I am an immigrant. Many people do not know that. I migraqted to the West
Side of St. Paul from a small town in Zacatecas Mexico called Santa Maria de la Paz with my mother when I was a young child. Word had traveled to Mexico that this small West Side neighborhood was the great place to call home. My history professor in college was intrigued by this, due to the fact that this was a very "different" migration pattern than what was normal for families who were migrating from Mexico back then. Different because here people looked out for one another and helped each other feel comfortable when they arrived here. Resources were here to help people with their transition. People were here to help
one another get the help they needed. Whether it was help from the Neighborhood House, Our Lady of Guadalupe Church or help from other families who had already arrived here
and called the West Side home.
As a child I had very influential memories growing up with people from all
walks of life. People from different ethnic, religious, cultural and social backgrounds
lived side by side in this small area south of the river in harmony with one another. Families knew one another and their children played together. You knew who your neighbors were and your neighbors knew who you were. They would look out for you to make sure you were safe. Neighbors would greet you and ask how you were doing. This was a real
community. I grew up on Baker Street. My uncle Charlie lived a block away on Bancroft and Prescott Street. My grandparents lived on Winifred Street. I knew the families who lived
on those streets and they knew me.They knew who to call if I was in trouble and I knew where to go if I needed help. As a small child this had a great impact on me. I learned invaluable social skills from just playing with my friends in the neighborhood.
Many of whom still live right here on these same streets much like I do.
These childhood experiences influenced my decision to raise my family
here. After going on to college I decided to continue on the tradition of "giving" back to my community. I wanted to help those moving here feel just as comfortable as people have helped me feel comfortable when I moved here over 30 years ago.
I wanted to teach children how to appreciate their diversity and learn to
just play with one another as I remembered doing here when I was a kid.
As the Executive Director of the West Side Safe Neighborhood Council this
theme of community is more important than ever before. With the perils of our society it has become more difficult to maintain safety in our neighborhood. But as we remember what was helpful and influential to us who all migrated here at one time or another we all have an individual responsibility to welcome those in who are looking for a place to call home. I know that for me I have found home a long time ago and I work to extend this help and welcome to those who are looking to make the West Side their home. There is no neighborhood quite as rich as ours. We have defined the word community here on the West Side. All you have to
do is look around and see just how fast our community pulls together to help one another in times need. It is really a wonderful thing to be a part of.
Side of St. Paul from a small town in Zacatecas Mexico called Santa Maria de la Paz with my mother when I was a young child. Word had traveled to Mexico that this small West Side neighborhood was the great place to call home. My history professor in college was intrigued by this, due to the fact that this was a very "different" migration pattern than what was normal for families who were migrating from Mexico back then. Different because here people looked out for one another and helped each other feel comfortable when they arrived here. Resources were here to help people with their transition. People were here to help
one another get the help they needed. Whether it was help from the Neighborhood House, Our Lady of Guadalupe Church or help from other families who had already arrived here
and called the West Side home.
As a child I had very influential memories growing up with people from all
walks of life. People from different ethnic, religious, cultural and social backgrounds
lived side by side in this small area south of the river in harmony with one another. Families knew one another and their children played together. You knew who your neighbors were and your neighbors knew who you were. They would look out for you to make sure you were safe. Neighbors would greet you and ask how you were doing. This was a real
community. I grew up on Baker Street. My uncle Charlie lived a block away on Bancroft and Prescott Street. My grandparents lived on Winifred Street. I knew the families who lived
on those streets and they knew me.They knew who to call if I was in trouble and I knew where to go if I needed help. As a small child this had a great impact on me. I learned invaluable social skills from just playing with my friends in the neighborhood.
Many of whom still live right here on these same streets much like I do.
These childhood experiences influenced my decision to raise my family
here. After going on to college I decided to continue on the tradition of "giving" back to my community. I wanted to help those moving here feel just as comfortable as people have helped me feel comfortable when I moved here over 30 years ago.
I wanted to teach children how to appreciate their diversity and learn to
just play with one another as I remembered doing here when I was a kid.
As the Executive Director of the West Side Safe Neighborhood Council this
theme of community is more important than ever before. With the perils of our society it has become more difficult to maintain safety in our neighborhood. But as we remember what was helpful and influential to us who all migrated here at one time or another we all have an individual responsibility to welcome those in who are looking for a place to call home. I know that for me I have found home a long time ago and I work to extend this help and welcome to those who are looking to make the West Side their home. There is no neighborhood quite as rich as ours. We have defined the word community here on the West Side. All you have to
do is look around and see just how fast our community pulls together to help one another in times need. It is really a wonderful thing to be a part of.
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