BY SAMANTHA SUAZO BY SAMANTHA SUAZO
AS A TWELVE-YEAR-OLD WHO HAD JUST ARRIVED IN MONTANA, I REMEMBER FEELING IMMENSE JOY WHENEVER I SAW A FACE THAT RESEMBLED MINE"TRIGUENA, BRUNET, AND A BIT LOST." REGARDLESS OF THEIR AGE, AS LONG AS THEY SHARED MY HISPANIC ESSENCE, I WANTED TO BE THEIR FRIEND. HOWEVER, NOW THE TABLES HAVE TURNED, AND I EXPERIENCE THAT SAME HAPPINESS AND JOY NOT JUST ONCE A YEAR BUT EVERY DAY AS I WALK AROUND MY LOCAL WALMART AND GAS STATIONS AND GREET MANY LATINOS GOING ABOUT THEIR DAILY LIVES, JUST LIKE ME. WITNESSING MONTANA GAIN DIVERSITY THROUGH LATINIDAD HAS GIVEN MY FAMILY AND ME A SENSE OF BELONGING TO A SPACE THAT WE ONCE FELT WASN'T OURS.
ALTHOUGH MOST INDIVIDUALS IN THE UNITED STATES WOULD NOT ASSOCIATE LATINOS WITH MONTANA, THE LATINO COMMUNITY PLAYS A CRUCIAL ROLE IN THE PERSEVERANCE OF THE STATE, PARTICULARLY IN GALLATIN COUNTY WHERE THE LATINO POPULATION CONTINUES TO GROW EVERY DAY. MOREOVER, LATINOS ARE ONE OF THE BIGGEST ECONOMIC DRIVERS IN MONTANA AS A WHOLE.
IN CONTRAST TO OTHER STATES LIKE CALIFORNIA, WHERE SPACES EXIST THAT ARE FULLY STRUCTURED AND DESIGNED FOR THE NEEDS OF THE LATINO COMMUNITY, PLACE-MAKING IN MONTANA MAY LOOK DIFFERENT. NONETHELESS, THIS DEMOGRAPHIC DOES NOT LET THE LACK OF EXTERNAL SPATIAL AWARENESS PREVENT THEM FROM LIVING IN LATINIDAD. INSTEAD, THEY VOICE THEIR OPINIONS THROUGH THEIR DAILY JOBS, ORGANIZED BAILES, AND PURSUING THEIR ENTREPRENEURIAL DREAMS.
THIS WORK IS DEDICATED TO THE IMMIGRANT LATINO COMMUNITY OF MONTANA THAT HAS SEEN ME GROW UP FROM THE DAY I ARRIVED THERE AS A TWELVE YEAR OLD TO THE WOMAN I AM TODAY.
THISISAPHOTOOFMARVINSUAZOASAFIRSTARRIVALINMONTANA:IN THEFIRSTPICTUREAPROUDMOMENTSWEEPINGOFFKNOWONTOPOF ONEOFTHEFIRSTHOUSESHEBUILTISPORTRAYED.THESECONDPHOTO PROVIDESACLOSERLOOKOFTHEHOMEASSUAZOLOOKSDIRECTLYAT THECAMERA.
SOMOS NUEVOS EN ESTE LUGAR, TRABAJAMOS DESDE EL FRÍO DE LA MAÑANA HASTA EL SOL PONIENTE,
SOMOS LAS LÁGRIMAS DE LA FAMILIA QUE EXTRAÑA NUESTRO HOGAR, LAS SONRISAS QUE LES DAMOS AL DECIRLES "NO TE PREOCUPES MAMÁ, PRONTO VOLVERÉ".
