WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.500 Hey y 'all, welcome to Questions You Didn't Ask. 00:00:02.839 --> 00:00:07.179 Did you know that this very spot could be showcasing 00:00:07.179 --> 00:00:10.320 your business or event? Whether it's an audio 00:00:10.320 --> 00:00:14.460 ad on our podcast, or a visual ad on our new 00:00:14.460 --> 00:00:18.100 YouTube station, or even both, we've got the 00:00:18.100 --> 00:00:21.620 space for you. Nyesha Frey Consulting is reaching 00:00:21.620 --> 00:00:24.420 a growing audience of over a thousand leaders 00:00:24.420 --> 00:00:27.839 who are passionate about health equity, social 00:00:27.839 --> 00:00:32.070 justice, and civil rights activism. These are 00:00:32.070 --> 00:00:35.329 professionals just like you working across higher 00:00:35.329 --> 00:00:40.409 education, research, healthcare, nonprofit, government, 00:00:40.590 --> 00:00:44.030 and even public health sectors. If you're ready 00:00:44.030 --> 00:00:46.630 to get your message in front of a dedicated and 00:00:46.630 --> 00:00:52.469 engaged audience, send me an email at naishafrayconsultingllc 00:00:52.469 --> 00:00:57.149 at gmail .com. Let's talk about how we can help 00:00:57.149 --> 00:00:59.710 you connect with the people who need to hear 00:00:59.710 --> 00:01:02.829 about your services and products that advance 00:01:02.829 --> 00:01:06.969 health equity and wellness. Don't miss out. Get 00:01:06.969 --> 00:01:09.269 in the mix and let's make an impact together. 00:01:19.489 --> 00:01:24.469 This series is titled Ready or Not. The real 00:01:24.469 --> 00:01:29.530 talk Black and Latino communities need. Welcome 00:01:29.530 --> 00:01:32.730 to Questions You Didn't Ask. Today, I want to 00:01:32.730 --> 00:01:36.909 speak from a place of honesty and humility. I'm 00:01:36.909 --> 00:01:39.250 here to share my thoughts and questions about 00:01:39.250 --> 00:01:42.569 the connections and sometimes disconnections 00:01:42.569 --> 00:01:46.170 between Black or African American and Latino 00:01:46.170 --> 00:01:49.829 or Hispanic communities in the fight for health 00:01:49.829 --> 00:01:54.400 equity. These are hard topics. But they are necessary 00:01:54.400 --> 00:01:58.180 if we want to create lasting solutions to inequality, 00:01:58.760 --> 00:02:03.859 prejudice and oppression. As your host, I am 00:02:03.859 --> 00:02:07.239 to foster conversations that challenge the status 00:02:07.239 --> 00:02:12.419 quo. This requires us to think boldly and embrace 00:02:12.419 --> 00:02:16.319 innovation, even when the path forward is unclear. 00:02:17.000 --> 00:02:21.349 We'll explore tough. truths, and work to build 00:02:21.349 --> 00:02:25.569 understanding across cultural divides. Together, 00:02:25.750 --> 00:02:29.189 we'll face what oftentimes feels like a mountain 00:02:29.189 --> 00:02:32.530 of challenges. Because what else can we do with 00:02:32.530 --> 00:02:36.189 the time we have, but use it to push for a more 00:02:36.189 --> 00:02:40.530 just world? Let me start by sharing a bit about 00:02:40.530 --> 00:02:43.969 my journey. I'm an African American woman from 00:02:43.969 --> 00:02:47.349 the Triangle region of North Carolina. Raleigh, 00:02:47.389 --> 00:02:51.949 Durham, and Chapel Hill. These are three distinct 00:02:51.949 --> 00:02:55.650 cities, by the way, just neighboring and forming 00:02:55.650 --> 00:02:58.569 a unique community in the heart of North Carolina. 00:02:59.270 --> 00:03:02.349 Growing up, I lived in a world that was divided 00:03:02.349 --> 00:03:07.229 largely along Black and white racial lines. Latinos 00:03:07.229 --> 00:03:10.189 were a small, often overlooked presence in our 00:03:10.189 --> 00:03:13.810 community. This changed when I moved to East 00:03:13.810 --> 00:03:17.949 Harlem for graduate school. East Harlem, also 00:03:17.949 --> 00:03:22.289 known as Spanish Harlem or El Barrio, is a vibrant 00:03:22.289 --> 00:03:25.509 community with a rich Afro -Latino and Black 00:03:25.509 --> 00:03:29.370 Latino presence. For the first time, I encountered 00:03:29.370 --> 00:03:32.490 people who looked like me, but spoke Spanish 00:03:32.490 --> 00:03:36.550 as their first language. I saw Puerto Ricans, 00:03:36.550 --> 00:03:39.870 Dominicans, and others whose African heritage 00:03:39.870 --> 00:03:45.319 was unmistakable. This was a revelation, an embodied 00:03:45.319 --> 00:03:48.099 reminder of the transatlantic slave trade that 00:03:48.099 --> 00:03:53.120 left its imprint across the Americas. Afro -Latinos, 00:03:53.120 --> 00:03:56.199 who often share African and Latino ancestry, 00:03:56.599 --> 00:04:00.479 have a unique and underrepresented history in 00:04:00.479 --> 00:04:04.599 the United States. While 24 % of Latinos in the 00:04:04.599 --> 00:04:09.060 U .S. identify as Afro -Latino, many still feel 00:04:09.060 --> 00:04:13.330 invisible. Historically, figures like Arturo 00:04:13.330 --> 00:04:16.970 Alfonso Schomburg, a key thinker of the Harlem 00:04:16.970 --> 00:04:20.149 Renaissance, worked tirelessly to highlight the 00:04:20.149 --> 00:04:23.670 shared struggle of Black people globally. More 00:04:23.670 --> 00:04:27.910 recently, celebrities like Zoe Saldana and Cardi 00:04:27.910 --> 00:04:30.769 B have embraced their Afro -Latino heritage, 00:04:31.149 --> 00:04:35.250 raising visibility for this diverse group. Yet, 00:04:35.569 --> 00:04:38.889 Afro -Latinos often face dual discrimination 00:04:38.889 --> 00:04:43.430 from both the Black and Latino communities, compounding 00:04:43.430 --> 00:04:47.250 their challenges in navigating society. Despite 00:04:47.250 --> 00:04:50.949 this rich history and shared struggle, tensions 00:04:50.949 --> 00:04:53.930 between Black and Latino communities persist. 00:04:54.589 --> 00:04:57.709 My grandmother's experience in Nevada offers 00:04:57.709 --> 00:05:01.670 a personal glimpse into this divide. She shared 00:05:01.670 --> 00:05:05.069 with me how Latino shopkeepers treated her with 00:05:05.069 --> 00:05:09.089 suspicion and disrespect, making her feel unwelcome. 