Caring Across Generations: “We Need Each Other!”
More than 200 people gathered for CARE!
The Seattle event marked the local launch of a national grassroots campaign called Caring Across Generations that aims to transform America’s long-term care industry. Similar events will be taking place in at least 14 other U.S. cities over the next 12 months. The campaign, made up of more than 70 organizations nationally, works to protect what we have—Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security—while creating what we need: two million new care jobs, training and protection for workers, new paths to citizenship for immigrant workers, and measures to make care more affordable for struggling families.
Kassandra (in the middle) sharing with her Casa Latina friends
As one of 23 local organizations endorsing the campaign, Casa Latina had nearly 30 people in attendance at the Seattle meeting. Those at the event learned more about Caring Across Generations while listening to personal testimonies that inspired us to offer our support. Kassandra Gonzalez, a domestic worker and Casa Latina volunteer was one of those who shared their stories. Kassandra feels she’s discriminated against since those doing domestic work are excluded from labor protections, they don’t have access to health care, and are often working without basic legal workers’ rights. “It will be a dream come true to have rights like every other worker in the country,” said Kassandra.
Jodeen Olguín-Tayler from The National Domestic Workers Alliance stated it clearly: “The truth is we need each other! This is a crisis that effects all of us—one that everyone in our society needs to work on together to find a solution.”
As the country’s “age wave” begins this year—with Americans reaching age 65 at the rate of one every eight seconds—the transformation of the long-term care industry is more urgent than ever. In Seattle, nearly 3,800 individuals currently receive home care support through the Department of Social and Health Services. With more than 10% of Seattle’s population now 65 or older, and with over 12% of Seattleites now between ages 55 and 65, those needing home care will only be increasing in the coming years.
The first step toward addressing this crisis locally is to pass a Seattle City Council resolution in support of the values of the Caring Across Generations campaign. By doing so, Seattle would become the first city in the nation to pass legislation around this issue. We encourage you, our friends and neighbors, to join Casa Latina in offering support to the campaign. We care and we know that you care too! ¡Sí Se Puede!
Maricela and Emily are Caring Across generations together
Come celebrate Valentine’s Day with Casa Latina and share the love!
Flora Gaytan from Oaxaca, Mex
This week we’d like to share Flora Gaytán’s story: A single mother from Mexico who’s been living in Seattle for two-and-a-half years, Flora earns a living cleaning homes in the Seattle area. When she first came to the USA from her native city of Oaxaca, she found a job working in a hotel. Unfortunately, due to the poor economy she lost her job. It was then that she found Casa Latina and started going to the Workers’ Center for training and to learn how she could contribute to her community.
Now certified in Green Cleaning, Flora has a number of employers who regularly hire her through Casa Latina. Through the leadership program, Flora has also been growing as a leader in her community; she’s found her voice and now uses it to call for fair treatment of all domestic workers.
Last year Flora attended the Domestic Workers Alliance meeting in San Francisco and, in her own words, the experience helped her realize how important it is to be informed about the issues and to work with community organizations that are fighting for the rights of thousands of domestic workers like herself. The National Conference for Domestic Workers will be held in Washington, DC this May, and Flora and 14 of her friends and colleagues from the Workers’ Center hope to be able to attend.
In order to help raise funds for their trip, Flora and her colleagues are planning a delicious Mexican Valentine’s Day dinner at Casa Latina on the evening of Tuesday, February 14th. We’d like to invite all our neighbors in the Seattle community to join us to celebrate this day of love! Grab your friends and loved ones or even come by yourself to enjoy a home-cooked Valentine’s meal, while lending your support to the women at Casa Latina’s Workers’ Center at the same time!
Here are details for the dinner:
Menu
Salad: Jicama Salad
Entreé: Stuffed Chicken Breast or Cheese Chile Relleno
(both served with Mexican rice)
Dessert: Flan Napolitano
*Dinner includes one beer per person.
Minimun donation suggested is $15.00 per person, or more if you can!
Time:
Tuesday, February 14th at either 6:00pm or 7:30pm
Location:
Casa Latina
317 17th Avenue South
Seattle, WA 98144
(at 17th & South Jackson Street)
Make your reservation with Maria Reyna by calling (206) 956-0779, extension 103.
