Video by the David Pakman Show.
In a wide-ranging Substack Live conversation, David Pakman spoke with Spanish-language content creator Carlos Eduardo Espina, one of the most influential Latino voices online today. With more than 13 million followers across platforms, Espina has built his reach by speaking directly to Latino audiences, largely in Spanish, at a moment when immigration, misinformation, and political identity are under intense pressure.
🎥 From Citizenship Classes to Viral Reach
Espina’s rise began during the pandemic. Graduating from Vassar College in 2020, he found himself at home, uncertain about his next steps. Drawing on years of experience teaching citizenship classes, he began offering lessons on Facebook. A suggestion to try TikTok initially seemed misguided, but his first Spanish-language video explaining the path to U.S. citizenship went viral almost immediately. The response confirmed a deep hunger for accessible, trustworthy information in Spanish.
As the 2020 election approached, his audience began asking political questions. With a degree in political science, Espina stepped into that role, offering analysis and opinion tailored to Latino communities navigating a confusing political landscape.
🏛 Breaking Into Political Circles
For years, Espina’s Spanish-only focus meant he remained largely invisible to political institutions. Despite his massive reach, he was not included in early White House briefings for content creators. That changed when a bilingual Latina creator began mentioning him within political media circles.
In early 2024, Espina was invited to the White House to meet with the Biden administration’s immigration team. He used the opportunity to share frustrations voiced repeatedly by his audience and to push for policies grounded in lived reality rather than political abstraction.
📱 A Viral Moment and National Recognition
Days before President Biden announced an executive order on immigration, former Labor Secretary Tom Perez showed the president Espina’s videos. Biden decided to record a TikTok with Espina announcing the policy. The video drew tens of millions of views and quickly reshaped Espina’s public profile.
That moment led directly to a New York Times profile and an invitation to speak at the Democratic National Convention, marking his transition from community-based creator to national political figure.
💬 Language Bias and Undervalued Influence
Espina was candid about the structural bias facing Spanish-language creators. He noted that English-language influencers with far smaller audiences often receive greater compensation and institutional access. While he has begun expanding into English-language platforms like Substack, he remains committed to the community that built his platform.
For Espina, Spanish-language media is not niche. It is central to how millions of Americans understand politics and policy.
⚠️ The Hidden Cost of Immigration Raids
Espina described immigration enforcement as a catalyst for cascading harm. When someone is detained, families lose income, childcare collapses, medical stress intensifies, and small businesses lose customers. These secondary and tertiary effects, he said, remain largely invisible in mainstream coverage but define daily life in many Latino communities.
🗳 Latino Political Shifts & Messaging Gaps
Espina rejected the idea that Latinos have permanently shifted right. Many Latino voters, especially first and second generation Americans, lack fixed party identities, making them highly responsive to messaging. He warned that Republicans have invested heavily in Spanish-language media, often spreading misinformation that platforms fail to moderate effectively.
He argued Democrats must dramatically improve Spanish-language outreach and engage religion more directly, framing progressive values through compassion, dignity, and care for the vulnerable. He also pushed back against claims that Latinos are a lost cause, noting Latin America’s long history of electing women leaders and embracing social progress.
🇺🇸 Advocacy as Patriotism
Despite increased visibility and personal risk, Espina said fear cannot dictate his work. He views his advocacy as an expression of patriotism rooted in democratic values, civil liberties, and a belief that loving a country means demanding it live up to its principles.
