little bit about your empathy towards the victim or victims family.

I feel a relationship to the victim because we’re part of the same group of people, so what happened to him could also happen to me or my family. The crime happened in Fullerton and not some random city out of state which makes me feel like this can happen where I live, where I work, or where I go to school. The story makes me feel empathetic because I can relate to the victim and his family. The law enforcement is supposed to protect us and keep us safe but push their boundaries and it becomes another victim story in the news.