SOMOS HERMANOS Y HERMANAS QUE HEMOS ENCONTRADO SIN IMPORTAR NUESTRA NACIONALIDAD, ENFATIZAMOS EN LAS EXPERIENCIAS SIMILARES QUE COMPARTIMOS, YA QUE EN ESTE NUEVO MUNDO TODOS SOMOS CATEGORIZADOS COMO EXTRANJEROS ALIENÍGENAS
LA ESENCIA DE LA TIERRA CORRE POR NUESTRAS VENAS, SOY LA COMIDA PICANTE QUE HE APRENDIDO A DISFRUTAR, ERES LOS PLÁTANOS FRITOS QUE APROBASTE EN MI MESA, SOY LOS CORRIDOS QUE AHORA CANTO MIENTRAS CONSTRUYÓ PAREDES PARA EL HOMBRE BLANCO
SOMOS UN CONJUNTO PORQUE NO TENEMOS A NADIE MÁS, NO SOY UN INDIVIDUO PORQUE SI ASÍ FUERA, NO SERÍA CAPAZ, SOMOS LATINOS DEL FRÍO, SOMOS HERMANOS DE LA EXPERIENCIA, Y AUNQUE ESTOS AÑOS SIGAN SIENDO UN DESAFÍO, SEGUIMOS EN LA LUCHA CON PACIENCIA.
POR SAMANTHA SUAZO POR SAMANTHA SUAZO
THISPROJECTHASINSPIREDMETOWRITEAPOEMTHAT ENGAGESINACONVERSATIONABOUTTHEWAYSINWHICH LATINIDADBRINGSALLLATINXCOMMUNITIESTOGETHERIN MONTANAASTHEYSHARETHEIRMUSIC,WORKEXPERIENCES, FOOD,ANDDESIREFORAMOREEQUITABLESOCIETYWHERE THEYAREAGENTSOFTHEIROWNSUCCESS.
LUCY IS A YOUNG HONDUREÑA WHO ARRIVED IN THE USA A FEW MONTHS AGO. I HAD MET LUCY WHEN WE WERE CHILDREN IN HONDURAS, BUT AS WE PLAYED TOGETHER ON THE DUSTY ROADS, WE NEVER COULD HAVE IMAGINED THAT WE WOULD REUNITE IN THE FUTURE AND WORK TOGETHER TO FULFILL THE DREAMS THAT WERE ONCE OUT OF REACH BACK IN OUR HOME COUNTRY.
DANIMENCIA,AYOUNG MANOF20YEARSOLD,IS EMPLOYEDATA CONSTRUCTIONSITE.WHILE ALSOPROVIDINGFINANCIAL SUPPORTFORHISOTHER SIBLINGSINHONDURAS, DANIBROUGHTHIS MOTHER,INFANTSISTER, ANDBROTHERTOTHE UNITEDSTATESANDLOOKS FOR"ABRIGHTFUTURENOT JUSTFORHIMSELFBUT ALSOFOR THOSEHE LOVES"
THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR REPRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT SOURCE OF EMPLOYMENT FOR LATINOS IN MONTANA. ACCORDING TO MARVIN SUAZO, A HONDURAN RESIDING IN BIG SKY, FOR TEN YEARS, THE PROFESSION OF CONSTRUCTION WORKER INVOLVES "THE MASTERY OF A DISTINCT LANGUAGE." DESPITE HIS LIMITED PROFICIENCY IN ENGLISH, SUAZO HAS MANAGED TO OVERCOME LINGUISTIC OBSTACLES AND ACHIEVE PROFESSIONAL SUCCESS BY OVERSEEING THE CONSTRUCTION OF MULTIMILLION DOLLAR PROJECTS FOR THE BIG SKY COMMUNITY. SUAZO'S PROFESSIONAL TRAJECTORY HAS BEEN MARKED BY UPWARD MOBILITY, TRANSITIONING FROM AN ENTRY-LEVEL POSITION AS A "CHALAN" TO BECOMING A SKILLED "MAISTRO," AND ULTIMATELY ASSUMING THE ROLE OF A SUBCONTRACTOR AS THE PROPRIETOR OF HIS OWN COMPANY, "CATRACHOS CONSTRUCTION."
