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By Gabrielle Octavia Rucker
Photography through June Canedo
An estimate from 2018 measured that about 20 million self-identified Latinx immigrants traveled to the United States.Within those migrant communities, teams of other pre-Columbian indigenous people, more than 78 distinct indigenous communities in Mexico and more than 350 in South America, are neglected, their cultures erased and grouped through prevailing prejudices. When COVID-19 hit these immigrant communities, they faced not only an economic and aptitude catastrophe, but also a communication crisis. With over 500 exclusive languages spoken throughout Central and South America, sending a transparent and effective message about the need for social estrangement is a challenge.With the closure of paintings in the services and dining sectors, many other undocumented Aboriginal people have lost their income.They also have limited access to relief efforts, as budgets have documentation.All of this can lead to the worry of asking for help.
“What many other people don’t realize is that there is a lot of racism opposed to other indigenous people, even within the Latinx community.”
These are just some of the upheavals that Ind-gena communities in Leadership (CIELO), a nonprofit run by indigenous women and committed to indigenous communities living in Los Angeles, is trying to resolve.Founded through Organizers of Zapotec base and Janet cultural Martínez and Odilia Romero, CIELO defends the basic human rights of indigenous peoples and their families.We spoke to the two women to perceive how CIELO had to redouble its efforts while COVID-19 continues to overwhelm the livelihoods of indigenous immigrants in the state and across the country..
How did this organization end up?
Martinez: CIELO was founded because [Odilia and I] saw that there were no areas created for [indigenous] women where they were actually, really, deliberately supported.So we created an organization led by Aboriginal women.We also created the National Conference of Aboriginal Interpreters, which is the only one held throughout the United States and provides an area for the preservation of Aboriginal languages.People who speak Aboriginal languages do not gain advantages from those areas.It also provides an opportunity for Aboriginal interpreters.from all over the United States to join.
Romero: What many people don’t realize is that there is a lot of racism opposed to Aboriginal people, even within the Latino community, when we come here who do not speak English or Spanish, do not know the system and we end up in a hospital or in a courtroom, we get a Spanish-English interpreter, however, those interpreters are not aware of our linguistic diversity , only in Mexico 68 more languages are spoken, my parents came here to speak very little Spanish.I came here speaking very little Spanish. We have reveled in this firsthand: we have reveled directly in institutional racism opposed to that of other Aboriginal people and also with the racism of other Latinos.
Eulogia Romero
How have your preservation and fighting for the rights of COVID-19 speakers had to adapt?
“What kind of mask do you wear? None of this [information] should be given to local language speakers.And we’ve noticed that [infections] are on the rise.”
Martínez: Since COVID-19, we have developed a series of videos, translated into several indigenous languages, to contextualize the virus in our communities, we felt it was vital to spread this message in video and audio formats because many other people who speak those languages they transmit it orally. You cannot write things and assume that other people will be able to read them. If you look at the numbers in Mexico only, only one consistent with the percentage of other indigenous people have access to education.
If you don’t have upward mobility through education, you’ll need to have upward mobility through migration, and that’s what we’ve seen.That’s why we have a giant Aboriginal population [in the United States].So when we expand the material, we make sure we are aware that access to education is limited.Not everyone can read or fully perceive the brochures or infomercials in English or Spanish distributed by the government, so we create videos.
He has also worked to financially help his network through fundraising.Since August 2, it has allocated $566,800 to Aboriginal families through base efforts.CELO also won a $200,000 grant from the California Immigrant Resilience Fund that was distributed to approximately 500 Aboriginal families.efforts arise?
Martinez: One day, we started getting calls about other people who needed access to resources, due to closures in the places to eat industry.Many Aboriginal people paint in the food-eating industry.And so we began to see that there was a greater demand for monetary assistance.We said, “I wish I’d asked for a grant.” So we implemented for a $10,000 grant, that’s what we started with: $10,000 from the Seventh Generation Fund.And then we said, “Wow, where can we get another grant to give?”