00:05:09.800 --> 00:05:12.779 Her frustration stemmed from the fact that African 00:05:12.779 --> 00:05:15.579 Americans had paved the way for so many civil 00:05:15.579 --> 00:05:18.220 rights victories, including those benefiting 00:05:18.220 --> 00:05:22.420 immigrants of color. Yet, she felt that her own 00:05:22.420 --> 00:05:26.959 dignity was disregarded. Her experience is not 00:05:26.959 --> 00:05:30.439 unique. Studies show that anti -Black sentiments 00:05:30.439 --> 00:05:34.660 exist among some Latinos, particularly when their 00:05:34.660 --> 00:05:38.800 status as Americans feels threatened. Research 00:05:38.800 --> 00:05:41.600 from the American Political Science Review highlights 00:05:41.600 --> 00:05:44.839 how Latinos, like other groups, may distance 00:05:44.839 --> 00:05:48.139 themselves from Black people to gain social acceptance 00:05:48.139 --> 00:05:52.720 in America. This tension often undermines potential 00:05:52.720 --> 00:05:57.240 alliances. Yet, it's crucial to remember that 00:05:57.240 --> 00:06:00.740 such sentiments are not universal and are heavily 00:06:00.740 --> 00:06:03.899 influenced by structural inequities and societal 00:06:03.899 --> 00:06:08.610 pressures. These divisions have also become visible 00:06:08.610 --> 00:06:12.610 in politics. The 2024 election highlighted a 00:06:12.610 --> 00:06:15.990 significant shift in Latino voting patterns, 00:06:16.129 --> 00:06:19.009 with many moving toward conservative candidates. 00:06:19.370 --> 00:06:23.589 For example, Latino support for Trump increased 00:06:23.589 --> 00:06:28.389 by 28 points in Nevada and over 30 points in 00:06:28.389 --> 00:06:31.899 Michigan. This shift raises pressing questions 00:06:31.899 --> 00:06:35.040 about the future of solidarity among communities 00:06:35.040 --> 00:06:38.199 of color and the role of shared struggles in 00:06:38.199 --> 00:06:42.139 shaping political priorities. At the same time, 00:06:42.339 --> 00:06:44.959 Black and Latino communities face many of the 00:06:44.959 --> 00:06:49.540 same barriers. African Americans are 42 % more 00:06:49.540 --> 00:06:53.920 likely to have hypertension and 59 % more likely 00:06:53.920 --> 00:06:57.740 to be obese than white Americans. while Latinos 00:06:57.740 --> 00:07:02.319 are 21 % more likely to have diabetes and 20 00:07:02.319 --> 00:07:06.879 % more likely to be obese than white Americans. 00:07:07.620 --> 00:07:10.920 Both groups are disproportionately uninsured, 00:07:10.920 --> 00:07:16.139 with 16 .1 % of Latinos and 10 .6 % of African 00:07:16.139 --> 00:07:21.480 Americans lacking coverage in recent years. These 00:07:21.480 --> 00:07:24.399 shared health inequities are rooted in systemic 00:07:24.399 --> 00:07:27.800 racism and structural barriers that impact both 00:07:27.800 --> 00:07:31.360 groups. Discrimination doesn't stop at health 00:07:31.360 --> 00:07:34.540 care. African -Americans continue to face over 00:07:34.540 --> 00:07:38.920 policing and mass incarceration. Similarly, Latinos 00:07:38.920 --> 00:07:41.199 experience the criminalization of immigration 00:07:41.199 --> 00:07:45.319 with over a million deportations in recent years. 00:07:46.089 --> 00:07:49.009 Both groups are disproportionately impacted by 00:07:49.009 --> 00:07:52.790 police violence and racial profiling. These shared 00:07:52.790 --> 00:07:57.389 struggles demand unified advocacy, yet systemic 00:07:57.389 --> 00:08:01.769 forces often seek to divide us. Fortunately, 00:08:02.050 --> 00:08:05.949 history offers examples of solidarity. The Latino 00:08:05.949 --> 00:08:08.589 civil rights movement, inspired by African -American 00:08:08.589 --> 00:08:12.649 leaders, saw figures like Cesar Chavez and Dolores 00:08:12.649 --> 00:08:16.730 Huerta workers' rights while recognizing the 00:08:16.730 --> 00:08:19.370 connections between racial and economic justice. 00:08:19.810 --> 00:08:23.149 Today, organizations like the National Association 00:08:23.149 --> 00:08:26.170 for the Advancement of Colored People and the 00:08:26.170 --> 00:08:29.329 League of United Latin American Citizens continue 00:08:29.329 --> 00:08:32.509 to advocate for equity across racial and ethnic 00:08:32.509 --> 00:08:37.590 lines. Leaders like Justice Sonia Sotomayor and 00:08:37.590 --> 00:08:41.370 Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson embody the possibilities 00:08:41.370 --> 00:08:45.009 of bridging these divides. As we move through 00:08:45.009 --> 00:08:47.850 this series, I want us to explore these complexities 00:08:47.850 --> 00:08:52.389 together. Why do divisions persist despite shared 00:08:52.389 --> 00:08:55.990 struggles? How can we foster genuine solidarity 00:08:55.990 --> 00:08:59.070 to tackle health inequities and other systemic 00:08:59.070 --> 00:09:02.289 challenges? To help us answer these questions, 00:09:02.610 --> 00:09:06.110 I've invited a guest I deeply admire, a truth 00:09:06.110 --> 00:09:09.509 teller and bridge builder who will help us navigate 00:09:09.509 --> 00:09:13.440 these important conversations. Let this be the 00:09:13.440 --> 00:09:16.059 beginning of a journey toward deeper understanding, 00:09:16.480 --> 00:09:20.059 stronger alliances, and a future where equity 00:09:20.059 --> 00:09:24.700 and justice are realities for all. It is my absolute 00:09:24.700 --> 00:09:28.419 honor to introduce today's guest, a woman whose 00:09:28.419 --> 00:09:31.700 tireless advocacy and unwavering passion have 00:09:31.700 --> 00:09:36.320 made an extraordinary impact, Julissa Soto. As 00:09:36.320 --> 00:09:39.860 a CEO and founder of Julissa Soto Latino Health 00:09:39.860 --> 00:09:43.149 Equity Consulting, Julissa has dedicated over 00:09:43.149 --> 00:09:46.289 two decades to championing health equity for 00:09:46.289 --> 00:09:49.169 Latino immigrant communities and underserved 00:09:49.169 --> 00:09:52.389 populations. Her transformative work has been 00:09:52.389 --> 00:09:55.830 recognized not only in Colorado, but across the 00:09:55.830 --> 00:09:59.029 nation, earning her numerous awards, including 00:09:59.029 --> 00:10:02.570 the 2024 Minority Owned Business of the Year 00:10:02.570 --> 00:10:05.529 from the Southern Colorado Women's Chamber of 00:10:05.529 --> 00:10:09.279 Commerce. and the Immunization Champion Award 00:10:09.279 --> 00:10:12.600 from the Association of Immunization Managers. 00:10:13.820 --> 00:10:17.179 Julissa's efforts have redefined how public health 00:10:17.179 --> 00:10:20.120 initiatives engage with marginalized communities. 