SUAZO SAYS THAT HE EXPERIENCES LATINIDAD ESPECIALLY AT HIS JOB. HE RECALL TIMES WHEN HIM AND HIS CO-WORKERS HAVE ORGANIZED TO HAVE A "CARNE AZADA" DURING LUNCH HOURS AND ENJOY A FRESHLY COOKED MEAL PREPARED BY THEM. "SE SIENTE MASISO PODER LLEVAR NUESTRO SABOR INCLUSO AL TRABAJO" SAYS SUAZO
THIS IS AN IMAGE OF MARVIN SUAZO TAKEN DURING HIS LUNCH BREAK IN THE SUMMERTIME
ONE OF THE MOST INSPIRING PILARS OF THE IMPACT OF THE CULINARY INDUSTRY IN MONTANA ARE JAZMÍN BRAMBILLA AND SERGIO SÁNCHEZ, OWNERS OF EL RODEO IN BOZEMAN, ONE OF THE FIRST MEXICAN RESTAURANTS IN GALLATIN COUNTY, WHO HOPE TO BE ROLE MODELS FOR FAMILIES NEW TO THE STATE IN HOPES OF OPENING THEIR OWN BUSINESS AND EXPANDING THEM.
THE COUPLE CREATED THREE RESTAURANTS IN THE AREA SINCE THEY SETTLED THEMSELVES IN 2015. THEIR JOURNEY BEGAN WHEN THEY DECIDED TO START THEIR OWN FOOD TRUCK MONTHS AFTER THEY ARRIVED. “THE BUS WAS A DREAM IN ITSELF,” BRAMBILA SAID.
BUT THE OBJECTIVE DID NOT END THERE, SINCE THEY ALSO WANTED TO EXPAND, AND "SOME TIME LATER THE OPPORTUNITY TO PUT OUR BUSINESS IN THE SHOPPING CENTER (GALLATIN MALL) PRESENTED ITSELF, AND WE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF IT," SAID SÁNCHEZ, WHO TOGETHER WITH BRAMBILA HOPED TO BECOME ENTREPRENEURS WITH THEIR NEW LOCATION AT THE GALLATIN MALL
BRAMBILA'S ASPIRATIONS BEGAN BY SELLING FOOD ON THE STREETS OF MEXICO. FOR THIS REASON, BEING ABLE TO HAVE HER BUSINESS IN THE UNITED STATES IS "A BLESSING," SHE SAID
SHE REMEMBERS THAT EVEN WHEN SHE COOKED FOR THE PEOPLE SHE MET ON THE STREETS OF HER NATIVE COUNTRY OF MEXICO, HER "GOAL WAS ALWAYS TO CREATE A RESTAURANT IN A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE COULD SIT , BE CARED FOR AND FEEL AT HOME”, SHE SAYS. NOW THEY HAVE ACHIEVED IT BY OPENING THEIR NEW RESTAURANT IN BOZEMAN, "A DREAM COME TRUE," ADDED SÁNCHEZ.
JAZMÍN BRAMBILLA AND SERGIO SÁNCHEZ: PIONEERS OF BOZEMAN'S LATINO FOOD SCENE AND OWNERS OF EL RODEO, ONE OF THE FIRST MEXICAN TRUCKS AND RESTAURANTS IN MONTANA
THE PROFESSION OF HOUSE CLEANING IN MONTANA IS PRIMARILY UNDERTAKEN AND DOMINATED BY WOMEN. ALTHOUGH IT IS WORTH NOTING THAT MEN ALSO TEND TO ENGAGE IN CLEANING SERVICES AS A PARTTIME JOB WHEN OTHER PROFESSIONS, SUCH AS CONSTRUCTION, ARE SCARCE.
KEYDY VASQUEZ FROM HONDURAS IS AMONG THE WOMEN WHO HAVE EMBRACED THIS PROFESSION, AND ATTRIBUTES HER SUCCESS TO "LEARNING FROM MORE EXPERIENCED LATINA WOMEN."
WHILE INITIALLY BELIEVING THAT SHE HAD "A FIRM GRASP OF CLEANING TECHNIQUES," VASQUEZ ACKNOWLEDGES THAT SHE ONLY KNEW HER PERSONAL APPROACH.
