by Norma Gutiérrez-Torres

When it comes to parent involvement, I feel that I have been exposed to every single method and venue: from sitting in a meeting for a couple of hours, to cooking 400 meals, from chaperoning a carwash, to going out of state for a parents leadership conference. With a college graduate and a senior in High School, I have done it all.

I remember when my little girl was ready to start school, I was so eager to find the perfect place for her enrichment, within a nurturing, safe environment. Of course academics were important, but I needed for her to feel accepted and included. I remember visiting more than 10 different schools, even the ones I couldn’t afford. I just needed to see the differences between schools, and I wanted to learn how school administration and other systems worked in general too.

If you are a parent, I’m sure this has happened to you: even if you are educated, you sometimes doubt if you are being a good parent. It happened to me often. It seemed like my nursing degree just helped me when they were sick. At that time I was new in town; I didn’t know how the school system and classrooms functioned yet, and on top of that, I didn’t know the language well.

A wise friend recommended that on my school visits, I check out the bathrooms, observe how people greet each other, and how the kids treat the cafeteria attendant. I encountered all kinds of barriers. In one example, I visited a public school with my five-year old daughter. There, I was treated with welcome by the receptionist, given my visitor badge, and proceeded to tour the school. However, in the hallway, I encountered the principal’s secretary and got the feeling that I was a threat for the school. She looked me up and down, at our shoes, our outfits; I wondered if I wasn’t dressed well enough. Rather than greeting us with a “hello,” she asked what we were doing there. I was painfully aware that I was “different,” a foreigner, a stranger. Through this experience, I didn’t feel that I could fit in some places, and didn’t want my child to have that experience either.

On the other hand, in visiting another possible school, a new charter school, one of the teachers there was so kind. I told her that we spoke Spanish in the home. In learning this, she took about 20 minutes of her time to explain my options for classrooms. She suggested a special kind of language assessment class.

In the end, I did find a perfect fit for our family. I just had to apply, and wait for an opening.

Once at my child’s school, a fellow parent came and talked to me. His child was in my daughter’s class, so we visited, and he asked me if I wanted to be part of the Parent Teacher Association. I wasn’t sure what to expect, and I felt afraid and insecure. But I agreed. When I came to my first meeting, I wondered: How I am supposed to help here? It seems that they have everything under control. They even have a list of things I can do. I’ll just write my name next to one and do it. I don’t have to be present or connect with anyone. I could be anonymous.  But, I came to find that in addition to my help with school parties and hospitality events, they also valued my ideas and wanted to listen to my thoughts.

After two or three years of involvement in the PTA, that same parent invited me to consider serving in our district chapter of “Parents for Public Schools.”

Serving in our local PPS board, I feel “one of them,” a valued member of the group with different experiences and background. They wanted to hear what I had to say. I came to understand that my contributions were important and necessary for the well-being of the whole community, where we all belong.

If our intention and purposes are for our children – all of them – to have “the best education possible,” not as an academic-focus only, but for them to discover their strengths and weaknesses, to cultivate and nurture their individuality, to develop their social and cultural competence and awareness, and practice their ability to be inclusive of others different from themselves…

Then, the only way to accomplish this is to be intentional about “welcoming the stranger,” creating bridges where there doesn’t seem to be a natural connection. It takes risk to include and care for each other in this way. The aim is to create and tend spaces where we are encouraged to both give and receive – even if you feel like me in the beginning, that you have nothing to contribute.

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Norma Gutiérrez-Torres has lived in Waco nearly 20 years. She is an active member of the GEO (Guardians Educators Organization) at Meyer High School in Rapoport Academy, a former PPS (Parents for Public Schools) Board Member, and more than anything she enjoys dancing the night away.

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.

 

by Saddiq Granger

Miscommunication leads to complication-
There come many paths
But you must choose one
and if you don’t choose then the rain soon come
See you might win some but you just lost one. –Ms. Lauryn Hill

I wouldn’t know where to start to make people understand these issues. They are so broad, so old, and yet so new and personal. The story of who I am, not just personally, but globally and throughout all time is not one I could tell in just one sitting.

To be mis-educated is to be done a disservice.

It is not the fault of the student, but it can wreak unknown and often unwanted havoc in a pupil’s life. Just as we receive an education in our learning institutes, we are also daily educated by our environment; our entire being is a result of our environment.