¡Gracias y Felíz Día del Amor y la Amistad!
For more information about the Domestic Workers Alliance, please visit:
http://youtu.be/EInOUjlCdIQ?hd=1
“When our language difference becomes something that we share, not something that divides us” — by Barbara Peterson
Need help? Call my neighbors!
I am new to Seattle, but I can personally recommend Casa Latina workers: We are neighbors (Somos vecinos), even though we live in different parts of town. Let me explain.
Barbara in class last Monday evening
When my husband died, I retired from education, left my hometown of Houston and headed for the Pacific Northwest to be with my son and his wife, a Seattle native. My local church became partners with Casa Latina in March of 2011, and by summer I was riding the bus out to South Jackson Street several days each week to volunteer in the development office. Studying the Casa Latina website, my attention was caught by “Somos Vecinos,” the unique language-learning program offered on Monday evenings. I was already working hard to regain my rusted-out undergraduate Spanish, and this program sounded like the missing piece of my puzzle.
On the first Monday it became clear that I was being challenged to work hard on my Spanish with a highly-qualified native teacher, and that I had joined more than just a language class. Four groups—two levels of Spanish and two levels of English—met together in class for an hour and a half, and then the real connecting began. After a brief snack, we 60 students spent 45 minutes being “vecinos” (neighbors). We were led by the staff through a series of games and activities that put us face to face in small groups, speaking both languages alternately. We shared names and stories, we provided each other with missing words and got to know one another by helping each other. Slowly it became obvious that here our language differences would be something that we could share, not something that would divide us.
At “Somos Vecinos” I have a chance to get to know the workers from Casa Latina’s workers’ center, and they have a chance to become acquainted with people from the community who value Casa Latina and Hispanic language and culture. Now that I’ve entered my second semester of classes, I know that these are the people with whom I will be singing and partying at events later in the year. Even when I feel tired and Monday night is feeling late, it is always worth the effort to stay for the intercambio, an opportunity not available anywhere else.
Glendi is teaching her native language: Spanish
Now I know: If you need help, you can call my neighbors. They know about helping.
Bill hired Ramon to work for his company; now they're learning each others' languages at Somos Vecinos
Casa Latina’s Worker Center: A Personal Testimony by Palmira Figueroa
This week I’ve decided to contribute my own story to the Casa Latina blog in order to give back just a few words in exchange for the many benefits I’ve received from the organization over the past ten years. My husband and I first came to Seattle as immigrants, just the two of us looking for new opportunities in a new country. We had the same hopes and dreams that other immigrants have when they arrive—hopes of growing and learning through new experiences, and of becoming contributing members of our new community. A few months after we arrived, I met a woman who advised me to contact the volunteer coordinator of a local organization called Casa Latina. I did, and by the following week I was dispatching work orders and helping people fill out job applications at Casa Latina’s Day Worker Center, which was then located at the corner of Western and Battery in Seattle’s Belltown neighborhood.
- Palmira and Angela at City Hall (2005)
From that day to the present, I truly feel I have witnessed a miracle in the Latin-American community of Seattle. I feel so privileged to be a part of a group that believes in social justice for all, that has organized to bring people together to literally provide a space for Latino immigrants in the Seattle community. I am so grateful for that! Today Casa Latina has a new building at Jackson and 17th in Seattle’s Central District where immigrant women and men gather each day to learn, to grow, to help and encourage each other, and to make their talents and skills available for jobs that need to be done in their community.
In my ten years with Casa Latina, I have served as volunteer, donor, employee, and employer, and I am happy to report that I am 100% satisfied with each of my different roles here. I have seen the organization grow and become more proficient in many different ways, while always keeping the empowerment of the people it serves as its central focus. It’s been thrilling to watch so many other Latino immigrants embark on new ventures by learning English, starting a business, or beginning a new career!
In the past few years I’ve hired Casa Latina workers for yard work, fence-building, house-cleaning and organization, and to help me the two times I’ve moved to a new home. Most recently, I’ve been hiring two wonderfully sweet and responsible women from Casa Latina to care for my children, and now I wouldn’t trust my precious little treasures to anyone else.