HOWEVER, THROUGH EXPOSURE TO DIVERSE CLEANING STYLES, SHE HAS GAINED NEW INSIGHTS, INCLUDING "HOW TO MAKE BEDS IN DIFFERENT WAYS , HOW TO ACHIEVE A SPARKLING KITCHEN, AND THE NUANCES OF DIFFERENT CLEANING AGENTS."
MOST IMPORTANTLY, VASQUEZ HAS LEARNED TO BE ATTUNED TO THE SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS OF HER CLIENTS. SHE REGARDS HER OVERALL EXPERIENCE AS REWARDING AND TAKES "PRIDE IN HER ACCOMPLISHMENTS."
"IN THEIR BOOK "LATINO LANDSCAPES: TRANSNATIONAL POLITICS, CULTURAL PRODUCTION, AND THE URBAN BUILT ENVIRONMENT" (2013), SANDOVAL-STRAUSZ EXPLORES THE WAYS IN WHICH LATINO COMMUNITIES USE THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT, SUCH AS BUILDINGS, STREETS, AND PUBLIC SPACES, TO EXPRESS THEIR CULTURAL IDENTITIES AND ASSERT THEIR PRESENCE IN THE URBAN LANDSCAPE. IN PARTICULAR, SANDOVALSTRAUSZ ARGUES THAT LATINO CULTURAL PRACTICES, SUCH AS MUSIC, DANCE, AND FOOD, ARE IMPORTANT FORMS OF CULTURAL EXPRESSION AND COMMUNITYBUILDING. SANDOVAL-STRAUSZ SUGGESTS THAT THESE PRACTICES NOT ONLY SERVE TO CELEBRATE LATINO HERITAGE AND TRADITIONS BUT ALSO PROVIDE A SENSE OF BELONGING AND SOLIDARITY WITHIN THE COMMUNITY
SANDOVAL-STRAUSZ'S IDEAS CAN BE OBSERVED IN MONTANA, WHERE CONSTRUCTION WORKERS ORGANIZE CARNE AZADAS, LATINA WOMEN HELP EACH OTHER LEARN THE ASPECTS OF CLEANING SERVICES, AND SANCHE'S AND BRAMBILLA'S SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY ALLOW THEM TO MAKE MONTANA'S SPACE THEIRS BY PROVIDING A TASTE OF MEXICO TO MONTANAN SOCIETY "
HONDURAN COMMUNITY COMES TOGETHER FOR A FESTIVE DINNER ON CHRISTMAS EVE: A HEARTWARMING CAPTURE OF TOGETHERNESS
UNLIKE OTHER STATES, WHERE THERE ARE DESIGNATED PLACES SUCH AS MERCADOS, TIANGUIS, AND ANTROS FOR THE LATINO COMMUNITY TO CONGREGATE AND ENJOY THEMSELVES, MONTANA LACKS SUCH SPACES. CONSEQUENTLY, IT IS PERTINENT TO ASK WHERE MONTANA'S LATINO POPULATION GOES TO UNWIND AFTER EXTENDED WORK HOURS. ONE KEY ANSWER IS BAILES. BAILES HOLD AN IMPORTANT PLACE IN THE LATINO EXPERIENCE IN MONTANA. THESE EVENTS ARE TYPICALLY ORGANIZED BY LOCAL GROUPS AND OFFER A FAMILY-FRIENDLY ATMOSPHERE, WHERE LATINOS CAN COME TOGETHER AND INDULGE IN DANCING, PARTICULARLY TO MEXICAN MUSIC, DRINKING, AND A CHANCE TO PUT ON A NICE OUTFIT AND SHOWCASE IT AT THE BAILE.
