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Contributions and Challenges of Latinx Community in Kalamazoo
from Ed. 497
In uncertain times, Kalamazoo's religious Latinx community is an unwavering force.
By Francesco Giusseppe-Soto
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Nota del editor: This story is part of the New/Nueva Opinion’s series Contributions and Challenges of Latinx Community in Kalamazoo series. The Kalamazoo Community Foundation founds this series.
Kalamazoo, MI – If you walk into a Latinx business in Kalamazoo, you will encounter a variety of signs indicating a sort of religiosity among members of the Latinx community. For example, La Azteca - a local Latinx bakery - boasts a wall with posters detailing several church services available to the community. A number of these posters are written in Spanish. In addition to offering Mexican pastries, customers have the opportunity to learn about avenues to encounter their faith.
Similarly, El Ranchero – a local Latinx market – has an aisle dedicated to religious materials available to purchase. Dangling right above their cash register are rosaries. However, what sticks out most are the prayer candles; they are often colorful and bear images of religious figures, such as one of the most notable symbols in the Catholic faith - La Virgen de Guadalupe. These holy objects can promote a sense of comfort or belonging for those struggling to find a community for their Catholic faith. In addition, such sacred things demonstrate the degree to which Catholicism is encountered throughout the city – in restaurants, churches, and other Latinx businesses.
For those of the Christian faith in Kalamazoo, it is not a matter of filling spaces with religious objects but rather ensuring that those in the Latinx community have services available so that they are inclined to attend.
These conditions beg the question, "how is a religion operating in Kalamazoo concerning the Latinx community?" Moreover, are there spaces for Latinx individuals to engage with their faith meaningfully?
It might be challenging to envision a thriving community of religious Latinx folk in localized areas such as Kalamazoo. In a conglomerate of Catholics and Christians, one might wonder if language barriers are complicating how Latinx individuals create sacred space for themselves.
Part of Sister Yurani’s work involves visiting Latinx families in their homes; this aids in fostering a more robust and intimate religious devotion among the Latinx community.
Photo: Juan Grillo - New/Nueva Opinión
For Sister Yurani, a Catholic practitioner, the answers to these questions are nuanced. Through her experiences, she shares an account of when she arrived in Michigan in 2017. "There weren't any services offered for Latinx people, at least ones in Spanish. We could only turn to English services. Of course, that is no longer the case, but I'm glad to see the availability of more religious services in Spanish and for Spanish-speaking families".
When asked about more Spanish-accessible religious outlets, she spoke of how Latinx engage with their religion. To Sister Yurani, it isn't so much about concrete locations to practice. She explains, "Because a mass number of Latinx immigrants first encountered their religions in their home countries, when they get here, they bring that with them. And because of that, they are actively seeking it." With this information, one can begin to make sense of the Latinx religious community as a proportion. "Because we operate in a small city, there are fewer churches and fewer services offered in Spanish - contrary to bigger cities where one finds a large number of churches and a larger Latinx community. So, we can understand how the issues are complicated. However, it becomes a matter of Latinx individuals being able to practice their faith, to live their faith, and to celebrate their faith".
An interesting detail in Sister Yurani's experiences points to the lives of Latinx immigrants. When she arrived in the United States, it was to attend to immigrants working hard summers in the Michigan crop fields. "We noticed an influx of immigrants searching for work, and working in the crop fields is not a task that Americans jump to. So, therefore, we visited them wherever they lived in the surrounding area - under the church's jurisdiction - and we found that these people meant well and were interested in growing their faith. Once the number of people interested began to grow, we noticed more residents finding homes for their families here in Michigan. So, we stayed with them and followed that impulse".
Part of Sister Yurani’s work involves visiting Latinx families in their homes; this aids in fostering a more robust and intimate religious devotion among the Latinx community. Moreover, it also allows a point of entry to initiate conversation and get to know her community members. Establishing relationships with Latinx families will enable her to offer more meaningful solutions to whatever problems they may face, whether economical or personal. “I would go to their homes, and more often than not, we would share food, or they would offer me a meal while I listened to their problems. They would share their experiences, which allowed me to see in what ways I could better serve them as a sister of faith”. Most of the members of these families were between the ages of 30-50. Throughout her time working in the United States - more specifically, southwest Michigan – she’s noticed the degree by which Hispanics are religious people. “And Mexicans, well… they are a bit more religious. Perhaps it’s because of the large culture they have surrounding religion when compared to other Latin American countries that do not”.
How has today’s climate impacted the Latinx religious community in Kalamazoo? Juan Vázquez is a Christian pastor who has been serving Mi Casa de Oracion for the last twelve years. In his time as a pastor, he recognizes how the current state of society has impacted the Latinx religious community throughout the last few years. “There’s the pandemic, talk about war, a fear of sickness and other issues that negatively impacts the Latinx community. This demonstrates the need for people to practice the word of God and to be with him”. For Pastor Juan, fostering a robust relationship with God in times of strife is essential for the Christian faith. Throughout the pandemic, churches all over adopted new methods to spread their faith; whether through live streams or other outlets, the pandemic did not stop the Christian faith. Instead, the pandemic amplified the need for Christians to turn to their Bibles and digest the word of God.
Pastor Juan Vázquez recognizes how the current state of society has impacted the Latinx religious community throughout the last few years. “There’s the pandemic, talk about war, a fear of sickness and other issues that negatively impacts the Latinx community."
Foto: Juan Grillo - New/Nueva Opinión
When asked if Kalamazoo is a city where people can encounter and grow with their faith, Pastor Juan explains that it is not a matter of location but people’s dedication to their faith. “The problem is that people do not take steps necessary to attend our services or engage with their faith until there is a problem.” Pastor Juan acknowledges the sort of hesitance surrounding the attending church for Latinx individuals. “Maybe there could be more efficient modes of transportation, but even if that were the issues, there are ways of arranging transportation for people who want to attend service. We can pick them up if needed. Everyone has the individual decision whether or not to practice and be with God”. When describing what these services looked like, Pastor Juan also spoke of the significance of mass and benefits offered in Spanish. He recognizes that the Latinx community in Kalamazoo needs to practice in their respective languages because it is through this clarity that people form a better relationship with God. “It wasn’t always the case in this city that Spanish services were being offered. over time, things were able to open up, and a need was recognized”.
Through the experiences of Latinx faith practitioners in Kalamazoo, many specific needs of the Spanish community were highlighted. The individuals that make up this city are families and working-class individuals whose faith is inherently essential in navigating life in Kalamazoo. If a family is facing a problem, both the Christian and Catholic churches offer avenues to deal with them.
Whether it be through home visits or being with the community at Sunday mass, there will always be a welcoming space in Kalamazoo. As Sister Yurani and Pastor Juan remind us, the community is growing more and more every day.
St. Joseph Catholic Church has two mass in Spanish: Tuesdays at 6 P.M. and Sunday at 1 P.M., and is located at 936 Lake St | Kalamazoo, MI 49001.
Mi Casa Oracion offers two open services in Spanish: Wednesdays at 7 P.M. and Sundays at 1 P.M., both located at the church on 3306 Lovers Lane, Kalamazoo, MI 49001.
When asked about the future development of the Christian faith in Kalamazoo, Pastor Juan’s response is a call to action: “There need to be more effective models and methods of communication between city outlets and the church for encouraging and promoting church services, whether that be a wider spread in newspaper advertising or more information posters in the city. People need to be with God, and we don’t turn anyone away. Everyone is welcome”.
Francesco is a senior studying English and Anthropology/Sociology at Kalamazooo College.