00:10:20.539 --> 00:10:23.940 Through groundbreaking programs like Latinos 00:10:23.940 --> 00:10:28.360 Unidos for Vaccines and her signature Vaccine 00:10:28.360 --> 00:10:31.639 Sundays, she has ensured that thousands of people 00:10:31.639 --> 00:10:34.000 have access to life -saving health resources. 00:10:34.860 --> 00:10:37.620 delivered in culturally resonant and community 00:10:37.620 --> 00:10:41.700 -centered ways. Her leadership extends to policy 00:10:41.700 --> 00:10:45.019 as well, where she serves on influential boards 00:10:45.019 --> 00:10:47.320 such as the Health Equity Commission for the 00:10:47.320 --> 00:10:49.980 Colorado Department of Public Health and the 00:10:49.980 --> 00:10:52.700 Behavioral Health Equity Steering Committee for 00:10:52.700 --> 00:10:57.759 SAMHSA, driving systemic change. Julissa's story 00:10:57.759 --> 00:11:01.620 is one of resilience, innovation, and bold action. 00:11:02.169 --> 00:11:05.750 An immigrant from Tijuana, Mexico, she channeled 00:11:05.750 --> 00:11:08.470 her lived experiences into a lifelong mission 00:11:08.470 --> 00:11:12.090 to dismantle barriers and address social determinants 00:11:12.090 --> 00:11:15.870 of health. Her ability to build coalitions and 00:11:15.870 --> 00:11:19.529 inspire action has made her a trusted voice on 00:11:19.529 --> 00:11:23.649 platforms such as TEDx Mile High and media outlets 00:11:23.649 --> 00:11:28.990 like NPR and Time Magazine. Her impact goes beyond 00:11:28.990 --> 00:11:32.149 public health. Julissa's work fosters empowerment, 00:11:32.570 --> 00:11:36.309 equity, and inclusion, embodying the values that 00:11:36.309 --> 00:11:40.129 create lasting societal change. Her accolades, 00:11:40.129 --> 00:11:43.370 like the 2023 Distinguished Service Award from 00:11:43.370 --> 00:11:46.490 the Colorado University Anschutz Medical Campus, 00:11:46.730 --> 00:11:49.929 reflect a career dedicated to improving lives 00:11:49.929 --> 00:11:53.649 and inspiring others to join the fight for justice. 00:11:54.070 --> 00:11:57.070 Today, we are privileged to hear from a vibrant 00:11:57.070 --> 00:12:01.070 leader and fearless advocate. Julissa Soto, thank 00:12:01.070 --> 00:12:04.210 you for joining us. It is a true honor to have 00:12:04.210 --> 00:12:08.009 you here. In your own words, tell our audience 00:12:08.009 --> 00:12:10.210 more about who you are and where you come from. 00:12:11.889 --> 00:12:15.090 Well, good morning or good afternoon or good 00:12:15.090 --> 00:12:18.269 evening, depends on where you're at. My name 00:12:18.269 --> 00:12:22.590 is Julissa Soto, and I am an independent equity 00:12:22.590 --> 00:12:26.889 consultant and live in Colorado, but I was born 00:12:26.889 --> 00:12:30.600 and raised in Mexico. I'm also host of my radio 00:12:30.600 --> 00:12:34.360 show, Prevenciones Salud, con Julissa Soto. Also 00:12:34.360 --> 00:12:38.259 do commercials for Telemundo and one of the commissioners 00:12:38.259 --> 00:12:43.000 of the state of Colorado. Impressive, impressive, 00:12:43.340 --> 00:12:45.860 impressive. How did you get here to the U .S.? 00:12:45.860 --> 00:12:48.799 You said that you were from Mexico. We're in 00:12:48.799 --> 00:12:53.320 Mexico. And how did you get here? Well, I was 00:12:53.320 --> 00:12:58.789 born south of Mexico, so close by Acapulco. and 00:12:58.789 --> 00:13:02.230 my hometown is called uruapan and my state is 00:13:02.230 --> 00:13:06.990 michoacan i came here 27 years ago i came to 00:13:06.990 --> 00:13:10.269 united states yeah approximately 27 years ago 00:13:10.269 --> 00:13:14.730 crossed the border in the trunk of a car so i 00:13:14.730 --> 00:13:19.809 was 16 hours in that trunk from tijuana mexico 00:13:19.809 --> 00:13:22.710 i crossed the border san isidro and then went 00:13:22.710 --> 00:13:26.360 to san diego from san diego to Colorado, and 00:13:26.360 --> 00:13:30.100 that's where my journey begins. But I want to 00:13:30.100 --> 00:13:32.539 say to everyone that I didn't want to come to 00:13:32.539 --> 00:13:35.159 the United States. It was my ex -husband who 00:13:35.159 --> 00:13:40.379 brought me here. That's very interesting. Yeah, 00:13:40.460 --> 00:13:43.759 we're going to jump into a lot of that because 00:13:43.759 --> 00:13:47.820 I think that there are a number of people, including 00:13:47.820 --> 00:13:52.990 myself, that have had to confront. some commonly 00:13:52.990 --> 00:13:57.529 misconceived assumptions about why people from 00:13:57.529 --> 00:14:02.370 Mexico, Central America, South America, Latin 00:14:02.370 --> 00:14:06.450 America, even want to come here. Like, and how 00:14:06.450 --> 00:14:09.509 they get here. I mean, you said something compelling 00:14:09.509 --> 00:14:12.730 about being in the trunk of a car for 16 hours. 00:14:13.049 --> 00:14:16.309 That's something that most Americans cannot even 00:14:16.309 --> 00:14:21.159 fathom. So as you tell your story and as your 00:14:21.159 --> 00:14:24.779 story has unfolded over the years, what are some 00:14:24.779 --> 00:14:27.220 of the most commonly misconceived assumptions 00:14:27.220 --> 00:14:32.080 that Americans have about Latino immigrants that 00:14:32.080 --> 00:14:35.700 you have encountered? Well, you know, I have 00:14:35.700 --> 00:14:39.019 encountered a lot of racism and discrimination. 00:14:42.190 --> 00:14:45.210 I think myths about immigrants coming to the 00:14:45.210 --> 00:14:48.409 United States. A lot of us don't want to be here, 00:14:48.610 --> 00:14:51.590 but somebody else brought us here. And when you're 00:14:51.590 --> 00:14:53.389 married, when you're from Central America or 00:14:53.389 --> 00:14:56.429 Mexico, you must listen to your man. Your man 00:14:56.429 --> 00:14:59.269 says, we're going to this country. We're moving. 00:14:59.409 --> 00:15:01.529 You move. You don't ask the questions, right? 00:15:01.710 --> 00:15:04.070 And once you arrive to the United States, to 00:15:04.070 --> 00:15:08.019 America. People in here assume that immigrants 00:15:08.019 --> 00:15:11.460 want to take the jobs of Americans, that we all 00:15:11.460 --> 00:15:15.019 came here and applied for welfare, that we all 00:15:15.019 --> 00:15:18.799 came here and we want free rights. And I'm always 00:15:18.799 --> 00:15:21.399 talking to the community and educating professionals 00:15:21.399 --> 00:15:25.320 about, you know, no. First of all, immigrants 00:15:25.320 --> 00:15:28.259 like myself cannot apply for benefits like food 00:15:28.259 --> 00:15:31.399 stamps, cash or... TANF. We cannot apply for 00:15:31.399 --> 00:15:35.039 those benefits because we are not legal in this 00:15:35.039 --> 00:15:38.220 country, number one. And number two, the government 00:15:38.220 --> 00:15:42.059 asked us not to ask for any type of benefits. 