IN "BUILDING LATINO URBANISM," AUTHOR SANDOVAL HIGHLIGHTS SCHOLAR CHRIS WILSON'S EXPLANATION THAT PLACES SUCH AS LAS PLAZAS ARE "WEBS OF MEMORY AND MYTH, OF CELEBRATIONS AND EVERYDAY INTERACTIONS THAT COMBINE WITH THE PHYSICAL SETTING TO CREATE AND SUSTAIN A COMMUNITY’S IDENTITY " BAR TASCO PROVIDES A SIMILAR EXAMPLE BY CREATING A SAFE SPACE FOR INDIVIDUALS TO BE THEIR TRUE SELVES, ALIGNING WITH WILSON'S DESCRIPTION. SUCH SPACES ARE RARE IN OUR NEOLIBERAL CAPITALIST WORLD BUT ARE ESSENTIAL IN CULTIVATING NOT ONLY INDIVIDUAL BUT ALSO A JUST AND HEALTHY NATIONAL IDENTITY.
AUTHOR GAYE JOHNSON, IN HER TEXT "SPACES OF CONFLICT, SOUNDS OF SOLIDARITY: MUSIC, RACE, AND SPATIAL ENTITLEMENT IN LOS ANGELES," ARGUES THAT MUSIC HAS PLAYED A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN SHAPING THE SOCIAL AND POLITICAL LANDSCAPE OF THE CITY, PARTICULARLY IN THE STRUGGLE FOR RACIAL AND SPATIAL JUSTICE. SIMILARLY, THE BAILES FILLED WITH MUSIC AND DANCE IN MONTANA HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF LATINO PLACE-MAKING, AS THEY SERVE AS SPACES FOR CULTURAL EXPRESSION AND COMMUNITYBUILDING. THESE BAILES OFFER AN SCAPE FOR LATINOS IN MONTANA TO UNWIND AND ESCAPE FROM THE DEMANDS OF THEIR DAILY JOBS.
MEET THE HARDWORKING CLEANING TEAM OF BIG SKY, MONTANA: A GROUP OF HONDURAN WOMEN READY TO TACKLE THE DAY AHEAD
ACCESS TO ENGLISH LANGUAGE CLASSES IS A SCARCE RESOURCE IN MONTANA. INDIVIDUALS SEEKING TO LEARN THE LANGUAGE MUST TYPICALLY BEAR THE COST OF HIRING A PRIVATE TUTOR, WHICH CAN BE EXTREAMELY EXPENSIVE DUE TO HIGH DEMAND.
ADDITIONALLY, THE PRIORITIZATION OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION BY COMMUNITY AUTHORITIES IS NOT A PROMINENT FEATURE ON THEIR AGENDAS. CONSEQUENTLY, COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO SEEK TO OFFER THESE SERVICES OFTEN RELY ON PERSONAL NETWORKS TO DISSEMINATE INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR AVAILABILITY, AND SUCH SERVICES ARE TYPICALLY PROVIDED FREE OF CHARGE THROUGH VOLUNTARY EFFORTS.
IN "BORDERLANDS/LA FRONTERA: THE NEW MESTIZA," ANZALDÚA CRITIQUES THE EDUCATION SYSTEM AND ITS TREATMENT OF CHICANO/LATINO STUDENTS SHE ARGUES THAT EDUCATION IN THE UNITED STATES PERPETUATES THE CULTURAL HEGEMONY OF THE DOMINANT SOCIETY AND FAILS TO VALIDATE THE EXPERIENCES AND CULTURES OF MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES WHILE THE GENERAL EXPERIENCES OF LATINOS IN MONTANA MAY NOT ALIGN COMPLETELY WITH ANZALDÚA'S SCHOLARLY AND UNIVERSITY VISION OF EDUCATION, IT IS TRUE THAT ACCESS TO EDUCATION, EVEN SOMETHING AS BASIC AS ENGLISH CLASSES, IS LIMITED FOR LATINOS IN MONTANA, WHO LACK POWER WITHIN THE DOMINANT WHITE CULTURE.
When I returned home during Spring break I was enthusiastic to gain further insight into my Latino community, with a particular question on my mind: "cómo se vive en latinidad?" In exploring the diversity of the Latino community in this region, I interviewed three women of distinct ethnic backgrounds who had made Montana their home.
Through their perspectives, I gained insight into the ways in which they lived their lives intheir own versions of Latinidad and how these methods contributed to filling a void within their communities.
