A Life Story
By: Maria Luisa Garcia Colin
All experiences begin with a dream.
My name is Maria Luisa Garcia Colin, I am 25 years, born and raised in Mexico, daughter of two extraordinary, hard-working, loving and exemplary people. I also have an older brother that has a wonderful family.
It is my pleasure and privilege to share with each one of you my experience while studying English in the United States. It was during this time that I received a call from my mother letting me know my father had lost the job he held for 18 years and that supported my family. Through this difficult time, I came across extraordinary people, family, and friends who accompanied and supported me all the way.
One day I started feeling ill, my cousin took me to a local Hospital, where the doctors diagnosed me with appendicitis and I had to have an emergency appendectomy. When the bills started to arrive, I realized it would be impossible for us to pay them due to our economic difficulties. The bills amounted to over $20,000 and it caused great distress to me and my family, realizing we could never come up with that sum of money.
With the support of a local organization, we sent applications requesting monetary assistance, but all our requests were rejected. I subsequently reached out to the Mexican Consulate and they connected me with their health partner Comunidades Unidas. The support I received from the team at Comunidades Unidas was unconditional. The staff did all the follow up on my case, and never failed to advise, support, and encourage me. This process lasted over two months and, finally, on May 9, 2013 CU shared the great news: "We want to let you know that the debt you have with the hospital will be covered almost in its entirety thanks to the support of the institution. A payment schedule will be established on the remaining balance according to your ability to pay."
This experience changed my perspective of life, and made me grateful to God for sending good people into my life, and to my family for their support and love. I also want to thank the group of doctors and physicians for saving my life, for their understanding and full support. I especially want to thank Comunidades Unidas staff who has done an outstanding job in helping community members in times of need by connecting them to the appropriate resources. |
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Volunteer of the Month
We would like to congratulate Lilia Garcia for receiving this month's volunteer of the month award from Comunidades Unidas . Lilia is originally from Mexico and has five beautiful children. Lilia loves sports, jogging, and going to the pool. She enjoys doing volunteer service and helping people with any problem they may have. Her goal is to become a CNA and make an impact on the Latina community in Utah. On behalf of all the staff at CU, we want to thank Lilia for her assistance, support, and cheerfulness and for being a great help to our team. Thank you Lilia! |
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Women's Health Corner
Claudia Hinojosa, a graduate of our Prenatal Education Program, came for a visit to Comunidades Unidas to introduce her baby girl to our team. Claudia had some difficulties during her third trimester after she suffered a fall. As a consequence, the baby was delivered by c-section a week before her due date. After the delivery Claudia worried about her baby’s health because of her size, but fortunately the baby is now healthy and thriving.
Claudia recovered from her fall and is working on losing weight by eating healthy meals and exercising. She is also very interested in becoming a volunteer at Comunidades Unidas, and to receive the training necessary to become a Promotora (Community Health Worker) and be able to share her experience with other pregnant women. We wish Claudia and her beautiful baby all the best!
We offer our Prenatal Education Classes to women who are or are planning to become pregnant. Classes are every Tuesday evening from 6-8pm for four consecutive weeks. The classes are in Spanish and they are totally free to our participants thanks to generous donors and sponsors. For more information or to register contact Comunidades Unidas at 801-487-4143. |
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Immigration Reform Update
By Diana Paredes
At the end of May, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to allow the Senate’s Immigration Reform bill to continue on its legislative course and enter the Senate floor for debate. During the month of June, the Senate worked expeditiously to amend the bill and make concessions over border security issues in order to keep bipartisan support for the bill alive.
Throughout this process, local groups, including the Enriching Utah Coalition, galvanized the support of community members and community leaders to urge Utah Senators to act now to pass comprehensive immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship. After a month of congressional and local efforts, the debate in the Senate culminated with a monumental vote of 68-32 to move theBorder Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Actforward. Utah’s Senator Orrin Hatch was among those who voted in favor of the bill.
Although the battle for Immigration Reform is not over yet, the Senate’s approval of the bill marks a big win for immigration reform supporters. As it stands, the amended bill includes a pathway to citizenship for the 11 million people in the U.S. without papers, provisions that would allow the reunification of families, a 5 year pathway to citizenship for Dreamers and agricultural workers, and expedited legalization for DACA recipients, among other provisions.
Now, the fight for comprehensive immigration reform continues in the House of Representatives. Although the bill has enjoyed notable bipartisan support in the Senate, it is not so clear that this collaborative spirit will endure in the Republican-controlled House. The first hurdle the bill must overcome now is to obtain the approval of Speaker of the House, John Boehner, who remains reluctant to allow the bill to be introduced to the House.
To stay tuned on immigration reform efforts, visit our webpagewww.cuutah.org/EUC.html or email Diana Paredes, Enriching Utah Coalition Coordinator, at diana@cuutha.org to obtain email updates.
What can you do now to support immigration reform? Take a moment to call Speaker of the House John Boehner at 202-225-0600 and ask him to support the introduction of the Senate’s Immigration Reform bill to the House. Let Speaker Boehner know that comprehensive immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship is crucial for the prosperity of your community. |
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The Magic of Belonging
By Cristina Bailey
Working with a refugee resettlement program a few years back I learned that all we take for granted, might be challenging, frightening or even hilarious to people who come from cultures totally different than ours.
Martha, Thomas, and their three children came from Sudan. Thomas knew several languages and dialects because they had moved from camp to camp due to political unrest. They had seen much pain and suffering, hunger, and even death. Perhaps this will explain their total amazement the first time they went to a supermarket here in Salt Lake City. Thomas was interpreting for Martha, telling her what that particular fruit or vegetable was, which they’ve never seen in Africa. One could read on her face and see in her bright eyes the anticipation of seeing all those wonderful things at their table. To Thomas and Martha it was like entering a mine with walls covered in gold and precious stones.
One cold winter morning as I drove into the parking lot of their apartment complex I noticed something strange hanging along the railings. As I approached, I saw a line of colorful clothing stiffly hanging there. They have been left out overnight to dry, and the low temperatures had transformed them into brittle cardboard replicas of their clothes. Worried they would not have anything to wear I knocked on their door and pointing to the clothes and told Thomas how sorry I was to see their outfits ruined. He looked out and smiled, and called for Martha and the kids and told them what had happened. They all started to laugh and went to get their clothes and danced holding them and had the time of their lives.
They didn’t own many things, but they had each other, they had their joy and their laughter, and no matter where in the world they were they belonged there. Theirs was a daily learning experience embraced gladly, because they were far from the fear and the chaos of war. Salt Lake City is a welcoming place, where people from all cultures, social backgrounds, ethnicities and faiths can find refuge. What can we do to make new comers feel welcomed? Sometimes a simple smile and a nod speaks volumes. |
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