The rhythms of American life are often punctuated by the quiet, steady hum of labor. Last week, watching Felix Contreras, NPR’s longtime Alt.Latino host and the coordinator of the celebrated “El Tiny” series, introduce the legendary norteño band Los Tigres del Norte before their Tiny Desk performance, that reality came into sharp focus for Sergio Barajas. The moment served as more than just a celebration of cultural pride and musical heritage; it acted as a poignant reminder of a foundational truth that has always driven the Hispanic experience in the United States. At its core, the driving force is simple and enduring: we work.
For generations, millions of individuals have arrived in the country or grown up within its borders with a singular, driving focus. They work hard, often logging long hours in demanding industries. They build physical infrastructure, launch small businesses, cultivate enterprises, and raise families. More often than not, their overarching ambition is remarkably straightforward: to create a safer, more stable, and more prosperous life for the generations that follow.
That persistent ethos, defined by relentless effort and a forward-looking vision, is what inspired Barajas to coin the phrase “Operation We Back.”
The title itself is a deliberate play on a painful, dark chapter in modern American history: “Operation Wetback,” the 1950s federal immigration enforcement campaign that resulted in the mass removal of hundreds of thousands of Mexicans and Mexican Americans. Tragically, that mid-century sweep routinely caught up individuals who were legally present in the United States, as well as native-born U.S. citizens, leaving a generational scar of fear and mistrust within Hispanic communities across the nation.
Today, as modern immigration enforcement initiatives and policy debates once again ripple through communities from coast to coast, the historical echoes are unmistakable. While the political and logistical circumstances of today may appear distinct to outside observers, the underlying atmosphere of uncertainty, anxiety, and fear remains deeply familiar to countless families who call America home.
And yet, despite the political rhetoric and the climate of anxiety, there is another narrative that runs parallel to the enforcement debates—one that is equally vital to understanding the contemporary American landscape. It is the story of people who came to work.
It is the story of individuals who routinely wake up long before sunrise, pull on heavy work boots, and head out to demanding job sites. It is the story of those who arrived with little more than determination, learned a specialized trade, started a company from scratch, hired employees, paid their taxes on time, purchased homes, and invested their hard-earned capital into revitalizing local neighborhoods. These are people who, above all else, wanted to navigate the system and do things the right way.
That is not to say mistakes have never been made, nor does it ignore the reality that rules exist for a reason. Throughout any large demographic shift, there will inevitably be individuals who stray outside the lines. However, Barajas and other community leaders argue that society must exercise caution to avoid conflating the fundamental human desire to work, provide for a family, and secure a livelihood with criminal intent.
For generation after generation, the primary motivation has remained remarkably uncomplicated: work, provide, build, and move forward.
Nowhere is that indomitable spirit more visible today than in the American construction industry. Walk onto virtually any major job site anywhere in the country, and the evidence is immediate. Hispanic workers, independent contractors, and skilled tradespeople are actively helping to construct the physical framework of the nation. They are building the residential homes where families live, paving the roads and highways that connect cities, raising the schools where children are educated, and developing the resilient communities that people proudly call home.
These workers and entrepreneurs are not asking for handouts or special favors from the government or society. Instead, they are simply asking for a fair shake—an opportunity to prove their worth, build a business, and contribute meaningfully to the economy.
That demand for basic fairness and recognition is precisely what “Operation We Back” represents.
To back these communities means throwing support behind the individual who wakes up every single morning before dawn and commits to an honest day’s labor. It means supporting the independent contractor who started out with nothing more than a beat-up pickup truck, a basic set of hand tools, and a dream of building a sustainable enterprise that can employ others. It means backing the mother or father who endures grueling, back-breaking hours because they are determined to ensure their children have access to educational and professional opportunities that were out of reach for their parents.
Most importantly, it means backing the communities themselves—neighborhoods that are demonstrably stronger, more vibrant, and more economically resilient because these individuals chose to invest their time, talent, and financial resources into them.
This perspective does not rely on romanticized notions or the pretense that everything has always been perfect. The journey has been fraught with economic hurdles, social barriers, and systemic challenges. Rather, the focus remains squarely on recognizing the purity of intent behind the journey itself.
It embodies the spirit of pico y pala—pick and shovel. Head down, hands working diligently, family placed first, and community always kept in mind.
We work. We build. We contribute. We back.
Sergio Barajas serves as the executive director of the National Hispanic Construction Alliance, where he spearheads the organization’s ongoing mission to expand capacity building, improve access to capital, and unlock vital business opportunities for Hispanic contractors and construction professionals nationwide. Over a distinguished 30-year career spanning the sectors of housing development, commercial and residential construction, and institutional financing, Barajas has held leadership positions with prominent organizations including the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals, Freddie Mac, the National Community Stabilization Trust, and the Los Angeles Housing Department. Based in San Diego, California, Barajas frequently writes and speaks on matters concerning workforce development, public advocacy, and the indispensable role of the Hispanic construction workforce in shaping a stronger, more equitable American economy.
