One year ago today, June 16, 2015, businessman and then-"The Celebrity Apprentice" host Donald Trump announced his bid for president of the United States. On the same day, and numerous campaign events and interviews since, he has been criticized for controversial comments disparaging Latinos, immigrants and other minority and religious communities.

"Year of Hate"

Coinciding with the one-year anniversary of Trump's presidential campaign announcement, civil rights icon Dolores Huerta, who has endorsed Hillary Clinton for president, and actress Alicia Machado spoke about Trump's year, his statements and effects and urged to increase voter turnout.

Machado, who met Trump when she became Miss Universe in 1996, representing Venezuela, said the New York businessman treated her "rudely."

"I could share a thousand stories, but I will only speak about one episode: 'Miss Housekeeping.' That's how he called me in front of his friends to make fun of me. And it shows that he doesn't understand the value of being a domestic worker," Machado said, who had spoken during a press conference in Washington D.C., organized by CASA in Action and People for the American Way (PFAW), on Wednesday.

"These are the women who work hard, put their kids through college and raised kids to be great citizens. I share this story with you to show you who Mr. Trump is, and how he sees us. We don't need a businessperson who divides our country. We need someone with a good heart," Machado added. "Therefore, I urge you today to vote. To register. To become a citizen."

Huerta, a PFAW board member, recognized that Trump's words and actions demonstrates he's unfit to be a leader for the Latino community and all Americans. Huerta acknowledged the comments Trump used to describe Mexican immigrants.

Back on June 16, 2015, Trump labeled Mexicans as criminals, rapists and drug dealers.

What Trump Said One Year Ago Today

As Latin Post reported, Trump's presidential bid announcement quickly took aim towards immigrants and the southern U.S. border.

"They (Mexico) are not our friend, believe me. ... The U.S. has become a dumping ground for everybody else's problems. ... When Mexico sends its people, they are not sending their best. They are not sending you. They are sending people that have lots of problems, and they are bringing those problems to us. They are bringing drugs and they are bringing crime, and they're rapists."

He continued, "Some, I assume, are good people. But I speak to border guards and they tell us what we are getting. They are not sending us the right people. It's coming all over South and Latin America, and it's coming probably from the Middle East, but we don't know because we have no protection and we have no competence. We don't know what is happening and it has got to stop and it has to stop fast."

Huerta: Trump "Did It On Purpose"

Back in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, Huerta said Trump cannot be elected president and noted that voter turnout will ensure he won't sit in the Oval Office.

"Since the day he announced his candidacy, he's talked about immigrants as 'rapists,' 'killers,' 'criminals,' and 'drug dealers.' Whether it was out of ignorance, insensitivity, or he did it on purpose, he hosted a campaign rally right where a Latino man was killed in a hate crime," Huerta said.

"We can't let Donald Trump be president, and I know that we won't. We won't because we will get out to vote against him, we will talk with our friends and our families and make sure they go out to vote against him as well. This election, we have the power to make our voices heard and we can make the difference in this election. We have the power of the vote, and that can overcome the hate that Donald Trump spews day after day after day," continued Huerta.

Lizet Ocampo, PFAW's manager of political campaigns and director of the organization's "Latinos Vote!" program, said that as soon Trump went down on his Trump Tower escalator on June 15, 2015, he declared his war on Latinos.

"Trump is the most hateful, anti-immigrant presidential candidate that any of us have ever seen," Ocampo said. "His hate harms every one of us and goes against the American values of welcoming immigrants and celebrating diversity. Thankfully, more and more of us are registering to vote every year, and we have the power to decide the outcome of this election."

Further commemorating Trump's year, PFAW released a 30-second Spanish-language advertisement titled "Donald Trump's Year of Hate," highlighting Trump's rhetoric and actions by his supporters.

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For the latest updates, follow Latin Post's Michael Oleaga on Twitter: @EditorMikeO or contact via email: m.oleaga@latinpost.com.

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