00:15:43.419 --> 00:15:45.659 If not, we're not going to fix our papers, right? 00:15:45.740 --> 00:15:49.059 Or it's going to hurt our citizenship. And that's 00:15:49.059 --> 00:15:51.679 what the community don't know. Also, what the 00:15:51.679 --> 00:15:54.299 community out there or the professionals don't 00:15:54.299 --> 00:15:57.039 know is that once we get here, the government 00:15:57.039 --> 00:15:59.980 does give us, and they know that we're undocumented, 00:16:00.159 --> 00:16:04.059 and they give us a 19 number. A 19 number, which 00:16:04.059 --> 00:16:06.500 is very different to a Social Security number. 00:16:06.740 --> 00:16:09.019 With a Social Security number, you can work. 00:16:09.200 --> 00:16:11.899 With a 19 number, you cannot do anything but 00:16:11.899 --> 00:16:15.299 file taxes. And once we file taxes, the government 00:16:15.299 --> 00:16:18.440 doesn't give us anything back. They keep our 00:16:18.440 --> 00:16:21.179 taxes, right? But it's not to their convenience 00:16:21.179 --> 00:16:24.440 to say, oh. Yeah, we're giving IT numbers to 00:16:24.440 --> 00:16:27.419 all these undocumented people and they're not 00:16:27.419 --> 00:16:31.700 taxpayers. And when they know that we are taxpayers 00:16:31.700 --> 00:16:35.440 because an IT number exists, you know, those 00:16:35.440 --> 00:16:37.320 are the myths and those are the things that I 00:16:37.320 --> 00:16:40.039 had to encounter. And sometimes get really upset 00:16:40.039 --> 00:16:42.200 that people don't know what they don't know, 00:16:42.259 --> 00:16:45.639 but they assume things about my community. If 00:16:45.639 --> 00:16:48.080 you're enjoying the show as much as we love creating 00:16:48.080 --> 00:16:51.929 it. Consider showing your support by buying us 00:16:51.929 --> 00:16:56.750 a cup of coffee. Visit buymeacoffee .com slash 00:16:56.750 --> 00:17:04.430 Nyesha Frey O. That's buymeacoffee .com forward 00:17:04.430 --> 00:17:10.130 slash Nyesha Frey O. All one word. Each cup is 00:17:10.130 --> 00:17:13.970 just $5 and every single one helps us continue 00:17:13.970 --> 00:17:17.569 to produce, develop, and sustain the high quality 00:17:17.569 --> 00:17:20.720 content. you've come to expect from questions 00:17:20.720 --> 00:17:23.539 you didn't ask. Thank you for your continued 00:17:23.539 --> 00:17:26.180 support and let's keep the conversation going. 00:17:26.660 --> 00:17:30.539 Kalisa, this is so eye -opening. I know every 00:17:30.539 --> 00:17:33.380 time that I talk to you, you always shed light 00:17:33.380 --> 00:17:36.359 and help me to become less and less ignorant. 00:17:36.910 --> 00:17:41.150 OK, ignorant of the experience of immigrants, 00:17:41.470 --> 00:17:46.390 ignorant of the experience of Latino people uncovering 00:17:46.390 --> 00:17:48.829 and helping me to better understand even the 00:17:48.829 --> 00:17:52.329 different regions and areas and motivators of 00:17:52.329 --> 00:17:55.890 Mexico and the journey and all of that stuff. 00:17:55.950 --> 00:17:57.869 So that's one of the main reasons why I wanted 00:17:57.869 --> 00:18:00.630 you to be on this show is because you were always 00:18:00.630 --> 00:18:04.369 so clear about explaining things in a way that. 00:18:04.750 --> 00:18:07.009 I and I believe my listeners will be able to 00:18:07.009 --> 00:18:11.490 understand. Tell me a little bit more about what 00:18:11.490 --> 00:18:14.930 does racism and discrimination look like for 00:18:14.930 --> 00:18:19.589 the Latino community in particular? Oh, my goodness. 00:18:19.730 --> 00:18:23.150 How does it look like going to the grocery store 00:18:23.150 --> 00:18:26.789 and being very afraid that somebody who's English 00:18:26.789 --> 00:18:29.390 speaker or from the Anglo community would usually 00:18:29.390 --> 00:18:32.309 get discriminated by the Anglo community and 00:18:32.309 --> 00:18:35.519 not other communities? to go to you and say, 00:18:35.640 --> 00:18:40.380 well, go back to your country. And I am like 00:18:40.380 --> 00:18:44.690 amazed by. Go back to your country. What that 00:18:44.690 --> 00:18:47.250 really means, you know, when this was Mexico, 00:18:47.250 --> 00:18:49.750 and I know that everyone knows that this was 00:18:49.750 --> 00:18:53.230 Mexico and they steal our land from us, which 00:18:53.230 --> 00:18:55.869 they tend to do. They tend, you know, the Anglo 00:18:55.869 --> 00:18:58.890 community, the people in America, they tend to 00:18:58.890 --> 00:19:01.130 go to other countries. They tend to steal from 00:19:01.130 --> 00:19:03.970 other countries. And then they put it like they're 00:19:03.970 --> 00:19:06.690 the saviors, right? For me, it has discrimination 00:19:06.690 --> 00:19:11.029 as well in a life. And I always tell everyone 00:19:11.029 --> 00:19:14.509 that when... And they call us intruders. You 00:19:14.509 --> 00:19:17.609 know, I always say to them, you stole seven states 00:19:17.609 --> 00:19:20.250 from us. Who is the intruder here? You know, 00:19:20.289 --> 00:19:22.690 let's just be real. And that's why I'm here in 00:19:22.690 --> 00:19:25.549 this podcast, because I knew that I was going 00:19:25.549 --> 00:19:28.349 to express myself the way I feel and the way 00:19:28.349 --> 00:19:33.450 things are right now with the new election. I 00:19:33.450 --> 00:19:36.670 always tell everyone I got out of a domestic 00:19:36.670 --> 00:19:40.230 violence relationship. But here I go. for another 00:19:40.230 --> 00:19:44.150 four years in a mental abusive relationship because 00:19:44.150 --> 00:19:47.109 our president, our leader, will talk about us 00:19:47.109 --> 00:19:50.789 in a way that hurts us, not only physically, 00:19:50.890 --> 00:19:54.150 but also mentally. So race and discrimination 00:19:54.150 --> 00:19:57.589 is well in the life in this country. What I'm 00:19:57.589 --> 00:20:02.670 totally amazed by that is that, again, this was 00:20:02.670 --> 00:20:08.119 not Colorado. This was Colorado. Texas was not 00:20:08.119 --> 00:20:14.900 Texas. It was Texas, New Mexico, Wyoming. No, 00:20:15.099 --> 00:20:18.420 you know, it was not Wyoming. It was Wyoming, 00:20:18.660 --> 00:20:22.960 right? But now we have to mention these states 00:20:22.960 --> 00:20:25.500 in a different way because it's an American land. 00:20:25.700 --> 00:20:29.279 But, you know, every time I walk in this land, 00:20:29.420 --> 00:20:31.660 I'm like, I'm walking in my own land. And when 00:20:31.660 --> 00:20:34.019 people say, go back to your country, I'm like, 00:20:34.079 --> 00:20:36.579 I am in my country. I have dual citizenship. 