October 1, 2021

Happy Hispanic Heritage Month from CASA

News

Zuly, our Batterer Accountability Specialist, sat down with us to talk about Hispanic Heritage Month. Here is what she had to say:

“I am a passionate person and I believe it reflects in my work with survivors and in the relationships, I foster in the community. That is the Latina in me! I do get told often when I get excited about something I tend to get loud … most definitely the Hispanic gene. Don’t discount us. We have a lot of value and insight to offer our community.”

Marissa is our Programs and Housing Manager.

Here is what Marissa had to say about Hispanic Heritage Month:

“I would say most important cultural aspect for me is FAMILY. Family means everything and I was raised to believe that you stand by your family. We need to be sensitive to cultural norms. It would be difficult to try and change views of the older generations. I take pride in what I do. When I first began working in this field in 2016, my dad did not ‘approve’ of what I did. He said I was helping people leave instead of ‘working’ on their issues. Now, my dad is open and a little more understanding of what I do because his niece’s experience with DV.

I would like people to know, if a Hispanic person is asking for help, take it even more serious than we already do, because it’s not common to see a Hispanic person leave the relationship.”

Delia, one of our IFP Attorneys, had this to say about Hispanic Heritage Month.

“I love the Hispanic culture, music, and cuisine. Understanding people’s cultural backgrounds will help you understand cultural terms, customs and expectations. I have being through difficult situations as an immigrant. It helps me better understand those going through hard times. I love helping others.

Language is what essentially defines the Hispanic community but being Hispanic is also about the tradition and heritage. The five F’s of Hispanic culture are family, fiesta (celebration), faith, food and football.”