Personally, I was born in the projects of North Philly. When people talk about the ghetto they are speaking of me and the people I grew up with. I mostly went to Muslim school in accordance with my parents’ religion. Both in school and at home I was learning about what it means to be black and what it means to be African. I was taught about the African holocaust; African luminaries and scholars; black writers, artists, and musicians. But, it wasn’t until I went to public school that I had an idea of what it meant to be an American.

I remember sitting in history class, looking at the teacher as if he had sprouted an extra head.

It wasn’t just the shift in content, tone and perspective had also completely shifted. People I knew as heroes were now the bad guys; villains were lauded.

I remember once raising my hand and making a clarifying point about first wave immigrants from Europe and their interactions with the native population. I was immediately placated. It struck me then that perhaps not only was this new education different, but it might also be unwelcome to challenge or change. In this same vein I was learning about Greece and the government systems and their scholars, but not the Egyptians from whom they studied. I was learning about the equality of man and the greatness of our founding fathers, but not the perseverance of my forefathers who also helped to found this country.

Needless to say this new Euroccentric paradigm was completely alien to me. I became painfully aware of the lack of knowledge of African art, history, culture and tradition. I couldn’t find a shred of this information in the students, and not just white students, but also the people who looked like me.

Now, I attempt to combat this miseducation anywhere that I see it. Not because I’m more educated than anyone, but because I am just as miseducated as anyone, and only by talking it through can we see where our paths differ and which is right if any.

It can be frustrating at times. If you feel like you are already in the middle of the book, it is frustrating to have to turn back a few pages to catch people up. But if we are to ever understand each other as a species regardless of race, creed, color, religion or orientation it starts with communication and actively combating our American Mis-education.

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Saddiq Granger is a native Philadelphian, violinist and aspiring community organizer now residing in Waco, Texas.

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.

By Diego Loredo

“If you want to go to college, make sure you apply for tons of scholarships!”

You’ve probably heard it before right? Although it may get annoying, it is no doubt extremely important. Then again, winning scholarships are easier said than done. You may think that you’re not good enough or smart enough, I thought the same thing when I was in high school, but trust me it is possible.

I’ve been in the same position that many high school seniors and aspiring college freshmen may be in right now. “How am I supposed to win scholarships to pay for my college education?” I constantly worried about it during and after school. Eventually, I went to my counselor (shout out to Mrs. Place at UHS!) and asked her how I can apply for scholarships. She provided me with a list of scholarships and told me where I can go to apply for them.

After finding out about all of these scholarships, I applied away. I applied online, applied to the scholarships on the list Mrs. Place gave me, and continued to search for other scholarships. Overall, I applied for over 10 different scholarships. My hard work eventually payed off and I ended up winning three scholarships: the Brazos Education Foundation Scholarship ($4,000), the A.J. Moore Business Advisory Board Scholarship ($1,000), and the Top 10% Scholarship ($600).

The scholarship that helped me the most was the Brazos Education Foundation Scholarship. I won $4,000, the most out of all of my scholarships. The money is renewable for my four years in college, with $3,000 going towards my tuition and fees and $1,000 going towards textbooks. I was also given a mentor who gives me advice and helps me throughout college (shout out to my mentor Phillip Applebaum!).

Words cannot explain how much the Brazos Education Foundation has helped me. They provide useful workshops that help us in certain aspects ranging from study tips to health insurance, host fun events, and are always willing to help me out.

Now you’re probably wondering, “How is this supposed to help me win scholarships?” Well, while applying for these scholarships I made sure I followed these five important guidelines that have helped me and will no doubt help other students looking for scholarships:

Ask your Counselor!

Your counselor will probably be your best source for finding scholarships. If you are ever having trouble at figuring out what to apply for, just head to your counselor’s office and he/she can help you find a good starting point. And not just for scholarships, your counselor will be the main person helping you when preparing for college. For example, your counselor can provide you with a waiver and advice for the SAT, Scholastic Assessment Test, (which is required for most colleges). Whether it’s for scholarships or college prep, your counselor’s office should be the first place to go for help.

Check online!

Another great source for finding scholarships are right on your computer. There are a ton of great scholarships and grants available online, you just need to know where to look. One great source is www.collegeboard.org. You’ll need to make an account on College Board anyway to register for the SAT. College Board has a great feature where you can search for dozens of scholarships, which shows information on what the scholarship is, whether or not you qualify for it, and how to apply. College Board is also a great place to help you prepare for college. College Planning, a feature on College Board, can help you explore what kind of career you want to pursue, search for colleges, and provide information on the cost of attending college.