If you too could use some help around the house and would like to lend your support to Casa Latina, its workers, and its mission, there are women and men who are available and eager to work for you today—just call the Casa Latina Worker Center at (206) 956-0779 to make all the necessary arrangements. I give you my word, you won’t regret it!
Have a “to-do” list for 2012? Let us help!
¡Felíz Año Nuevo! We’ve been hearing that a lot around the Casa Latina Day Worker Center this past week. We’d like to extend our wishes for a Happy New Year to our blog readers too, while offering knowledge, skills, and ideas to assist you with your list of New Year’s resolutions.
Perhaps 2012 is the year you’d like to whip your yard into shape, or maybe you’re planning a kitchen or bathroom remodel that requires painting or installation. Would tips and ideas on how to move towards green cleaning in your home this year be helpful? We are ready and eager to help!
If yard work is on your list of 2012 resolutions, perhaps you’d like some help with digging and moving dirt around, pruning some trees or bushes, weeding, or other general lawn care. Casa Latina’s workers can help! If you’ve got big ideas for your yard or garden and could use tips for planning and preparation, we suggest visiting The Horticulture Guy’s website. You’ll find a Garden Calendar Planner that is especially helpful all year long.
Oscar Antonio is working the ground!
Here at the Day Worker Center Blog, we’ll continue sharing new techniques for green-cleaning, construction, and yard work along with lots of other neat things, so check back often. As in years past, Casa Latina resolves to offer the same dependable, hard-working group of men and women who are ready and eager to help you change your “to-do” list to “done!” So please give us a call—we are open Monday to Friday from 7:00am to 11:00am and from 7:00am to noon on Saturday.
We are here and ¡A su servicio!
“Sharing and Giving” = “Compartir y Dar” Have a Multi-Cultural Holiday Season!
In this blog posting, we at the Casa Latina Worker Center would like to say thank you to Seattle! Gracias to our neighbors in the Central District and to all who have embraced us, supported us, and who are interested in our culture and traditions.
For Latin Americans, familia and Posadas are two of the first things that come to mind when we think about the holidays, so we wanted to share those traditions with you, our neighbors and friends.
“Posada,” the Spanish word for accommodation, is an ancient tradition that has been celebrated in Latin America for more than 400 years. Typically, the families in a particular neighborhood take turns scheduling a night for the Posada to be held in their home, beginning on the 16th of December and lasting through the evening of the 24th. Each Posada is the traditional reenactment of Mary and Joseph’s long and discouraging search for lodging in the nine days before the baby Jesus was born.
Buñuelos for Christmas
The most memorable part of the Posada is the procession: Each of the neighborhood homes has a nativity scene, and the family hosting the evening’s Posada acts as innkeepers, while the children and their parents play the pilgrims (peregrinos). The pilgrims move from home to home, being turned away as they sing a traditional carol about Mary and Joseph’s search for a place to stay. The pilgrims then finally approach the home of the innkeepers who will allow them to enter. During each evening’s Posada, everyone sings Christmas carols (villancicos), children break open star-shaped piñatas to find candy and fruit hidden inside, and of course there’s always a large and delicious feast.
Piñata at Casa Latina Posada
Family and community are strong values for Latin Americans, so traditions like the Posada that include gathering to share a story, a meal, and to enjoy each others’ company are part of our way of life. It would be fair to say that for us, the Posada and Christmas are our times for thanksgiving, when families all over Latin America celebrate together.
This December, ask your Latino friends if they are celebrating a Posada during this Holiday season. If they are, be sure to be part of this wonderful tradition! ¡Que disfruten!
In conclusion, we’d like to share this video of the procession song to help you get ready for the Posadas!
-Casa Latina Worker Center
Casa Latina Worker Center has a great gift idea for your friends and loved ones!
Hey! The holidays are here, so we wanted to let you know about a great new gift idea we have for your friends and loved ones! Casa Latina’s Day Worker Center is now offering gift certificates for work done by our Household Helpers!
When you buy one of our Household Helper gift certificates for someone, you’ll automatically be contributing to our workers’ training and support. The money we raise with our gift certificate campaign will be used to send our workers to the National Domestic Worker’s Alliance Conference, where they’ll meet with folks from other organizations like ours to receive training, tips, and ideas.
