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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 28, 2018)
SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2018 Voices from 1A At the same time, Liza Alvarez was also finding it dif- ficult to connect with the Latino community. Alvarez, who works for the Siuslaw Public Library System, has been look- ing into ways to bring the com- munity together through a vari- ety of programs both through the library and with the Latino community as a whole. After the documentary screening, Alvarez, along with her friend Rosy Dominguez Guillens, and Sanders, as well as her mother Rosa Hernandez and sister Andrea Sanchez, sat down to discuss the state of the Latino community in the region, why they believe it’s so disjointed, why Latinos would benefit from a more cohesive community and how the entire population of Florence, Latino or not, could benefit from a broader understanding of the Latino culture. As a high school senior who moved to America when she was 11 months old, Sanchez’s entire life has been a bridge between two cultures and two generations. A DACA recipient who will soon be going off to college, she spoke about what it was like growing up in the region. The following transcript is taken from a discussion with Sanchez and others within the Latino community. (Editor’s note: While the conversation has been edited for length and clarity, the conversa- tion is presented in their own words.) What is it like growing up as a second-generation Latino? ANDREA: For me, it wasn’t as bad as it was for my siblings because they were the first Latino family in Mapleton. So, you did get people feeling uncomfortable. When I was growing up in elementary school, I would get pulled from class when another Latino came to school, because I was the first Latino girl who went to school here. They would have me translate for them — me, helping them, try- ing to communicate. It’s become a lot easier for sure, but you still get those moments when people give you a weird look because you’re speaking Spanish. Or because you look different, or you act Barbara Martin TAXES & BOOKKEEPING Bookkeeping & Payroll Quickbooks Pro Advisors Barbara Martin Licensed Tax Consultant #71554 EA #00107916 Shari James Licensed Tax Preparer #31250-P (541) 997-8833 Toll Free (877) 549-6899 2285 Highway 101 Suite “K” (In the Coastal Fitness Shopping Center) Florence, Oregon 97439 Accepting New Clients Shari & Barbara different. It’s just that we’re Americans; they were born KARLA: Yes! more watchful of what we do. here. LIZA: That’s how we greet For example, I know there But sometimes they don’t lis- each other! are more students who, after I ten when they grow up and it’s ROSA: Or hugs! At a family graduate, will be in the DACA hard to understand them. And party I invited some friends of program. And they don’t have it’s hard for parents to accept. friends; Americans. And us somebody that they feel com- They don’t teach you how to women are always talking and fortable telling so they dancing, talking can help find scholarships and laughing. The What we miss is the chance to next day the gentle- or schooling. For me, it’s my mom show the community our culture. man asked, “Were and my sister who have the women drunk — Karla Sanders yesterday?” No, been helping me because they’ve gone through it that’s how we are! already. KARLA: Very But for another student? respect others. passionate. That’s what my hus- I got my DACA stuff thanks ROSA: One time I go to band says, “You’re very pas- to (Karla) because she was the school, she was probably in sionate.” I’m like, hmm ... one who looked up the informa- middle school, and I see a LIZA: It’s just a way of tion. It’s expensive for students daughter and mother talk and being. We don’t see it as pas- who don’t know or can’t apply fight and the little one tells sionate. It’s relevance. I met (an for DACA at the moment. It’s b***h to her mom. Would American) girl who went to Cuba with me, and she said, “I tough because they put up such Andrea say that to me? No! a barrier and it’s so expensive to I am the mom. She needs to know that I am pretty, but it’s do those kinds of things. respect me. Because I respect just that all the Cuban men I’m lucky that I am in the her. It’s so sad because the little always want to kiss me when position I am. I can go to ones learn everything. We lived they meet me.” (Everyone laughs as Rosy schooling. I have opportunities before in a little community, to get scholarships and all of with the gate and everything. sarcastically says, “OK.”) LIZA: No love, you are very these other things that some When my daughter went to the don’t. swimming pool, the little ones pretty, but it’s not because of When I first started, there said, “No, no, get out. My dad that. It gets lost in translation. ROSA: And here if a man were some times I would get says you can’t swim with brown does it, they think it’s like sexu- comments about the color of people.” my skin in my freshman year of These are little ones. It’s sad. al harassment. My husband is high school. I went home to my KARLA: The kids today so friendly. When sees an older mom and said, “I’m so angry.” don’t just have the strong values lady, he tries to give her his But I don’t want to say anything of a family that I grew up with hand and help, but ... KARLA: The ladies are like, because I know that if I say or my parents grew up with. I “What are you doing? Don’t something, and it comes out the don’t see that anymore. wrong way, I’m going to be the We love that they’re open touch me!” He’s just trying to one that gets in trouble. and they’re outspoken and they be polite and help. LIZA: Yes, and Latino cul- People say, “Well times have have freedom of speech. They changed, that it’s not like that.” have so much more opportuni- tures tend to look each other in KARLA: I’m worried it’s ties. But they don’t know when the eye when they talk. If going