Make connections!

I cannot stress this enough. Making the right connections can help you increase your chances to win scholarships. Become well acquainted with your counselor, do internships, and get to know those who are providing scholarships. Doing this helped me win the Brazos Education Foundation Scholarship. I did an internship for them the summer before my senior year. This helped me because I already knew them when I was interviewed and it also helped them since they already knew who I was.

Practice writing essays!

This may seem boring but it is necessary. Most scholarships will require an essay or two along with the application. The essays in the application become a big factor in the selection process. Let me say that again, it is a HUGE factor in selecting who will receive the scholarship. English was my strongest subject and I loved writing essays so it was easy for me to write them. It was also one of the main reasons why I won the Brazos Education Foundation Scholarship.

Apply, apply, apply!

Apply to as many scholarships as you can. Here, enough is never enough. I applied for 10+ scholarships and won three. That may not seem like much but, along with financial aid, those scholarships are paying for my college expenses. You should aim for 5-10 scholarships, and more if you can. Trust me on this, you need to apply to as much as you can to increase your chances of winning.

Applying for scholarships is not easy. It takes a lot of persistence. You must be prepared to write essays, have interviews, and getting good grades doesn’t hurt either. But it is possible to win scholarships if you do the right things. These guidelines that I provided cannot guarantee that you will win a scholarship, but it will help. Even after winning scholarships, don’t stop there. Continue to search for some during college. There are a countless amount of scholarships and grants available to college students. I did that and managed to get into a program that pays for my college tuition. If you have the right resources, you will be more than prepared to apply for scholarships and find ways to pay for college. You can do it!

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Diego Loredo is a sophomore at the University of North Texas. He is majoring in public relations. He graduated from University High School in 2014. Although he is still not quite sure what exactly he wants to do, he thinks he wants to work somewhere in sports PR (preferably soccer or college football). His hobbies include playing soccer and golf. He is 19 years old.

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.

by Kenneth Moerbe

After reading some articles in editorial section of Sunday’s (9-13-15) Waco Trib, especially the Q&A with the National Resource Network, Jimmy Dorrell’s column about another needed ‘Miracle on the Brazos’, and the editorial, “Long climb, Fiends for Life’s problems underscoring daily necessities of running nonprofits”, all of which I found very helpful, I found myself reflecting on my experiences the day before.

The first was as a participant in a community gathering sponsored by Mission Waco, and led by Jimmy Dorrell, that was an opportunity for the North Waco community to have some input into the future of a building near the corner of 15^th and Colcord, which had just been purchased by Mission Waco/Mission World (MWMW) as part of its continuing efforts to revive this once thriving neighborhood in Waco. As a member of the MWMW Board of Directors, I had a particular interest in hearing community members share suggestions about what they would like to see happen with this building. I appreciated so much the number of folks from the community who attended and the enthusiasm with which many of them expressed what their hopes for this building, which Jimmy has referred to as the BUB, ‘ big ugly building’. These hopes included a non-profit grocery store, a restaurant which also trains youth for local jobs, an ethnic, cultural foods and clothing business, a center for family celebrations and events, etc. I hope the MWMW leadership can harness some of that enthusiasm , creativity and energy to turn the BUB into a BB B, a big beautiful building, used to make the area in which its sits into a more life enhancing place to live.

In the afternoon I volunteered with the Community Race Relations Coalition (CRRC), a diverse group of citizens and organizations whose mission is to promote ethnic and cultural awareness and appreciation to strengthen our community. I was present at a community awareness raising event at the East Waco Park, sponsored by the Northeast Riverside Neighborhood Association and the new Horizons Baptist Church. At the event I was helping to maintain the CRRC’s booth, where we tried to engage folks who were there with the question: How many races do you think exist on the earth? The persons who answered that question correctly were rewarded with some candy and a helium filled balloon. Early on we attracted a lot of children who were there. One of the persons to come to the booth while we were setting up and was around the three hours I was there, was a second grader, whom I will call Kiesha, who attended J.H. Hines Elementary. This young African-American child was there with her grandfather and a couple of brothers. She hung around the booth as we talked about all kinds of things. Seems she lived nearby and seemed to be familiar with some of the other folks who were setting up. We talked and I learned first that her mother was in jail, but that her mother was probably going to be released sometime around Christmas time. Without going into the details I learned when I inquired about her father, that he was also in jail, but she didn’t see him much because the jail ‘was much farther away.” She asked me if I had any daughters and a little bit about why I was there, and what we did in the CRRC, and what some of the words printed on a banner on our booth meant. She could read, but some of those words she saw there were ‘big words.” I enjoyed my time with her, appreciated her positive energy, and even with both of her parents were in jail, she seemed remarkably self-confident and actually a very happy child.