Romero: Right now we are able to contribute $400 consistent with the family, we are very grateful to raise this money, because many other people who used to paint in restaurants have moved to the garment centers and are now paid two cents per mask., but they are also inflamed with COVID at an alarming rate.And there’s no data on how to take care of yourself in a clothing store.How do you hold your sewing machine?None of these [data] is intended for local language speakers.And we’ve noticed that [infections] are on the rise. One in 3 other people had a COVID or knew someone with COVID, and it’s right inside the network paintings that SERVES CIELO.
Martinez: There’s a guy who works in the canteen industry who paints an indigenous network and then goes to paint in one of the mask-making workshops.While running there, he got mad at COVID. To insulate himself from his circle of relatives, he had to sleep in his car.We’re a hundred degrees in Los Angeles, imagine having to live in your car so your circle of relatives doesn’t get inflamed.The circle of relatives gave him food through the car window and he had a bucket in his car to meet his daily needs.
Many of these undocumented employees pay taxes, but get some help from the government: they are eligible for stimulus checks, they are eligible for unemployment.
Amélie Valez Martinez
“What would happen now if all the agricultural staff stopped working, all the recovery staff?Imagine in an economy if undocumented immigrants stopped working.The economy would collapse.”
Martinez: Undocumented immigrants are not exempt from paying taxes if they have an individual tax identification number and have registered it with their employer, which many do have to pay the same taxes we all pay unless they don’t get the same benefits.They do not have access to social security, unemployment or the recent stimulus check.
Romero: Eighty-five% of undocumented immigrants have had a positive effect on the United States economy, we make a contribution to the economy of this country. What would happen now if all the farm staff stopped working, all the staff at the eating places? Imagine in an ordinary economy if undocumented immigrants stopped working. The economy would collapse.
Odilia Romero, co-founder of Ind-Gena Communities in Leadership
You paint with the LAPD, educating them about the nuances of Aboriginal communities and how they differ from Latinx communities in Los Angeles, can you tell me more?
Romero: I arrived here in 1991, my parents were already there, we lived in this domain that was under the “tutelage” of the REMpart Division of LAPD, well known for its corruption, at that time I was a child who lived and endured the trauma of being away from home.But then, in addition to adapting to a new country, many other people in my network also began to die [due to a drug overdose].It’s possible that people just don’t touch the police.They didn’t know what was killing their loved ones and neighbors.There was a lot of interaction with the police, but we may never have a genuine verbal exchange with them because they didn’t know about us.All those arrests, all those meetings, with the police, it’s been very traumatic.People would die or die, and families may not ask anyone to investigate or just what happened.
Through our organization, we have communicated with the police, as the same story I have just told them continues to spread as new indigenous migrants arrive.At first, [LAPD] simply didn’t open up to a verbal exchange.They didn’t even respond to our emails until LAPD officer Frank Hernandez killed Manuel Jaminez, a Maya and father of three.(This is the same officer who filmed beating Richard Castillo in Boyle Heights in April this year.)The officer told [Manuel] to raise his hand.He didn’t stick to it. He could not receive the order because it had been given in Spanish and English, and Manuel spoke the Guatemalan language k’iche.”They knocked him down and killed him. This is where the verbal exchange takes place.They say, “Hey, we want to know more about your communities.”
It’s a very intense conversation. The agents have left us.We made them joke or say racist or sexist things. The last education we had before COVID-19, one of the officials told me, “How do you need me to perceive your network if you can’t even perceive yourself?”Why can’t you stay home?”
Martinez: I think these paintings are incredibly debatable.This is the most debatable program we’re doing because no one needs to paint with the police.No one needs to paint with the LAPD. And I understand that perfectly, but for us, we can’t afford not to be bonds for our communities.
Romero: Some agents have implemented what they have learned in their work, others have not.It’s a combination with LAPD. But when they meet a victim of a crime or a perpetrator, they deserve to be able to take out our card and say, “Do you speak Zapotec?Do you speak Mixtecs? We don’t know how they’re going to use it.But they bring those cards [that ask those questions in various Aboriginal languages].And for us, it’s a wonderful achievement.
Janet Martinez, co-founder of Ind-Gena Communities in Leadership
Donations can be made to Ind-Gena Communities in Leadership (CIELO).
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