00:20:36.880 --> 00:20:41.079 I'm a Mexican and I'm also American. Take that. 00:20:42.500 --> 00:20:46.880 Take it. Take it and make sure you chew on it 00:20:46.880 --> 00:20:49.839 and think about it. Don't just let those be words 00:20:49.839 --> 00:20:52.579 that float from one side of your head to the 00:20:52.579 --> 00:20:56.339 other, but actually think on it. I just think 00:20:56.339 --> 00:20:58.680 that it's also really interesting that you brought 00:20:58.680 --> 00:21:01.559 up the conversation of this I -10 number and 00:21:01.559 --> 00:21:05.079 being undocumented. Tell us a little bit more 00:21:05.079 --> 00:21:11.019 about coming here in the trunk of a vehicle, 00:21:11.279 --> 00:21:15.640 getting here, and then the paperwork and process 00:21:15.640 --> 00:21:21.480 that's involved in being documented with an I 00:21:21.480 --> 00:21:23.660 -10 number that they know you're here, they know 00:21:23.660 --> 00:21:25.559 that you're working, they take your taxes, but 00:21:25.559 --> 00:21:29.140 then calling you undocumented. Can you help that 00:21:29.140 --> 00:21:33.859 process? I mean, it's about as clear as mud to 00:21:33.859 --> 00:21:37.819 me. And there's a lot of propaganda in our media 00:21:37.819 --> 00:21:41.480 and our political environment that makes it even 00:21:41.480 --> 00:21:44.740 more confusing and divisive. Can you share us 00:21:44.740 --> 00:21:46.779 a little bit more about what that process is 00:21:46.779 --> 00:21:49.660 like when people cross the border and then they 00:21:49.660 --> 00:21:53.809 have to go through this process? Yes. First of 00:21:53.809 --> 00:21:55.950 all, to cross the border, even being undocumented, 00:21:56.170 --> 00:21:58.869 you have to pay thousands of dollars because 00:21:58.869 --> 00:22:01.690 you pay the guy that is helping you cross the 00:22:01.690 --> 00:22:05.690 border. Their name is Coyote, in English, Coyote. 00:22:06.130 --> 00:22:09.829 So the Coyote, you have to pay for him because 00:22:09.829 --> 00:22:12.309 he's the one leading the way. You have to pay 00:22:12.309 --> 00:22:15.369 around five to eight thousand dollars to get 00:22:15.369 --> 00:22:18.509 to United States undocumented. Then once you 00:22:18.509 --> 00:22:21.700 cross the border and you're here. You go and 00:22:21.700 --> 00:22:25.319 get with a CPA or anyone that does your taxes, 00:22:25.400 --> 00:22:28.339 you go and get an IT number. That IT number, 00:22:28.660 --> 00:22:32.619 you're told to be used only to do taxes, not 00:22:32.619 --> 00:22:36.420 to work. So when you come to United States and 00:22:36.420 --> 00:22:39.240 you're not, and you don't have a social security 00:22:39.240 --> 00:22:42.819 number, you either go out there and hustle a 00:22:42.819 --> 00:22:44.940 social security number. Some people are selling 00:22:44.940 --> 00:22:48.440 social security numbers and that's another couple 00:22:48.440 --> 00:22:52.059 hundreds. And in the meantime, you're like, okay, 00:22:52.140 --> 00:22:57.019 I want to be legit. I've been filing taxes. So 00:22:57.019 --> 00:23:00.079 how can I become a citizen? And just to get a 00:23:00.079 --> 00:23:03.279 consultation with an immigration lawyer, it costs 00:23:03.279 --> 00:23:07.539 you $200 to $300 an hour just to get a consultation. 00:23:07.880 --> 00:23:10.500 And then for them to take your case and say, 00:23:10.579 --> 00:23:14.000 okay, you have a good case. Let's try to see 00:23:14.000 --> 00:23:16.720 if you can be legit. It's around $20 ,000 to 00:23:16.720 --> 00:23:21.410 $30 ,000. to become legal in this country. So 00:23:21.410 --> 00:23:24.609 when people say to me, why they don't become 00:23:24.609 --> 00:23:29.029 legal? Well, very few of us have $20 ,000 to 00:23:29.029 --> 00:23:33.869 $30 ,000 to spare. And that's one case. What 00:23:33.869 --> 00:23:36.650 about if you have five undocumented people in 00:23:36.650 --> 00:23:38.529 your family? They don't charge you per family. 00:23:38.690 --> 00:23:41.470 They charge you per person, right? So imagine 00:23:41.470 --> 00:23:44.029 all the money that they need to spend. It's super 00:23:44.029 --> 00:23:48.200 stressful for me to become a U .S. citizen. illegal 00:23:48.200 --> 00:23:53.119 and i was undocumented for 12 years approximately 00:23:53.119 --> 00:23:56.819 so it took me forever to become a u .s citizen 00:23:56.819 --> 00:24:00.039 and paying making payments forever like around 00:24:00.039 --> 00:24:03.670 25 000 i had to pay for for me to become a U 00:24:03.670 --> 00:24:07.569 .S. citizen and finally be a U .S. citizen in 00:24:07.569 --> 00:24:10.289 this land. And just when you become a U .S. citizen, 00:24:10.589 --> 00:24:13.329 just when you think, oh my God, I made it, I'm 00:24:13.329 --> 00:24:15.769 doing everything right, you still get called 00:24:15.769 --> 00:24:18.750 Webeck, you still get called Beaner, you still 00:24:18.750 --> 00:24:21.910 get called undocumented, you still get called 00:24:21.910 --> 00:24:25.670 illegal, you still get called tortilla flipper. 