Another highlight of my volunteer time at East Waco Park was meeting again someone I had seen and heard speak at more than one community event a few years ago, and that was a Waco PD officer, Stan Mason. When he walked up, I introduced myself, sure that he did not remember me, I told him I remembered him because in his 20 plus years with Waco PD he had always worked the night shift primarily in North and East Waco. He was the personification of what is called ‘community policing.’ I noticed while we talked that a good number of people came to greet him as they arrived at the event. They were young and old, male and female, well attired and not so well dressed, a real mixture of humanity. In most instances they greeted him with a enthusiastic hug. He was obviously well loved by all of these folks. We got into some conversation and he repeated to me his commitment to the vocation to which he really felt God had called him. I remembered from before that he preferred the night shift because it gave him the opportunity to meet a lot of kids on the street in these neighborhoods and he felt if he reached out to them, because he was a cop who cared for them that maybe, just maybe, they would not get into trouble in these late night hours, as is the case with a good number of youth in these neighborhoods. I introduced him to one of my colleagues in our booth who after hearing our conversation asked him if he really believed that Waco PD was totally free of racial profiling. All I can say is that his response was definitely not defensive, but was realistic, and hopeful in terms of the present and future relationship between Waco PD and people of color, young and old.

All in all, I came home that afternoon with a lot of hope after talking with and listening to some of the folks who live in some of our economically poorest neighborhoods. I think that working together, especially as indicated by the strategies of Prosper Waco, that in time we will succeed in making our community a much better place to live for everyone!

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This post was written by Kenneth Moerbe. Kenneth is a Lutheran minister and the former executive director of Caritas. He has participated on just about every committee and task force in town that has anything at all to do with increasing food security or reducing poverty. When he and his wife, Paula, are not gallivanting all over the world on one of their many travels, they are busy serving on various boards, delivering Meals on Wheels and generally being two of the finest and most fun folks in Waco.

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.

 

 

by Dr. Cristina Cleveland

“El Cinco de Mayo: An American Tradition,” that’s the title of a book released in 2012 by David E. Hayes-Bautista, (professor of Medicine and founding director of the Center of the Study of Latino Health and Culture at the Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA). When I saw the title I was surprised he had the power to read my mind, and express my thoughts! An American tradition – true statement! I’m sure he explains things much better than I will (as Susana Olague Trapani says in her review David “elegantly and intelligently chronicles the development of the holiday …”), but I will give it a try.

Cinco de Mayo is undoubtedly a big celebration in my dear country Mexico, but in the USA it is sometimes mistaken as a celebration of our Independence from Spain, and that, my friends is celebrated on September 16th.

In late 1861 a well armed 6,000 French soldiers, the premiere army in the world at that time, were trying to get closer to Mexico City and to take control over the government. They forced the President of Mexico, Benito Juarez, to retreat. On their way from Orizaba’s Port to Mexico City they encountered a poorly equipped Mexican Army of 2,000 near the City of Puebla, against all odds Mexico won the battle on May 5th of 1862.

Every year in order to commemorate this battle, they have a big celebration in Puebla City. A representative of The Mexican President, Puebla’s governor and other authorities begin the celebration by presenting respects to the Mexican flag, and singing the National Mexican Anthem. This is followed by a big parade, which this year, 2015, included 8,350 militaries, 144 automobiles, 60 police motorcyclists, 150 horsemen, 6 canoes, 16 commemorative flags and the same amount of banners.

Very impressive, both, the great victory for the Mexican Army over the French Army and the celebration itself, but as great as it sounds, it is far from being our most important national holiday.

Our very big holiday is on September 16th, when Mexico got its Independence from Spain in 1821 after 11 years of war. (We consider it our independence day, even though Spain did not recognize Mexico as a sovereign country until later,1836.)

Now, our big celebration is on September 15th… mmm, wait! It seems there is something wrong here! In the paragraph above I just said September 16th . Well, we begin to celebrate early, you know! We, Mexicans, don’t need any excuse to party! It has been said that General Porfirio Diaz, Mexican President from 1876 to 1911 (yes, 35 years!), begun to celebrate on September 15th because it was his birthday, but other sources say that the celebrations has begun on the night of the 15th since 1840.

