Robert Santos returned to his hometown to share his story — from growing up on San Antonio’s West Side to becoming the first Latino to lead the U.S. Census Bureau.

He encouraged students attending his talk Wednesday at Our Lady of the Lake University to value their own lived experiences in everything they do.

While much of his speech focused on family and career, Santos also spoke about the importance of the census. He said fear and mistrust in immigrant households remain barriers to participation, which could leave communities like San Antonio undercounted and underserved.

That concern, he added, is rooted in his own understanding of San Antonio and the communities where he grew up.

Santos recalled growing up not far from Thiry Auditorium where he was speaking, attending Little Flower

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