DURING MY CONVERSATION WITH LYNDA, WE DISCUSSED HER SON'S GRIPE AND HER RELUCTANCE TO TAKE HIM TO THE HOSPITAL, AS SHE BELIEVED THEY WOULD SIMPLY ADVISE REST THIS CONVERSATION LED ME TO REALIZE THAT LYNDA REPRESENTS THE MULTIFACETED ROLE OF A MOTHER IN A CONTEXT LIKE MONTANA, WHERE THERE ARE LIMITED SPACES AVAILABLE FOR LATINOS TO EXPRESS THEIR HEALTH CONCERNS. IN ADDITION TO HER ROLE AS A CAREGIVER, LYNDA ALSO PLAYS THE ROLES OF A DOCTOR, ADVOCATE, ENTREPRENEUR, AND DREAMER, SHOWCASING THE CHALLENGES FACED BY LATINO INDIVIDUALS IN NAVIGATING AND FULFILLING VARIOUS ROLES WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITY
AS I ENGAGED IN CONVERSATIONS WITH LYNDA ABOUT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF LATINIDAD, I FOUND MYSELF INSPIRED BY HER ABILITY TO MOVE BEYOND THE CULTURAL LOSSES THAT OFTEN ACCOMPANY IMMIGRATION TO A NEW COUNTRY. INSTEAD, SHE HAS TAKEN IT UPON HERSELF TO ADDRESS A GAP WITHIN THE LATINX COMMUNITY IN MONTANA. WITH THIS IN MIND, I POSED THE QUESTION TO LYNDA, "QUE VASILLO CREES QUE SE NECESITE LLENAR PARA VIVIR EN LATINIDAD EN MONTANA?" (WHAT EMPTINESS DO YOU THINK NEEDS TO BE FILLED TO LIVE IN LATINIDAD IN MONTANA?) HER RESPONSE WAS ELOQUENT AND INSIGHTFUL.
“UPON ARRIVING IN MONTANA, STARTING A BUSINESS WAS NEVER ON MY MIND HOWEVER, THE BIRTH OF MY DAUGHTER DURING THE PANDEMIC LED ME TO A REALIZATION: I NEEDED TO FIND A WAY TO PROVIDE FOR MY FAMILY WHILE TAKING CARE OF HER. WITH A NATURAL TALENT FOR CRAFTING PERSONALIZED BREAKFASTS, I DECIDED TO START SELLING FOOD. YET, MY TRUE AIM WAS TO OFFER THE COMMUNITY SOMETHING UNIQUE THAT WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. I THOUGHT ‘GLOBOS! LOS LATINOS AMAMOS LOS GLOBOS!’ ALTHOUGH APPREHENSIVE DUE TO MONTANA'S RURAL ENVIRONMENT, I BEGAN BY PROVIDING MY SERVICES FOR FREE. ENCOURAGEMENT FROM THOSE I SERVED GAVE ME THE COURAGE TO LAUNCH M ONLY INCLUDES FOOD BUT ALSO HONES, D OTHER THE LAT RE CLOS
GLADYS IS A HIGHLY REGARDED MEMBER OF THE LATINO COMMUNITY IN BIG SKY MONTANA, WHO WEARS MANY HATS AS AN ENTREPRENEUR, PROMOTORA DE SALUD, AND NAVEGADORA SOCIAL. SHE ALSO REPRESENTS THE COMMUNITY IN ELEVATE BIG SKY, AN ORGANIZATION ESTABLISHED TO MAKE CHOICES FOR THE WELL-BEING OF THE COMMUNITY. DURING MY CONVERSATIONS WITH GLADYS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF BIG SKY AND THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY'S SIGNIFICANCE TO A SKI RESORT TOWN, I WAS STRUCK BY HER COMMITMENT TO BRINGING HER HERITAGE WHEREVER SHE GOES. SHE SHARED A QUOTE THAT SHE HAD ONCE HEARD, “IN EVERYTHING I DO, I WANT TO FIND A REASON TO SAY I AM MEXICAN,” AND ADDED, "THAT'S HOW I WANT TO BE AS WELL." DAILY SHE MAKES SURE HER CARS HAVE MEXICAN STICKERS, WEARS CLOTHING MADE BY MEXICAN ARTISANS, AND ALSO OFTEN WEARS THE MEXICO NATIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM'S SHIRT TO SEND A MESSAGE THAT "LATINOS, IMMIGRANTS, ARE HERE, AND WE ARE HERE TO STAY."