The Celebration is held in the National Palace in Mexico City in front of thousands of people. The President, along with high ranking military officials and ambassadors from other countries approaches the balcony and at 11:00 p.m. on September 15th , rings the Bell of Dolores and cries out loud while holding and waving a Mexican flag:

“Mexicans! Viva the heroes that gave us a country! Viva Hidalgo! Viva Morelos! Viva Josefa Ortiz de Dominguez! Viva Allende! Viva Aldama y Matamoros! Viva Galeana! Viva Guerrero! Viva Guadalupe Victoria! Viva Francisco Ignacio Madero! Viva Emiliano Zapata! Viva the National Independence! Viva México! Viva México! Viva México!”

After that, you will hear a lot of bells ringing and the fireworks begin. Outside, the crowd is ready to enjoy all kinds of Mexican food from the concession stands, listen to mariachis or tríos, and keep going with the party until early hours in the morning.

If you are not brave enough to face the crowds in downtown (my family’s case), you usually turn the TV on to watch the whole spectacle and then have dinner with your family and friends.

Traditions vary from family to family. In my home, my parents used to dress up as the heroes of the Independence or at least with époque clothes. My sisters and I would probably just wear green, white and red representing the colors of the Mexican flag.

I asked my dear friend Bob, a Wacoan, “ Why do Americans celebrate Cinco de Mayo?” He knew it wasn’t the Mexican Independence Holiday, but he said with a big smile, “Cristina, is just a good excuse to have margaritas.” He made me laugh! He always make me laugh, but it’s true, as David E. Hayes-Bautista mentions in his book, the celebration in America was created by Latinos in California during the mid nineteenth century. Through the years, the meaning of the holiday has changed from “immigrant nostalgia” in the 30’s, to patriotism during World War II, to “Chicano Power” in the 70’s and to mainly commercial intentions in the 80’s and 90’s… I would say that is also the case these days.

I’m touched to think that Americans celebrate a Mexican holiday, so, let’s have a new and better “excuse to have margaritas.” Let’s celebrate together the Mexican Independence on September 16th, the date that marked Mexico as an independent, free and sovereign country.

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In Waco, you can celebrate Mexican Independence day from 5:30-7:30 pm on September 16 at the Cen-Tex Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, 915 LaSalle.  The Waco Hispanic Museum Committee will be serving cake and drinks. There will also be a history lesson about El Grito de Dolores. Admission is free.

Also, throughout the rest of September, October and November, 2015, be sure to get out and enjoy  “¡Viva Waco!” our Waco celebration of Latin culture.  The vibrant sights, sounds and flavors of Latin art, music, and cultural events and activities will be on display in dozens of Waco locations. Besides celebrating Mexican Independence Day (Sep 16th), there will be festivities for Dia De Los Muertos (November 1st) as well as a whole season full of Latin-themed events and exhibitions suitable for the whole family (many of them free of charge) from Waco’s many arts and cultural organizations. To get the details visit the website: www.creativewaco.org/vivawaco/.

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This Act Locally Waco blog post was written by Dr. Cristina Cleveland. Cristina was born and raised in Mexico City. She’s a Pediatric Neurologist and when she moved to Waco back in 2008, she was planning to be a stay-home-mother of their now 7-years-old-twins. Things changed (as usual) and now, after getting a Master’s Degree in Education, she works for the Foreign Language Department in Waco ISD. In her spare time you can see her driving her twins to the library, karate, soccer, swimming and art classes. If she could just get a “time out,” she would probably be walking, swimming, reading or watching a foreign movie.

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.

 

 

 

 

 

 

By Analí Gatlin and Joel Looper

If you’ve set foot outside or turned on the T.V. recently, you may have noticed that immigration is a hot topic. There’s so much fear and emotion involved that even a total media blackout might not fully isolate you from the pandemonium. Unfortunately, some of the loudest voices don’t have the right information about immigration laws or undocumented immigrants, and that misinformation has often dictated the direction of public conversation. There’s not enough space in this blog entry to correct all the serious misconceptions out there, but we’d like to clear up a few things that have an impact on Waco.

Lately the word “immigration” has covered a multitude of topics: policy debates, questions about the constitutional validity of birthright citizenship, talk of a new construction project (“the wall”), and even thinly veiled racism. That’s part of the confusion. The other part is the labyrinth of laws that affect every aspect of an immigrant’s life. We’ll get to that in a moment. First, a little background.

