Page 7 - 2023-bfw-TLC-4e

Analyzing Claims of Fact, Value, and Policy
2
Let’s take a look at an opinion piece by Luis A. Miranda Jr., which was published in the
Los Angeles Times. Its most prominent claim is one of policy: Miranda calls for an update
to the definition of philanthropy, one that will take into consideration less conventional
forms of giving. Notice how he combines claims of fact and value to ground his claim of
Argument
policy, showing first different ways generosity is practiced, then why they’re important,
and, finally, how the idea of philanthropy can change to include them.

Latino Communities Can Redefine American Generosity

Luis A. Miranda Jr.

Generosity connects human beings. It is a pow- fighting poverty, but we had a big house that was
erful core value we share across ideologies and a resource to take care of others. So, while hous-
identities. It’s how we relate to our community, ing and caring for others may not be tradition-
family and intrinsic sense of belonging. My wife, ally associated with philanthropy, it’s a valid and
Luz, and I have taught it to our kids, Lin-Manuel, under-quantified method of generosity.
Luz and Miguel — the spirit of generosity from For Hispanics, these familial relationships 5
our community in Puerto Rico to the streets of are a common thread in generosity. For
Washington Heights. everyone in the United States, those relation-
Growing up in Puerto Rico, where la familia ships could help us redefine and reimagine
is central to one’s identity, I learned from my American generosity.
parents that family, community and giving back The U.S. has seen a decline in traditional
were inextricably linked. And when I came to donation-based philanthropy, specifically an
New York, I quickly learned that family is central 18% drop between 2000 and 2018, according to a
to all Latinos. July report from Indiana University’s Lilly Family
In the Latino community, familial relation- School of Philanthropy. But those numbers
ships are broader than blood relationships; they don’t tell the whole story. The Generosity
are a complex web that connects friends, neigh- Commission, a nonpartisan group launched
bors and even people you have never met but in October, and of which I’m proud to be a
with whom you share a geographic or cultural member, was formed to better understand and
bond. Familial relationships create an important encourage both formal and informal acts of
sense of belonging that make people more likely kindness in the story of American generosity.
to give back to that infrastructure. They also sup- Right now, our measurements on giving don’t
port survival in a place where you may be per- capture the breadth and depth of generous prac-
ceived as an outsider, sending the message: We tices in diverse communities, including Latino
are in this together. philanthropy.
When Lin-Manuel and Lucecita tell stories The July survey tracked donations in the
of growing up, they always talk about how U.S., defined as giving money, assets, property or
people — family, neighbors from Puerto Rico or goods to charities directly or through payroll
friends — lived in our household because they deductions. But that excludes much of the giving
needed a place to stay. We did not have addi- people do within their own families and
tional resources to contribute to an institution communities.
64

Uncorrected proofs have been used in this sample. Copyright © Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers.
Distributed by Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers.
For review purposes only. Not for redistribution.
03_sheatlc4e_40925_ch02_058_111_4pp.indd 64 8/9/22 2:54 PM