OUR CONVERSATION THEN SHIFTED TO THE MEANING OF LATINIDAD, AND GLADYS SPOKE ABOUT HOW IT INVOLVES EMBRACING AND CELEBRATING THE TRADITIONS SHARED BY ALL LATINOS. SHE MENTIONED HER CREATION OF AN ALTAR IN BIG SKY TO CELEBRATE THE LIVES OF THOSE WHO HAVE PASSED AWAY AND THE IMPORTANCE OF REMEMBERING THEM WITH LOVE "LATINIDAD IS ABOUT THINKING OF WHAT WE HAVE IN COMMON AS LATINOS AND HOW WE CAN CELEBRATE OUR SIMILARITIES TOGETHER. THAT IS WHERE LATINIDAD CONNECTS US," SHE ADDED.
WHEN CONSIDERING JUAN HERRERA AND HIS ARTICLE, "RACIALIZED ILLEGALITY- THE REGULATION OF INFORMAL LABOR AND SPACE," HE EXPLORES THE WAYS IN WHICH LATINO IMMIGRANTS UTILIZE INFORMAL SPACES SUCH AS STREET CORNERS AND PUBLIC PARKS AS SITES OF SOCIAL AND CULTURAL EXPRESSION. HERRERA SUGGESTS THAT THESE SPACES ARE CRUCIAL FOR COMMUNITY FORMATION AND CULTURAL TRADITION PRESERVATION, BUT ARE ALSO HEAVILY REGULATED AND POLICED. THIS DIRECTLY CORRELATES WITH GLADYS AND THE REST OF THE LATINO COMMUNITY'S USE OF THIS SPACE IN BIG SKY TO RAISE AWARENESS AND EMPHASIZE THE PRESENCE OF LATINIDAD IN THE AREA THROUGH THE DIA DE LOS MUERTOS ALTAR.
MARIBEL IS A HONDURAN WHO ARRIVED IN MONTANA IN 2014 WITH THE GOAL OF ESTABLISHING HERSELF AS THE OWNER OF A CLEANING COMPANY. "I WANTED TO HELP MY FAMILY IN EVERY WAY POSSIBLE, AND THIS WAS MY WAY OF PROVIDING," SHE SAYS. AS A MOTHER, MARIBEL EMPHASIZES THAT, ALTHOUGH SHE IS "PROUD OF THE WORK SHE DOES," SHE SEES SOMETHING BIGGER FOR HER DAUGHTERS "AND I KNOW THAT ALL OF US LATINO PARENTS, NOT JUST IN MONTANA BUT IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY, DREAM OF OUR KIDS BECOMING DOCTORS AND LAWYERS. WE WANT THEM TO FLY," SAID MARIBEL.
AS SHE SERVED ME COFFEE ON HER WOODEN TABLE, I ASKED HER QUESTIONS SUCH AS: DO YOU FEEL PART OF THE LARGE COMMUNITY IN BIG SKY? WHAT IS LATINIDAD TO YOU? "LATINIDAD TO ME IS GROWING AND EXTENDING MY HAND FOR OTHERS TO RISE WITH ME AS WELL. LATINIDAD IS MAKING SURE THAT MY GIRLS, (WHOM SHE REFUSES TO CALL WORKERS BECAUSE SHE SEES THEM AS SISTERS AND DAUGHTERS), HAVE ENOUGH WORK YEAR-ROUND TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES. LATINIDAD IS ALSO SPONSORING SOMEONE AT THE BORDER AND HELPING THEM GET TO A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN BEGIN A NEW LIFE AWAY FROM VIOLENCE," MARIBEL EXPLAINED
"MONTANA IS A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE WOULDN'T THINK LATINOS EXIST, BUT THE MORE THE YEARS PASS, THE MORE WE MAKE A LEGACY IN THIS STATE. BE IT BY CLEANING HOUSES LIKE ME OR BY SELLING FOOD LIKE MANY OF MY FRIENDS, WE COME HERE AND MAKE THIS SPACE OURS BY WORKING TO ACHIEVE OUR GOALS AND HELP EACH OTHER SUCCEED," SHE SAID.