The 2010 U.S. Census revealed that almost 40 million people living in U.S. are foreign born. Over half of the foreign-born population lives in just four states: California, New York, Florida, and Texas.

Unfortunately, the United States has one of the most complicated systems of immigration law in the world. Depending on an immigrant’s country of origin, it can be virtually impossible for many to immigrate legally to the U.S. And, once an immigrant is here, there’s no “line” to stand in where an undocumented person can just pick up their papers. In the vast majority of situations, a non-U.S. citizen will have no shot at getting a legal immigration status without the help of a qualified immigration attorney or Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) accredited representative.

This is all the more true in Waco. With a population of around 125,000, Waco is home to thousands of immigrants, undocumented and documented. According to the 2013 American Community Survey (ACS), 10.8% of the total Waco population was not born a U.S. citizen. But even with the thousands of immigrants here in town, we have only one full-time immigration attorney.

The ACS reveals that nationwide 43.7% of the foreign-born population has naturalized; yet this is true of only 25.7% of the foreign born in Waco. The disparity here may be startling to some of us, but with the limited services in our city, it’s easy to see why our community is in this situation.

Though many Wacoans enjoy the occasional weekend trip to Austin or Dallas, that’s just not feasible for many immigrants in our community seeking legal counsel. Seeing an attorney in these cities would mean not only paying the travel expenses but also frequently missing work. Practically, this means that many immigrants in Waco, especially low-income immigrants, aren’t receiving the legal services they need to gain an immigration status in the United States and eventually become citizens.

Why should this matter to Wacoans, both immigrants and U.S. born? Those without a firm legal immigration status often become part of a shadow population, folks without actual or perceived access to many of Waco’s public resources. It helps no one to have a significant number of Wacoans living in constant fear of deportation, feeling as if they can’t fully participate in society or contribute fully to our community.

If that weren’t enough, shadow populations often become targets for criminal activity, and that’s no different in our city. Undocumented immigrants who are victims of a crime may be less likely to contact police out of a fear that they will be deported because their immigration status is discovered.

A prime example is the practice of notario fraud. Notarios are people who practice immigration law who actually aren’t licensed to practice law at all. What might be confusing to many immigrants is that notarios are often qualified to practice law in Mexico and Central America, but only licensed attorneys and BIA accredited representatives are authorized to practice immigration law in the United States. Frequently notarios take advantage of low-income immigrants and give faulty and unauthorized legal advice that can further jeopardize an immigrant’s legal standing. When there’s a lack of qualified immigration legal services, notarios often fill the void, and they continue to practice with impunity because undocumented immigrants often fear contacting police after they have been defrauded. Waco isn’t immune to notario fraud, and hundreds of Wacoans have fallen victim to these predators. Fraud on such a large scale weakens our entire community.

Thankfully, immigrants in our community do have a couple places they can turn. Baylor Immigration Clinic at the Law School is one such resource. Law students volunteer their services to help area youth complete the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) applications. Waco is also fortunate to have Susan Nelson, an experienced immigration attorney, and Mission Waco Legal Services, which assists low-income folks with a variety of legal needs including immigration services.

But even with these resources, Waco and McLennan County still have a lot of work to do. This year alone many Waco immigrants will be separated from their families and friends and even deported into life-threatening situations because of the lack of legal resources in Waco. As a city, let’s work together to welcome some of our most vulnerable neighbors with compassion, legal and social resources, and, yes, Waco hospitality.

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Analí Gatlin is a Waco native who is currently practicing immigration law at a nonprofit organization in Austin, TX. She loves Waco and naturally spends her weekends at home here. Joel Looper, originally from Michigan, has made his home in Waco and teaches religion and Language Arts at Live Oak Classical School. Joel and Analí are also busy planning their upcoming wedding.

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By Chris McGowan

A little over 8 years ago I told my boss in Houston that I was moving to Waco. His first question was, “Why?” What I told him was not dissimilar to how he responded to a mentor years ago when he told him he was moving from LA to Houston, “an opportunity to do something amazing.”

Without knowing much about Waco but studying it from an economic developer and community builder’s eye several things were readily apparent to me about why I wanted to be here. First, latent demand. Texas has been growing at an amazing clip for the past two decades, and Waco hadn’t kept pace with its peer cities in terms of growth rate. It was bound to explode at some point and an opportunity to be a small part of impacting a community as it transforms itself would be very interesting.

