“The American Dream is still possible,” 2020 presidential hopeful Julián Castro tells Daily Kos behind the scenes at Netroots Nation, “but we need to make the right investments in our country so that it reaches everybody.” At the progressive conference, the former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and former Mayor of San Antonio met up with the Daily Kos to talk about how, precisely, he hopes to make the American Dream a reality for all.
In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Castro revealed new insights on some major themes from his presidential campaign, including how to hold the police accountable and reduce police brutality, his advice for other “unlikely” candidates, and a little message to Congress about immigration.
Castro’s video interview, embedded below, is part of Making Progress, a new series that highlights a few dozen activists, organizers, and progressive leaders. With three questions fine-tuned to each person—and a bonus question that made more than one participant emotional—these community leaders share fresh ideas and unique angles on the issues they don’t always have room to speak on.
Interview transcribed below.
Question 1: In simple terms, what changes do you want to see to have police held accountable, and why is it important to you?
JC: Americans, no matter who you are, you see the evidence of police brutality in our country. We see video after video of especially young black men that are being treated differently by police. I want to end that. I want police reform that would create more accountability and transparency by establishing a national use of force standard for police, by demilitarizing police departments across the country, by creating a database of officers who have been decertified because of misconduct so that they’re not hired in a department just down the road. And I would invest resources in community groups that are trying to mend the rift between police and community.
Question 2: You often talk about the unlikeliness of your candidacy. What do you wish someone had told you sooner? What messages do you think the “unlikely” candidates in every community need to hear?
JC: What I hope that Americans out there take from my candidacy is that you can do this. I went to the public schools of Texas. I grew up in a single-parent household. I know what it’s like to struggle. And yet i became the first in my family to become a professional, had the chance to serve my community as mayor, and then serve in President Obama’s cabinet.
The American Dream is still possible, but we need to make the right investments in our country so that it reaches everybody. And I hope, as well, that no matter what happens in this campaign, especially that a lot of young Latina girls and young Latino boys will see me up there on the debate stage—hopefully also on a victory stage on November 3, 2020—and say, “I can do that, too. I can do that.”
Question 3: Is Congress doing enough to fight immigration policies pushed by the Trump administration?
JC: Congress can do more to fight against Donald Trump’s immigration policies. They need to hold the Department of Homeland Security, and Customs and Border Protection, I.C.E, more accountable for the things that they have done in breach of the law. The culture—that is a rancid culture—in some of these departments. And to put pressure on the administration to open up and be more transparent and accountable. Congress is doing a lot; especially the House of Representatives, controlled by Democrats, but they can do more.
Bonus Question: If you could give advice to your teenage self, what would it be?
JC: If I could give advice to my teenage self, I guess I would tell myself to go out and see more of the world. One of the regrets that I have is that it wasn’t until later in life that I had the chance to go out and visit other countries. To see something beyond the community that I grew up in. Some of that was because of resources. But I just encourage people: If you’re ever able to take the opportunity to go learn about different cultures, see other people, learn about different ways of doing things, that they should take that opportunity. Because it helps you understand yourself better and it helps you understand what brings us together as human beings, which is important.
If you want to read more about Castro, check out our coverage on his trans-inclusive reproductive health plans, call to break up I.C.E, and comprehensive immigration reform proposals.
Be sure to watch the Daily Kos YouTube for our next Making Progress video. The week of July 15, we’ll share new interviews from four Democrats vying for the presidential nomination. After that, you can catch an exclusive with progressive organizer, activist, or politician every Tuesday.
Up next in Making Progress, we have Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. Miss our first installment? Backtrack and check out our exclusive interview with Senator Elizabeth Warren.