ANZALDÚA, GLORIA. "BORDERLANDS/LA FRONTERA: THE NEW MESTIZA." SAN FRANCISCO: AUNT LUTE BOOKS, 2012.
BRAMBILLA, JAZMIN. INTERVIEW BY SAMANTHA SUAZO. MARCH 14TH, 2023. IN PERSON INTERVIEW.
HERRERA, JUAN. "RACIALIZED ILLEGALITY: THE REGULATION OF INFORMAL LABOR AND SPACE."
LATINO STUDIES 14, NO. 3 (10, 2016): 320-343.
DOI:HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.1057/S41276-016-0007-1. HTTPS://WWW.PROQUEST.COM/SCHOLARLYJOURNALS/RACIALIZED-ILLEGALITY-REGULATIONINFORMAL-LABOR/DOCVIEW/1896339515/SE-2."
JOHNSON, GAYE THERESA. SPACES OF CONFLICT, SOUNDS OF SOLIDARITY: MUSIC, RACE, AND SPATIAL ENTITLEMENT IN LOS ANGELES. 1ST ED. UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESS, 2013. HTTP://WWW.JSTOR.ORG/STABLE/10.1525/J.CTT24H S90.
LATINO LANDSCAPES: TRANSNATIONAL POLITICS, CULTURAL PRODUCTION, AND THE URBAN BUILT ENVIRONMENT." 2013.
MARTINEZ, LUCY. INTERVIEW BY SAMANTHA SUAZO. MARCH 12TH, 2023. IN PERSON INTERVIEW.
MENCIA, DANI. INTERVIEW BY SAMANTHA SUAZO. MARCH 13TH, 2023. IN PERSON INTERVIEW.
MUNOZ, L 2016, 'BAR TASCO: LATINA IMMIGRANT VENDOR'S MESTIZA CONSCIOUSNESS', CHICANA/LATINA STUDIES: THE JOURNAL OF MUJERES ACTIVAS EN LETRAS Y CAMBIO SOCIAL, VOL. 16, NO. 1.
ORTEGA, LYNDA. INTERVIEW BY SAMANTHA SUAZO. MARCH 20TH, 2023. ZOOM INTERVIEW.
SANCHEZ, SERGIO. INTERVIEW BY SAMANTHA SUAZO. MARCH 14TH, 2023. IN PERSON INTERVIEW.
SUAZO, MARVIN. INTERVIEW BY SAMANTHA SUAZO. MARCH 12TH, 2023. IN PERSON INTERVIEW.
THE METROPOLE." AUGUST 19, 2020. "LATINO URBANISM: A REVIEW OF 'BARRIO AMERICA: HOW LATINO IMMIGRANTS SAVED THE AMERICAN CITY'." ACCESSED APRIL 30, 2023.
HTTPS://THEMETROPOLE.BLOG/2020/08/19/LATINO -URBANISM-A-REVIEW-OF-BARRIO-AMERICA-HOWLATINO-IMMIGRANTS-SAVED-THE-AMERICANCITY/.
VASQUEZ, KEIDY. INTERVIEW BY SAMANTHA SUAZO. MARCH 16TH, 2023. IN PERSON INTERVIEW.
VASQUEZ, MARIBEL. INTERVIEW BY SAMANTHA SUAZO. MARCH 12TH, 2023. IN PERSON INTERVIEW.
WANGSGARD, GLADYS. INTERVIEW BY SAMANTHA SUAZO. APRIL 19TH, 2023. ZOOM INTERVIEW.