Second, looking at the downtown area, literally looking at maps and aerial photographs, the opportunity for revitalization was readily apparent in the amount of vacant land available. The Tornado is often talked about as a turning point in this community. I don’t believe that, but it didn’t help. We abandoned our core just like every other city in America; it’s just that after the tornado we had less to abandon. In the real estate development world open land is gold, open land that is already served by utilities is double gold. There aren’t a lot of cities in the United States with the possibility of growth that Waco has. Add that to the amount of available land in the core, and that was exciting.

Third, there were probably no other cities in America eight years ago that had that possibility for growth, and a relatively pristine, real river running right through the middle of its heart. Looking back, this unique combination of natural resources, opportunity and demographic trends are what’s positioning our community to achieve great things. I’d wager that, just like me, if it weren’t for the river, directly or indirectly, many of you wouldn’t be here either.

Celebrate the river, take advantage of what it has to offer our community, be excited for what it means and where it will take us.

Thanks you for all that you do to make Waco great.

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This Act Locally Waco blog post is written by Chris McGowan. Chris is the Director of Urban Development at the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce. At the Chamber, Chris has been responsible for working with the business community, the public sector and other stakeholders to help revitalize our urban core and strengthen the heart of our city. He is the primary organizer of “1000 friends of Waco.” The goal of 1000 Friends of Waco is to prepare residents to be advocates for a vibrant, successful Greater Downtown Waco. Check it out at 1000friendsofwaco.com or follow them on Facebook and Twitter @1000friendswaco. Chris is husband of Cristi, dad of Ollie, and for fun he is a charcutier. If you know what that word means, you are probably eating way too much bacon!

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.

 

By Amy Grace

It was Friday a few weeks ago, and I was stuck in traffic. The highway was a parking lot, and I was trying not to pull my hair out in frustration. As fate would have it, there was another person stuck in the same traffic, a mom whose path would cross with mine a few days later. While I was fidgeting and fuming over the traffic delay, she was receiving a phone call in her car that her home was on fire with her children in it. Really puts things in perspective, doesn’t it?

This mom contacted the Red Cross for help after losing many of their family’s possessions, and I was sent to assess the damage to the home and to determine what immediate needs we might help meet.

Upon arriving at the townhouse, I noticed the upstairs windows were broken out and black with smoke residue, but, for the most part, the home didn’t look that damaged. Then I walked into the house and changed my mind. As I headed up the stairs, my stomach twisted in knots seeing paint scorched, wood warped and everything just blacker and blacker as I got closer to the source of the fire…the bedroom of a little five-year old boy. There was nothing left in that room. Every toy, the bed, clothes – everything, in every corner was turned to ash or to melted versions of what it had been. The little boy’s mom was standing right behind me. I turned to her and asked, “How did he make it out of here?” With tears in her eyes, she pointed to the smoke alarm. It had notified the other adults in the home when the fire started, and they had been able to get everyone out to safety. Without that early warning, the outcome for this mom might have been very different. The call she received in her car might have been much more devastating.

A few months ago I accepted the position of Executive Director for the Heart of Texas Chapter of Red Cross. Like most people, I was familiar with Red Cross, but I quickly found out that what I knew about the Red Cross was not anywhere near the whole story.

Most people know that Red Cross responds when disaster strikes. Yes, our definition of “disaster” includes catastrophic events that affect masses of people, but we also recognize and assist in much smaller disasters, events that most of us will never hear about but that can rock a person, or a family, to the core. We respond to home and apartment fires like the one described above every day. We provide comfort and meet immediate needs for food, shelter and clothing for hundreds of families a year. I had no idea.

In addition to responding to fires, the Red Cross also works hard to prevent fires from taking a devastating toll. For example, we have a program to install smoke alarms in any home that needs them – for free. We are also equipping our community’s children to understand and be prepared for disasters like home fires, tornadoes and flooding. Through a joint effort with Disney called “The Pillowcase Project,” we are targeting 3^rd through 5^th graders in a fun, hands on session about disaster preparedness and safety. We are partnering with the YMCA of Waco to deliver this to students in their after-school programs this fall.

I wish to never again see the gut-punched, empty-eyed look on another adult or child’s face after they have lost everything, sometimes including loved ones, to a fire. The Red Cross is working hard to make that wish a reality.

