The Conroe Historias Project

Barbara is still filled with music and interest in cultures. She is an active member of the Conroe Chapter of the Pan American Roundtable. Barbara worries about our country, drug addiction, and families being broken. Barbara continues to learn about new things like technology, but she worries about how it will change families in negative ways. She believes our community needs to learn more about how cultures can connect. She believes our churches, and some organizations in our community, like the Pan American Roundtable, and Montgomery County United Way, work to improve understanding among different cultures. Barbara served on a committee that helped start a Hispanic worship group in First United Methodist Church, which continues to grow. She knows that people have always been “resistant to people of different cultures coming into our country, especially if there are problems of illegal entry”. Barbara sees the community changing with different people, and she hopes a strong education is supported for all children as the community grows.

I was nervous when I first met Ms. Barbara, because I didn’t know what she would think of me. I didn’t know if she would understand or like my culture. As soon as we started talking and working together I realized she was a nice caring person. I liked listening to her stories about her life and she would encourage me with great advice. She asked about me and my interests and supported me with caring words. I looked forward to our visits like visiting a good friend to sit and talk with.

After we completed our meetings I missed our times together. The first thing Ms. Barbara and I would do when we met was share funny stories and laugh. I knew we were very different, but there were parts of her that were like me. I couldn’t imagine growing up without technology and all the things we have. I understood how she and her family would spend more time together. Her father was very protective of her when she was my age, and she loved music. I could tell by her questions that she really wanted to learn about me and my family here and in Mexico. I shared with her about our family celebrations and travels. Ms. Barbara told me that she had learned some Spanish in high school, and she wished could speak it fluently to communicate better with different people.

Ms. Barbara met me for lunch one day in Conroe. We laughed and talked the whole time.

Ms. Barbara has a funny sense of humor and could always make me laugh. She is a very positive person, and it seems like she always has a smile on her face. There were times that I was going through a lot of stressful things in school and at home. She would always encourage me to keep going forward and believe in myself. I see that her spirit has always been musical, because she is like a piece of music that calms people. In Spanish we call our grandmothers “Abuelita”. Ms. Barbara is just like my Abuelita, and she’ll always be special to me. I would 47