There is a rich Latinx history, culture, and community along the coast of San Mateo County that is often missing from the story of who San Mateo County is. A community-based organization, Ayudando Latinos A Sonar, or ALAS, will be sharing the stories and history of the community.
Join us on January 25 at 6:00 PM by registering, opens a new window.
ALAS is a Latino-centered nonprofit organization born from the desire to help children and their families feel proud of their Latinx identity and culture and amplify their voices. ALAS provides a communal space of support, honoring the cultural strengths that thrive in our Latino northern coast community. Cultura inspires and heals the soul, opening doors for community wealth, leadership, activism and the engagement needed to flourish.
The program will feature the following panel presenters:
- Dr. Belinda Hernandez-Arriaga will discuss the context of the Latinx experience on the northern coast – a story of bringing together families and residents to nurture community-building and a deep sense of belonging. She will also discuss strengths in the community, and how the use of the deficit frame continues to hinder our communities of color while recognizing the very real inequities that persist. A brief video will be shown that features stories of community members – Through the Eyes of ALAS.
- Community leader Patricia Ramirez will share the history of her family’s migration to the coast many years back.
- Joaquin Jimenez will talk about his experience and the experience of many Latinx farmworkers in San Mateo County and how that has led him to become a community leader.
- Finally, we’ll hear from Diego Lopez, a Latinx youth who grew up on the coast and is continuing his story into college.
Understanding the stories of our communities is critical to understanding how we move forward to build a stronger sense of belonging as a collective San Mateo County community.
The Latinx Experience on the North Coast - Through the Eyes of ALAS is part of our 2021-2022 Equity Through Art Series in partnership with the County of San Mateo Chief Equity Officer, San Mateo County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services, its Office of Diversity & Equity and ALAS, opens a new window. By offering this series, San Mateo County Libraries aims to highlight the complex relationship Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) have had living and trying to thrive in San Mateo County.
If you missed our spring Equity Author Talk series, you can see it here. You can also view our past programs in the series on our YouTube channel.
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