The Red Cross also makes sure that firefighters battling wildfires get water and food, that patients needing blood transfusions have access to that life giving resource, that our military service members receive vital help and support when they need it, and that care givers for your children are trained to save those precious little lives. Before I came to work here, I had no idea the Red Cross did all these things, and I bet some of you didn’t know it either.

The Red Cross mission is lived out in our community, right here in Waco, every day of the week, by a handful of incredible volunteers and a few staff members who get up at all hours of the night to make sure every home fire victim we are called upon to help, gets that help. That is who we are here at the Red Cross.

My team members and I work tirelessly to make sure you, our neighbors, get the help you need when you need it… and we need your help! The people driving with you on the road, sitting with you in restaurants, walking around the mall or grocery store with you… they need your help. We never know when disaster will strike or where. How can you help? Become a Red Cross volunteer here in our community and help people be prepared for and cope with disasters in our own back yard. Or, give to our mission financially to help protect and support more and more families. Whatever route you choose to help, thank you in advance – you are extremely appreciated.

If you have questions or want to learn more, you can call our office at (254) 523-4985, call me directly at (254) 447-1625, or visit us online at www.redcross.org to explore volunteer and donation opportunities, and to learn more about our Home Fire Preparedness Campaign and Pillowcase Project.

Thank you for reading!

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Amy Grace is a native Texan serving our community as the Executive Director of the Heart of Texas chapter of the American Red Cross. She has an extensive professional background but is most proud of being a mom to her incredible four-year old daughter and paying forward a legacy of courage, resilience, hope and abundance. She currently resides in Temple with her daughter, two canine family members (Ranger and Silver) and her grandmother.

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.

By Sarah Frances Moran

I’ve written poetry since I was a teenager and since that time was very good at keeping it nice and hidden in my journals. It made the occasional appearance with girlfriends (girls love, love poems!) and the occasional appearance with family. Otherwise, it was never shared. Never. The thought of sharing my work publicly, whether at open mics or by submitting it to journals was horrifying.

I moved to Waco in July of 2013 and decided in the summer of 2014 that I needed to look into whether Waco offered any open mic type events so I could continue sitting in the corner hiding my work! That’s when I came across Waco Word Fest (a part of the Waco Cultural Arts Fest).   I’d missed the majority of the event but did manage to make it to the 100thousand Poets for Change reading and that’s where I met Jenuine Poetess, local advocate for all things art.   The event was organized and encompassed this wide variety of beautiful voices. She engaged the crowd, took photos and was extremely encouraging and welcoming. I was impressed. At the event flyers were passed out about other events. It was here that I learned about the Waco Poet’s Society and the In The Words of Womyn writing group.

My journey to finding an open mic venue brought me to meeting with Jenuine and a beautiful group of women writers on Monday evenings.   I began sharing my work and my voice. Shortly after, I attended a Nuestra Voz open mic hosted by Jenuine and Waco Poet’s Society. For the first time in my life I got the courage to get up in front of an audience of strangers and read my most personal work. I decided that I should start sending my own work out to be considered for publication in journals and magazines. In one year’s time I’ve had a ton of work published in a wide variety of journals, magazines and online blogs. I’ve begun to dabble in short stories, non-fiction and memoir writing. I’ve continued to read my work in front of audiences even when my voice quivers. I’ve been featured in Houston, and Austin, and in September I’ll be featured here in Waco. I’ve started my own journal, Yellow Chair Review, that is quickly growing beyond my wildest imaginations. This year at the 2015 Waco Word Fest I’ll be giving a workshop on publishing.

But this isn’t about me, this is simply why community is so so important. This is why holding space that is encouraging, comforting and open means so much.

I know my accomplishments are mine but they’re also Waco’s. This is where my voice was found and this is where it’s nurtured. This is where I’ve learned that my voice is important, that what I create is important and that I have nothing to fear by sharing it.

Imagine all of the Sarahs out there writing in journals, singing in the bathtub, painting in their bedrooms who are afraid. Imagine them never finding safe space. Imagine all of the creativity that never gets shared with the world.

Support the arts. Support the individuals like Jenuine volunteering their time to hold space to uplift voices.

These programs have nurtured and continue to nurture me an an artist. They are important and none of it is in vain. I’m proof of that.

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This Act Locally Waco blog post was written by Sarah Frances Moran. Sarah is the editor and founder of Yellow Chair Reviewand a member of the Waco Poet’s Society.  To read more of her words please visit www.sarahfrancesmoran.com .

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.