00:24:25.809 --> 00:24:31.759 So I have heard it all, my friend. Again. I mean, 00:24:31.779 --> 00:24:33.819 this is why this show is called Questions You 00:24:33.819 --> 00:24:36.240 Didn't Ask. A lot of people don't have these 00:24:36.240 --> 00:24:42.819 conversations. They don't take the time to calm 00:24:42.819 --> 00:24:47.940 themselves, put the rhetoric behind them and 00:24:47.940 --> 00:24:51.700 speak to a person with a different experience 00:24:51.700 --> 00:24:55.000 that they know nothing about. You know, we're 00:24:55.000 --> 00:24:57.980 all, especially as Americans, I can speak for. 00:24:58.640 --> 00:25:01.759 Concerned about our own personal struggles and 00:25:01.759 --> 00:25:06.079 we've got plenty. And it's difficult for us to 00:25:06.079 --> 00:25:11.460 make time and space in our heart and in our lives 00:25:11.460 --> 00:25:16.119 to actually listen to what people are going through 00:25:16.119 --> 00:25:21.759 and to recognize our own privilege of being born 00:25:21.759 --> 00:25:25.420 here, of being. here for generations and not 00:25:25.420 --> 00:25:29.519 having to spend this inordinate amount of money 00:25:29.519 --> 00:25:33.059 in order to just be here. I mean, that's crazy 00:25:33.059 --> 00:25:36.660 to me that you get an I -10 number and they say, 00:25:36.779 --> 00:25:42.039 don't work, but pay taxes. Yes. That doesn't 00:25:42.039 --> 00:25:45.410 make any sense. No, when I was told that and 00:25:45.410 --> 00:25:48.289 I'm like, then why do I need this number if I 00:25:48.289 --> 00:25:50.430 cannot work with this number? And they say, because 00:25:50.430 --> 00:25:53.089 the government wants you to file taxes. And if 00:25:53.089 --> 00:25:55.730 you want to become a U .S. citizen one day, you 00:25:55.730 --> 00:25:57.869 better do what the government is telling you 00:25:57.869 --> 00:26:00.529 to do. And I was like, OK, that doesn't make 00:26:00.529 --> 00:26:02.849 sense. But, you know, it's kind of interesting 00:26:02.849 --> 00:26:06.829 to me that. Everyone and a lot of people are 00:26:06.829 --> 00:26:09.970 coming after the immigrants. And I'm always questioning 00:26:09.970 --> 00:26:12.910 this. Why we don't go to the big corporations 00:26:12.910 --> 00:26:15.990 that they're exploiting big, cheap labor? You 00:26:15.990 --> 00:26:18.410 know what I mean? Like, we're not going after 00:26:18.410 --> 00:26:20.769 them instead of the poor immigrants that don't 00:26:20.769 --> 00:26:22.730 speak English, that they're undocumented. They're 00:26:22.730 --> 00:26:25.930 afraid, you know. So why you keep hiring them 00:26:25.930 --> 00:26:30.319 if we bother you so much, you know? And then 00:26:30.319 --> 00:26:33.920 with the IT number, many, many years, many, many 00:26:33.920 --> 00:26:38.079 years that I didn't get a penny back. Well, and 00:26:38.079 --> 00:26:41.059 then now that I'm successful, I'm definitely 00:26:41.059 --> 00:26:43.519 never going to get a penny back because it's 00:26:43.519 --> 00:26:45.880 not getting worse for me, right? But, you know, 00:26:45.960 --> 00:26:48.380 in the old times when I was really poor with 00:26:48.380 --> 00:26:51.819 two kids, single mom, I never got that money 00:26:51.819 --> 00:26:56.059 back because the government keeps it. But they 00:26:56.059 --> 00:27:01.440 don't tell you that. What do you think are some 00:27:01.440 --> 00:27:04.480 of the misconceived notions that immigrants have 00:27:04.480 --> 00:27:09.180 about America before they get here? Oh, my goodness. 00:27:09.299 --> 00:27:14.109 We all come here like. I think smiling because 00:27:14.109 --> 00:27:17.710 we hear the stories that Americans throw dollars 00:27:17.710 --> 00:27:20.950 in the streets. Those are the stories that we 00:27:20.950 --> 00:27:23.650 hear. And then the Americans throw money in the 00:27:23.650 --> 00:27:26.269 streets and then they have so many programs that 00:27:26.269 --> 00:27:29.210 you don't have to buy food, that you can get 00:27:29.210 --> 00:27:32.730 food for free. And also that is the land of the 00:27:32.730 --> 00:27:35.670 freedom, of the freedom. So that you can speak 00:27:35.670 --> 00:27:38.109 and say whatever you want to say. And that's 00:27:38.109 --> 00:27:40.490 for sure. I know. No. Because when I did that, 00:27:40.569 --> 00:27:45.190 I ended up being arrested. So I tell everyone 00:27:45.190 --> 00:27:49.009 that American dream becomes a nightmare. You 00:27:49.009 --> 00:27:51.869 know, like, it's not a dream anymore. This is 00:27:51.869 --> 00:27:55.369 a nightmare. You know, I have been in the United 00:27:55.369 --> 00:27:58.049 States for 27 years. And a lot of the people 00:27:58.049 --> 00:28:00.930 tell me, especially immigrants, you're successful, 00:28:01.170 --> 00:28:03.509 you're good. And what they just don't understand 00:28:03.509 --> 00:28:06.450 is not because I'm successful, that doesn't mean 00:28:06.450 --> 00:28:09.609 that I'm exempt from being discriminated. and 00:28:09.609 --> 00:28:11.970 for being treated wrong. And what they don't 00:28:11.970 --> 00:28:14.630 understand is that now I have a bigger responsibility 00:28:14.630 --> 00:28:17.630 because I am the voice of the voiceless. So I'm 00:28:17.630 --> 00:28:21.849 speaking for them, you know? Yes, ma 'am. I mean, 00:28:21.890 --> 00:28:25.349 so many, so many, so many, so many things I want 00:28:25.349 --> 00:28:27.769 to ask just based off of that. Where do you think 00:28:27.769 --> 00:28:30.589 people get these ideas that we throw money in 00:28:30.589 --> 00:28:32.910 the street? Like I'm thinking, yeah, sometimes 00:28:32.910 --> 00:28:35.430 people are standing on the corner and we'll put 00:28:35.430 --> 00:28:38.279 money in their cup. but we're not throwing money 00:28:38.279 --> 00:28:39.859 in the street. Where do you think some of those 00:28:39.859 --> 00:28:44.099 ideas and perceptions come from? When you are 00:28:44.099 --> 00:28:48.299 raised in a little village in Mexico and you're 00:28:48.299 --> 00:28:51.539 really, really poor, somebody from the States 00:28:51.539 --> 00:28:55.440 come to our village and they might have $500 00:28:55.440 --> 00:28:59.240 or $1 ,000, right? For me, for us, that's a baller. 