Two Latinas become first ever sisters to serve in congress

DREAM IN COLOR
By Linda and Loretta Sanchez with Richard Buskin
Grand Central Publishing – September 2008

A book review by Raul Ramos y Sanchez

Linda and Loretta Sanchéz are the only sisters to ever serve in the United States Congress. Their new book, DREAM IN COLOR, does much more than define the Sanchéz sisters as politicians, however. In an engaging and candid narrative, we discover the sharply distinct identities of two women who share a rich legacy of values.

The Sanchéz sisters were raised in the same working-class household, but their personalities and professional styles could not be more different. Loretta is fastidious and an early riser. Linda is laid-back and does her best work in the wee hours of the night. Yet both were given a rich inheritance in a home headed by Mexican immigrant parents. From their mother Maria, the sisters received the gift of compassion, a love of learning, and a passion for community service. From their father Ignacio they gained a tireless work ethic and a respect for the dignity of honest labor. Even as their family immersed itself into the U.S. mainstream, Maria and Ignacio encouraged their children to retain the Spanish tongue and Latino customs. These assets would serve Linda and Loretta well as each later found her way into the world of politics.

More than an inspirational story, DREAM IN COLOR, gives us an insider’s glimpse into the bare knuckles arena of congressional politics. Despite the undertow of Washington’s political gamesmanship, the Sanchéz sisters emerge with their ideals intact, thanks to an upbringing that was modest in affluence but rich in social values. The Sanchéz sisters’ book reveals the challenges all legislators face in Washington’s swirl of competing agendas; a place where yesterday’s opponent becomes today’s ally. The sisters pull no punches either, bluntly disclosing the details behind their public feuds with other elected officials.

The rise to success of the Sanchéz sisters is a testament to the values shared by many Latino immigrants: a devotion to family, a tenacious work ethic, deep faith, and a strong sense of community. Engaging, revealing, and inspiring, DREAM IN COLOR is a portrait of two new faces in Washington who portend much about the future face of the United States.