Coalition celebrates Hispanic heritage

In a dazzlingly colorful swirl of skirts and a flourish of alluring smiles, the dancers of Folklore Latino swept the audience on El Caporal's patio out of Sisters and into the traditions of our brethren lands of the "other" Americas, south of our borders.

Celebrating Mexico's Independence Day (along with the Independence Days of most Central American countries, which all occur this week), the Hispanic Coalition of Sisters hosted a fund-raising and community awareness day on September 13, by bringing the divergent cultures of the Americas together for a day of fun and enriching activities.

While we are all Americans, the differences between the Anglo and the Hispanic cultures here are significant and sometimes difficult to overcome. The Hispanic Coalition of Sisters has come together to try and help bridge these differences and promote connections between peoples of different cultural backgrounds.

The strong mix of people attending and enjoying themselves at El Caporal showed the success that this group is having in Sisters.

Starting as a wisp of an idea when working on the Sisters Vision Statement while on the Board of the Community Action Team of Sisters, Rossy Gomez-Pullig started collaborating with Carlos Guzman on ideas to create more interactions between the "gringo" and Latino members of our community.

As educators, their early "exchange"-style social-language sessions and reciprocal Spanish and English classes gained real support and traction in the community. After receiving some very early grant money from the Roundhouse Foundation, they now operate under the greater non-profit umbrella of SOAR and just received an Oregon Community Foundation grant in recognition of the work they are doing.

Gomez-Pullig says that, "The real goal of the organization is the successful assimilation of the Hispanic community into the heart and soul of the Sisters Community."

The group managed to bring English language classes right to the job site for 13 local employers this summer, some of whom, like the Ponderosa Lodge, actually paid their employees for the training time.

In partnership with SOAR, the Sisters School District, Kiwanis and OCF, the organization has made a major impact by sponsoring children K-4 into the SOAR after-school program.

"When you get the young children learning and playing together there are no issues of assimilation" said Gomez-Pullig as she watched laughing children sharing the spoils of a battered piñata. "This also helps free the parents to work the hours needed to survive here."

In smaller communities, who you know can also make a huge difference with your success in the community. As Latino families traditionally work long hours and are family-oriented in their off time, more exchange-style social gatherings will be planned to try and open the friendship circles.

Anyone interested in attending planned free English/Spanish Language Exchange programs at the Sisters Library may contact Paulo Cesar at 815-2759. Volunteers, mentors, donors and sponsors, all needed, can call Carlos or Raquel Guzman at 588-5006 or call SOAR at 549-2091 for more information.