00:28:59.400 --> 00:29:02.220 That's like, damn, that's a lot of money. A thousand 00:29:02.220 --> 00:29:05.839 dollars and transfer that into pesos. Oh, my 00:29:05.839 --> 00:29:08.980 goodness. So they come to our little town with 00:29:08.980 --> 00:29:11.559 a thousand dollars. They show off. They're looking 00:29:11.559 --> 00:29:14.119 good and everything else. So we're like, oh, 00:29:14.140 --> 00:29:16.839 my God, we want that. But what they forget to 00:29:16.839 --> 00:29:19.400 say is that a thousand dollars doesn't take you 00:29:19.400 --> 00:29:22.920 that far in United States, number one. And number 00:29:22.920 --> 00:29:25.599 two, that you have to work day and night. Most 00:29:25.599 --> 00:29:28.220 of us from the immigrant community work Sunday 00:29:28.220 --> 00:29:30.680 to Sunday to make it in this country because 00:29:30.680 --> 00:29:33.440 we have. to work 10 times harder than the white 00:29:33.440 --> 00:29:35.500 folks. The white folks sometimes don't even do 00:29:35.500 --> 00:29:38.059 nothing and they get promoted. And I'm like, 00:29:38.099 --> 00:29:41.279 what the hell? Why is it that that's happening, 00:29:41.420 --> 00:29:44.940 right? And we're over here busting our ass for 00:29:44.940 --> 00:29:48.849 somebody, for one person to see us. And that's 00:29:48.849 --> 00:29:51.049 inequities in there. That's unfair. But that's 00:29:51.049 --> 00:29:54.609 the reality in the United States. So we get that 00:29:54.609 --> 00:29:56.490 from people that come from the States and then 00:29:56.490 --> 00:29:59.789 go and pretend like they're ballers in our little 00:29:59.789 --> 00:30:02.529 hometown. And because we don't know better, girl, 00:30:02.549 --> 00:30:05.970 we see somebody with $1 ,000, my God, that's 00:30:05.970 --> 00:30:13.190 heaven. Remember, we make $100 a month. I think 00:30:13.190 --> 00:30:16.609 that that is really important for people to understand. 00:30:17.450 --> 00:30:21.849 that yes, there is a lot of people, you know, 00:30:21.869 --> 00:30:24.809 it's like this whole social media world where 00:30:24.809 --> 00:30:26.769 everything is just kind of like, look at me, 00:30:26.829 --> 00:30:29.849 look at me. But nobody has really taken the time 00:30:29.849 --> 00:30:33.970 to be honest about how they really feel and what 00:30:33.970 --> 00:30:36.369 they're really going through and how much of 00:30:36.369 --> 00:30:38.490 that is real and how much of that is just perception 00:30:38.490 --> 00:30:42.910 and how fake people can be, right? I mean, I 00:30:42.910 --> 00:30:46.289 remember I was fortunate to go to Malawi, Africa. 00:30:47.289 --> 00:30:51.569 And I was there on a work trip. And I was speaking 00:30:51.569 --> 00:30:55.849 with some professionals there and getting really 00:30:55.849 --> 00:30:58.809 a good chance to get to know people. And there 00:30:58.809 --> 00:31:01.730 was a gentleman who was just really enamored 00:31:01.730 --> 00:31:06.089 with the United States and opportunities in the 00:31:06.089 --> 00:31:08.529 United States. And I was not there to necessarily 00:31:08.529 --> 00:31:11.950 discourage him. But when he started asking me 00:31:11.950 --> 00:31:15.789 questions about income and salaries and this 00:31:15.789 --> 00:31:18.450 and that, I tried to be honest with him. And 00:31:18.450 --> 00:31:21.710 from his perspective, like you said, the exchange 00:31:21.710 --> 00:31:24.829 rate of those numbers just seemed phenomenal 00:31:24.829 --> 00:31:27.650 to him, right? And then I had to break it to 00:31:27.650 --> 00:31:31.809 him. And I said, but rent is this much. And car 00:31:31.809 --> 00:31:34.589 notes are this much. And then you have to pay 00:31:34.589 --> 00:31:38.009 taxes. And then you have, I said, so what sounds 00:31:38.009 --> 00:31:42.589 like a lot of money quickly becomes no money. 00:31:43.019 --> 00:31:45.700 And so, you know, we're even dealing with that 00:31:45.700 --> 00:31:49.240 right now, dealing with inflation. The salaries 00:31:49.240 --> 00:31:55.019 that used to be considerable, comfortable, reasonable 00:31:55.019 --> 00:31:59.400 salaries for a professional to live on is laughable 00:31:59.400 --> 00:32:02.240 now. You know, I remember a time when making 00:32:02.240 --> 00:32:07.440 $50 ,000 was a good salary. Now it's like you're 00:32:07.440 --> 00:32:10.359 barely making it. And it wasn't that long ago. 00:32:10.799 --> 00:32:13.039 And so that quick, quick, quick, quick, quick 00:32:13.039 --> 00:32:16.940 increase in cost of living and the fact that 00:32:16.940 --> 00:32:22.559 rent and mortgage has never gone down in this 00:32:22.559 --> 00:32:26.039 country. We've never seen a decrease. We've never 00:32:26.039 --> 00:32:29.440 seen a discount. I was just at a board meeting 00:32:29.440 --> 00:32:33.019 and they were talking about how supporting families 00:32:33.019 --> 00:32:37.059 who have disabilities. challenges with mental 00:32:37.059 --> 00:32:39.660 health and substance use, there are certain things 00:32:39.660 --> 00:32:41.900 that they can leverage and get discounts on. 00:32:42.119 --> 00:32:44.299 But when people come to them and ask them for 00:32:44.299 --> 00:32:48.940 help with rent, housing, utilities, there is 00:32:48.940 --> 00:32:53.140 no opportunity to leverage because Duke Energy 00:32:53.140 --> 00:32:57.039 or whoever your energy company is, the cost is 00:32:57.039 --> 00:33:00.079 what the cost is. And there's no opportunity 00:33:00.079 --> 00:33:03.079 to get a break on that. So even when you're talking 00:33:03.079 --> 00:33:06.269 about advocates. Who are there to help and assist? 00:33:06.750 --> 00:33:09.029 Like you were talking about, some people come 00:33:09.029 --> 00:33:11.789 back home and they tell stories about how, you 00:33:11.789 --> 00:33:13.509 know, you can get assistance with this and you 00:33:13.509 --> 00:33:14.869 can get assistance with that. Well, there are 00:33:14.869 --> 00:33:18.009 limitations to that. A lot of limitations to 00:33:18.009 --> 00:33:20.849 that. How many organizations and nonprofits are 00:33:20.849 --> 00:33:23.609 out here that offer people free food, but you 00:33:23.609 --> 00:33:27.470 can only go once a month. Right. And it's not 00:33:27.470 --> 00:33:30.059 enough to feed your whole family. It's just enough 00:33:30.059 --> 00:33:32.559 to get through a few days out of the month. So 00:33:32.559 --> 00:33:35.640 there's so many misconceptions, even within our 00:33:35.640 --> 00:33:38.160 own community, even within the United States. 00:33:38.180 --> 00:33:41.380 But then to add another border and another country 00:33:41.380 --> 00:33:43.599 and another culture and another exchange rate, 00:33:43.700 --> 00:33:46.339 the confusion just becomes a lot more thick. 