So for the holiday season this year, why not give the gift of time? Purchase a gift certificate by calling our Day Worker’s Center at 206 956-0779 for cleaning of your home or office. Give your friends and loved ones a little more time to relax, visit with family and friends, or even go to the mountains to play in the snow!
◊ CLWC
So you’d like to build a new garage? Here’s how!
This week we’d like to share the details of a garage construction project recently taken on by Juan Luna, one of Casa Latina’s workers. A native of Mexico City, Juan has made Seattle his home for the past 20 years, earning his construction skills by studying with the Carpenters Union over the past decade.
Juan - Worker Center Participant
Juan shared with us the steps of the building process, along with some amazing pictures of his work, and we’re excited to now be able to share Juan’s knowledge and photos with you! We’ve also included a few links we’ve found helpful, in case you’re thinking of adding a new garage to your own home or property. (Stay tuned—we’ll have photos of the completed garage when the job is done!)
Here are a few tips from Build WriteWell to consider before you begin building your new garage:
1. Local building regulations regulate your decisions. When building a new garage or adding on a garage addition, it’s important to begin by consulting your local planning department for information about building permits, zoning regulations, and set-back requirements. Set-back requirements regulate how close you can build to the road as well as to bordering property. If you do not comply with these building regulations and obtain proper building permits where necessary, you may have to tear down or relocate your new building or garage. It certainly saves money to do the job right the first time! To build your garage you will need to have building or construction plans and a plot plan, which indicates the location of the garage building on your land.
2. Decide what size of garage you need. A single-car garage should be at least 12-feet wide by 22-feet deep. The minimum width for a two-car garage should be 20 feet, but you’ll need additional room if you’re going to include a workbench or if you plan to store equipment or other items in your garage. A 22-foot by 24-foot building is a more optimal garage size. If you own a pickup truck and a sport utility vehicle (SUV), your garage needs to be at least 22-feet by 22-feet. The ceiling of your garage should be at least 8 feet high. Whatever size you choose to build, your new garage will cost between $26 – $38 per square foot.
Once your decisions have been made and you’ve got the adequate permits and space, it’s time to get to work!
Let us guide you through Juan’s building adventure:
1. Building a strong foundation is very important; it’s half the work!
2. Framing Basics-your first construction step.
3. Framing and assembling the walls; if you need to do some sketching,
please visit http://sketchup.google.com/ for pointers and ideas.
4. Outer sheathing and roughing in the roof—you’re almost there!
5. With the garage fully framed and sheathed, the roof sheathed, and the eaves and truss tails trimmed, Juan rapidly begins covering the roof.
If you’d like more information and a list of all the steps necessary for a full project, please visit the Instructibles website. We highly recommend it!
-CLWC
Helpful holiday safety tips for sharing the light…and a delicious Mexican recipe!
The onset of winter brings short days and long nights to the Pacific Northwest, providing the perfect setting for the wide variety of colorful and decorative lights people put up both inside and outside their homes to celebrate the holidays.
While helping you prepare your home for the holiday season, we at Casa Latina also enjoy sharing tips for making your home a safer place. Many of us will be decorating with electric lights for the holidays, so we’d like to share these tips from The Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) that will help you avoid electrical hazards in your home:
Worker Center Participant
• Before decorating, read and follow the manufacturers’ instructions for installation and maintenance of all decorative electrical products.
• Light strings with screw-in bulbs should have no more than 50 bulbs connected together.
• Use lights and other electrical decorations, for both indoors and outdoors, that are certified by a recognized independent testing laboratory, such as CSA, UL, or ETL.
• For outdoor decorating, use only lights and other electrical decorations that are certified for outdoor use.
• Carefully inspect each decoration before plugging into an outlet.
• Cracked, frayed, loose, or bare wires and loose connections may cause serious electrical shock or start a fire. Replace all damaged items before use.
• Do not connect more than three light strings together.
For more information and additional safety tips, please visit: http://www.esfi.org
Delicious Mexican Recipe
As a token of appreciation for your support, we are sharing a great Mexican recipe you can try for the holidays—maybe some spice for a weekend brunch? (This is Lucina’s family favorite!)
