GLADYS MEXICO

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.