Speaking at a Harris-Walz campaign event in Las Vegas on Thursday night, actress and singer Jennifer Lopez decried the offensive joke made at former President Trump’s New York rally, referencing her Puerto Rican heritage and calling on the Latino community to vote.
“[Trump] has consistently worked to divide us. At Madison Square Garden, he reminded us who he really is and how he really feels.
“It wasn’t just Puerto Ricans who were offended that day — it was every Latino in this country, it was humanity and anyone of decent character,” Lopez said to cheers from the crowd.
Lopez’s appearance at Harris’ Las Vegas rally comes as outrage builds over remarks made by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe called Puerto Rico a “floating island of garbage” at Trump’s Sunday night rally. The Trump campaign has sought to distance itself from Hinchcliffe.
Lopez, Ricky Martin, Marc Anthony, reggaeton star Don Omar, “Despacito” singer Luis Fonsi and global superstar Bad Bunny are among the celebrities of Puerto Rican descent who have shown support for the vice president or her platform since Sunday.
“I am an American woman. I am the daughter of Guadalupe Rodríguez and David Lopez, a proud daughter and son of Puerto Rico. I am Puerto Rican,” Lopez said Thursday night.
She praised Vice President Kamala Harris’ record as a prosecutor and her policy plans, saying Harris would fight for “the freedom of immigrants and immigrant families to chase the American Dream, the freedom of workers to afford housing, education, food and life’s essentials, and the freedom of women to choose what we do with our bodies.”
“You can’t even spell American without Rican. This is our country too,” she quipped.
Lopez urged the crowd to vote, saying that staying home would leave people powerless.
“This election is about your life. It’s about you and me and my kids and your kids. Don’t make it easy — make them pay attention to you. That’s your power. Your vote is your power.”