Chilaquiles Verdes
- 8 medium tomatillos (about 1½ pounds total weight), husked and rinsed
- 1 serrano or jalapeño chile, stemmed (or more if your family can take it!)
- ½ white onion, halved again
- 2 garlic cloves
- ¼ bunch of cilantro
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon corn oil
Tortillas
- Vegetable oil for frying
- 12 6-inch corn tortillas
- ½ cup shredded Monterey cheese
- 2 tablespoons crumbled queso fresco
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped white onion
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro
- Crema fresca or sour cream for garnish
Preparation
To make the salsa verde: Put the tomatillos, chile, onion, and garlic in a medium pot and add water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the vegetables are soft and the tomatillos turn pale green, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
Carefully transfer the boiled vegetables, along with the cooking water, to a blender. Puree for a few seconds to blend. Add salt and broth. Continue to puree until smooth. Add the chopped cilantro at the end. You should have about 1 quart of salsa verde.
Place a wide pot or pan over medium-high heat and coat with the corn oil. When the oil is hazy, pour in the salsa verde; it will bubble a bit. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is slightly thickened, 10 to 15 minutes. Cover, reduce the heat to very low, and keep warm while you finish the chips.
Pour the vegetable oil into a heavy-bottomed pot or countertop deep fryer to a depth of about 2 inches and heat to 375°F over medium-high heat. Stack the tortillas and fan them with your thumb to separate. Cut the tortillas into 8 wedges like a pie.
Working in batches, fry the tortilla chips, turning them with a skimmer or slotted spoon so they don’t stick together, until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the chips to a paper towel–lined baking pan or brown paper bag to drain and cool. (Let the oil return to the proper temperature between batches.)
To finish the chilaquiles, uncover the salsa verde and raise the heat to medium. Immediately add the chips, tossing gently until they have absorbed enough sauce. Take care not to break the chips. Sprinkle the cheese on top and let it melt.
Divide the chilaquiles among 4 plates. Sprinkle with the queso fresco, chopped onion, and cilantro. Garnish with the crema fresca and serve immediately.
Agua de jamaica (hibiscus Iced tea) would go great with this plate. For the recipe, please visit: 101 Cookbooks
All of us at Casa Latina wish you a warm, delicious, enjoyable, and safe Thanksgiving holiday!
-CLWC
Are you planning a fiesta for the holidays?
For those of us from Latin American countries, the holidays are all about reconnecting with friends and family, sharing the love, and, of course, having lots of good food at the table! As everyone knows, it’s always a good idea to plan ahead to get your home ready for the holidays.
Some of the women who work in Casa Latina’s Household Helpers Program were recently sharing personal stories and ideas for preparing to celebrate the holidays in style.
Doris
Lucina and Doris are both mothers who work cleaning homes in the Seattle area. Both women are in this country to earn extra money for their children, who live in their native country of Mexico. Doris and Lucina have been helping their clients prepare their homes for the holidays. One of the first things they did was inspired by the green cleaning training workshop they participated in at Casa Latina’s Workers’ Center, which provides education and information about using non-toxic cleaning alternatives.
According to Lucina, the first step for preparing your home for the holidays is the creation of a Green Cleaning Kit that includes the essential ingredients for a “green-cleaned home.” You may already have most of these, and you can check our “Toxin-Free Cleaning Tips” post from September 26th for tips on how to use them.
1. a bucket
2. a spray bottle
3. a rag or scrubber
4. Bon Ami cleaning powder
5. vinegar and baking soda
Since it’s equally important to be aware of what cleaning products you shouldn’t be using in your home, we’d like to share this useful link to the Department of Health and Human Services that provides information on the chemical contents of a long list of common household cleaning products.
Lucina
Remember, we’re already halfway through November and the holidays are coming! As the festive season approaches, you may feel the need to do some clean-up to freshen your home for the holidays and, of course, you’ll want to get your decorations up soon! Please give us a call for all your household needs; our experienced and efficient Household Helpers are available for general cleaning, pet care, to assist with parties, and for preparation of meals.
Stay tuned for more tips from Doris, Lucina, and from other workers at Casa Latina on how to get your home ready for the holiday season!
- CLWC