backwards right now. not to cross a line and be over- you’re not looking at someone ANDREA: You just feel like bearing and rude. They need to in the eyes, it’s like a lack of respect, and sometimes other you’re being watched. It’s easi- be respectful with one another. er than how it was for my sib- LIZA: Definitely. For exam- cultures are not that way. KARLA: Yes, and they take lings, but it’s still always in the ple, I feel that just the way I back of your mind. speak to my Latin friends ver- it in a different manner. ROSA: It’s culture shock. KARLA: It just seems like sus my more Anglo-American LIZA: When I go visit fami- the less you have in common, friends are very different. Just the more they put you away. the way I speak is more ly and decide it’s time to say At some point, it just has to reserved. When I’m speaking to goodbye, let’s say it’s 8 p.m., I stop. We are not trying to be someone from Latin culture don’t leave until 8:30 because I here to ruin people’s lives. then my voice gets louder, and I have to say goodbye to my god- mother, my godfather, my We’re trying to be here to be get more excited. cousins, the neighbors. It’s the part of a community and to be (The group laughs.) better and help our community LIZA: And I get more custom. KARLA: When we say bye grow and to help each other. touchy feely. You know? You to someone at our house, my But right now, it just seems slide into it naturally. like it’s going backwards to I was speaking to my friend, husband, says, “Okay, let me sit slavery times. If you’re a cer- and her boyfriend is Anglo- down somewhere.” (The group laughs.) tain color or you look different American, as well as mine is, or you don’t speak the right and we were commiserating What do you miss when way, you are segregated and over the fact that sometimes we pushed away. just say something and get real- you don’t have a full-fledged ly excited, and our boyfriends Latino community? LIZA: I feel that coming What are the differences will be like, “Calm down.” between the cultures? That’s just the way it is. It’s vis- from California and a Latino ROSY: We are so different. ceral. I am not upset, I’m not family, a community is some- We have different genealogies, mad. I’m not getting all “huffy thing I’m missing since I moved we have different customs. and puffy.” That is just who I here a year ago. I miss the cul- ture, I miss my friends. I miss When we come into this am. country, it’s very hard to accept So, when you are in a place the humor. KARLA: Warmth. everything here. And we have that is more isolated from that LIZA: The warmth, the to do that. Because kids grow culture, you don’t express your- up, and they want to be like self fully. And you’re more food. And I just get very excited Americans. And they are reserved. You just have this when I meet somebody from trepidation that you’re going to my culture. I’ve run into a lot of offend somebody, or somebody Latinos in this community, so I know that we exist, but we’re is going to think bad of you. One thing that I miss so scattered and we don’t have a much, and I think it’s more central meeting point to just talk common in Cuban culture, is and share resources and stories. KARLA: I think time is that when you see family and friends and you’re like, “besos” especially hard, since almost everyone in town works either — kisses. 5LYHU9LHZ +RPH in logging companies or the restaurants. Their time is either really early in the morning, or really late after they close the restaurants. I think that’s a big problem. We don’t even have time. What we miss is the chance to show the community our cul- ture. Not to bring politics into the discussion, but it’s not just us being drug lords or cartels or rapists or whatever. We have a whole background, a whole cul- ture that once they know it, they fall in love with it. I think that’s what’s missing here. ROSA: But there are people. I met Nora Kent when I started here in 2001, she was very friendly and helped a lot of peo- ple. I think she’s the first person I knew here in Florence and she tried to help all our people. Especially all the Mexican peo- ple. It’s necessary when you know nothing. ANDREA: We just want to have people know who we are, who we really are, and just learn how to accept and be edu- cated about our culture and the things that we enjoy. And just show them the traditions that we have. People here do celebrate Day of the Dead, and they want to be able to celebrate more. My mom always wants to throw a party where there’s dancing and music. That would be a cool thing to see happen here because there are a lot of Hispanics and Latinos, but we don’t usually all mingle togeth- er. It would be nice where the Latinos and the public can come in and see and enjoy things that we like to enjoy and just get to know us a little more, and we get to know them a little more. ROSY: There are a lot of Latinos here, but it’s like they’re hiding in the bushes. (Laughs) We need to somehow let people know that we can meet somewhere. ROSA: I think it’s important to meet with other Hispanic and Latino people, to help each other. I don’t know if people coming from California or Mexico did it legally, but it’s hard when you start to live in one place. I hardly get out because of work. If I need to learn some- thing I get on the computer, and I study and study, but when I go to the store I see that there are new people that I don’t know. I want to say, say, “Hey do you know who might know this per- son?” That’s what I would like to do. I would like that all of us knew each other. In part two of “In Their Own Words,” to be published Wednesday, March 7, the group discusses why it is important to have a vibrant Latino communi- ty in the Siuslaw region, why there is not one currently and how helping one community can strengthen all communities in the region. GET YOUR 50% OFF COUPON AT BI-MART PRESENTED BY SATURDAY ! 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