00:33:48.240 --> 00:33:52.599 So now I want to ask you about, you know, how 00:33:52.599 --> 00:33:55.460 did your experience as an immigrant lead you 00:33:55.460 --> 00:33:59.259 to fight for fair? health care, health equity, 00:33:59.420 --> 00:34:05.039 and so on. You know, coming to this country, 00:34:05.119 --> 00:34:07.740 27 years across the border in the trunk of a 00:34:07.740 --> 00:34:12.739 car, when I came here, my ex -husband continued 00:34:12.739 --> 00:34:15.039 to treat me the way that he was treating me in 00:34:15.039 --> 00:34:18.619 Mexico. which he was beating me up once or twice 00:34:18.619 --> 00:34:22.500 a week. And the reason why it was because I didn't 00:34:22.500 --> 00:34:26.000 cook right or the house was not clean, things 00:34:26.000 --> 00:34:30.699 like that, right? So when the last time that 00:34:30.699 --> 00:34:34.579 he beat me up, he sent me to the hospital. He 00:34:34.579 --> 00:34:38.219 broke my two legs and my two arms with a bat. 00:34:38.719 --> 00:34:43.920 And I went into a coma and he flinged to Mexico 00:34:43.920 --> 00:34:47.329 and he's deported for life. He was charged with 00:34:47.329 --> 00:34:50.050 assault in third degree, something like that. 00:34:50.150 --> 00:34:52.750 You know, he had so many charges because the 00:34:52.750 --> 00:34:56.190 way he left me. So when I woke up at the hospital, 00:34:56.210 --> 00:34:58.510 I remember seeing my family, seeing everyone. 00:34:58.570 --> 00:35:00.889 And I was like, oh, my God, I need to wake up. 00:35:00.909 --> 00:35:02.949 I need to go home. I'm going to get beat up because 00:35:02.949 --> 00:35:05.829 how long have I been here? And the nurse looked 00:35:05.829 --> 00:35:09.489 at me and the nurse is like, don't worry. Your 00:35:09.489 --> 00:35:13.800 husband fleeing. He's not here no more. You're 00:35:13.800 --> 00:35:16.099 going to sleep for a couple of days. And I was 00:35:16.099 --> 00:35:18.400 like, no, I cannot sleep. I'm not allowed to 00:35:18.400 --> 00:35:20.940 sleep. I need to go home. He's going to beat 00:35:20.940 --> 00:35:23.840 me up. You don't understand. And then she was 00:35:23.840 --> 00:35:26.380 like, no, I do understand. He's no longer with 00:35:26.380 --> 00:35:30.619 you. So I stay in the hospital, sleep for days. 00:35:31.280 --> 00:35:35.519 And then I started noticing how. You know, some 00:35:35.519 --> 00:35:38.679 of the providers will treat me and will treat 00:35:38.679 --> 00:35:41.739 me with a lot of respect and dignity. And I was 00:35:41.739 --> 00:35:45.059 like, oh, my goodness, when one day maybe I can 00:35:45.059 --> 00:35:48.219 help the community understand that is help out 00:35:48.219 --> 00:35:50.639 there and that is good people out there. And 00:35:50.639 --> 00:35:53.739 then I got out of the hospital and it was a journey 00:35:53.739 --> 00:35:56.980 just to get a job. And remember, I never worked 00:35:56.980 --> 00:35:59.940 in my life. I was undocumented. I was educated, 00:36:00.260 --> 00:36:03.099 didn't speak a word in English when I came to 00:36:03.099 --> 00:36:06.079 United States. So my journey begins there with 00:36:06.079 --> 00:36:09.239 a lot of struggles. And I didn't understand what 00:36:09.239 --> 00:36:12.840 a primary care doctor was or a safety net clinic 00:36:12.840 --> 00:36:14.960 or federal qualified health center. All what 00:36:14.960 --> 00:36:18.280 I knew is to run to the emergency room. So when 00:36:18.280 --> 00:36:21.900 my kids were sick and with an ear infection, 00:36:22.159 --> 00:36:24.239 I would run to the emergency room and I would 00:36:24.239 --> 00:36:27.789 sit there for hours and hours and just see. that 00:36:27.789 --> 00:36:30.590 they were taking other people before me. And 00:36:30.590 --> 00:36:32.570 now I understand the why, because those were 00:36:32.570 --> 00:36:36.090 emergencies and mine was not considered an emergency, 00:36:36.309 --> 00:36:38.869 right? So I was waiting there for hours and hours 00:36:38.869 --> 00:36:42.309 and I was so frustrated. And I said, Lord, if 00:36:42.309 --> 00:36:45.670 you help me have some power, if you help me learn 00:36:45.670 --> 00:36:48.409 how to speak the language, be documented, get 00:36:48.409 --> 00:36:52.309 educated, please allow me to get all these things. 00:36:52.349 --> 00:36:55.329 And if you help me, I will dedicate my life to 00:36:55.329 --> 00:36:58.090 my community. And they said, be careful what 00:36:58.090 --> 00:36:59.929 you ask the Lord for, because he gave me that 00:36:59.929 --> 00:37:02.070 and more. Now I'm like, Lord, I have so much 00:37:02.070 --> 00:37:04.670 power that I don't know what to do with it. And 00:37:04.670 --> 00:37:07.429 I'm afraid, you know, because they're coming 00:37:07.429 --> 00:37:10.570 after me now. Now, before I used to be a nobody. 00:37:10.710 --> 00:37:14.090 Now I'm a threat to those who know that I'm highly 00:37:14.090 --> 00:37:16.630 educated. I speak the language. I have my dual 00:37:16.630 --> 00:37:18.929 citizenship, you know. So they're like, what? 00:37:19.050 --> 00:37:22.690 You know, she survived all these. Barriers, right? 00:37:22.849 --> 00:37:26.869 So out of frustration of the system and not understanding 00:37:26.869 --> 00:37:29.489 the system, because I used to ask myself, if 00:37:29.489 --> 00:37:31.869 I don't know what a primary care doctor is, I 00:37:31.869 --> 00:37:34.150 bet that a lot of us don't know. If I didn't 00:37:34.150 --> 00:37:36.070 know about a federal qualified health center, 00:37:36.170 --> 00:37:39.969 I bet most of my people don't know that. So that's 00:37:39.969 --> 00:37:43.349 why my passion of equity and being equitable 00:37:43.349 --> 00:37:45.829 and fighting the good fights out there and just 00:37:45.829 --> 00:37:49.599 when people think I'm done. We cannot assume 00:37:49.599 --> 00:37:52.940 that immigrants and refugees know systems that 00:37:52.940 --> 00:37:55.500 in the first place, they were never built for 00:37:55.500 --> 00:37:59.840 BIPOC communities. No. No, they were not. We 00:37:59.840 --> 00:38:04.019 all had our own ways of health and healing out 00:38:04.019 --> 00:38:07.750 of necessity, especially in this country. And 00:38:07.750 --> 00:38:10.769 had to build them ourselves because no one was 00:38:10.769 --> 00:38:14.030 coming to save us, right? And we still hear that 00:38:14.030 --> 00:38:16.590 in our communities that no one is coming to save 00:38:16.590 --> 00:38:18.969 us. We have to save ourselves. Thank you for 00:38:18.969 --> 00:38:22.050 joining us on Questions You Didn't Ask with me, 00:38:22.190 --> 00:38:26.690 Nyesha Frey, and my guest, Julissa Soto. Tune 00:38:26.690 --> 00:38:29.690 in next week as we continue our series, Ready 00:38:29.690 --> 00:38:33.329 or Not, The Real Talk Black and Latino Communities 00:38:33.329 --> 00:38:33.570 Need.