The surrogate
It begins with a woman who yearns for a baby and another who is willing and able to give her one. You can imagine the motives of the prospective parents. But what about the woman willing to carry a baby, give birth and then walk away?
Friday Night Rewind It doesn't matter which team you cheer for. We've got video previews of every high school football program in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco and Hernando County.
Pinellas groups working to integrate Hispanics into mainstream
In print: Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Saralina Ponce, left, of Clearwater and Maricel Nothnagel of Palm Harbor follow Graciela Diaz as she leads them and other mothers at the YWCA Hispanic Outreach Center in Clearwater in a dance routine during a parenting class graduation party this month. Diaz is a volunteer OB-GYN physician for the center.
Lisette Guerrero is 27, an immigrant from Mexico with a 7-year-old daughter and a 5-year-old son born in the United States. At a parenting class at the YWCA Hispanic Outreach Center, she spoke recently about interacting with people outside the Mexican immigrant community. "When I go to get help for my children," she said of a visit to a social service agency, "They ask, 'Do you speak English?' I say, 'No.' They leave me waiting for 40 or 50 minutes."
Now the YWCA and various non-profits and government agencies have launched an effort to integrate the Hispanic immigrant community more into the mainstream.
To start, the YWCA's Hispanic Leadership Council last year interviewed 4,400 immigrants in Clearwater and other parts of the county. That survey helped the council develop a three-year plan to address five areas of need:
• Closing a school achievement gap between Hispanic students and others in all grades.
• Closing an information gap so Hispanic residents get information about things like changes to school enrollment plans and hurricane preparedness.
• Preparing young children for school.
• Overcoming the language barrier.
• Improving access to health care.
Last year's survey paints a portrait of a community struggling with low pay, food shortages, housing problems, overcrowding, language barriers, minimal access to health and mental health services and concerns about children.
"This is a very stressed community," said Maria Nieves Edmonds, the Hispanic Leadership Council's chairwoman.
• • •
The U.S. Census puts the number of people of Mexican descent at 7,500 in Clearwater and 19,900 total in Pinellas County.
It estimates there are 17,800 other people in the county with roots in other Latin American countries. The census also counts 17,600 people of Puerto Rican descent in the county. Though American citizens by birth, Puerto Ricans often face the same language barrier as immigrants from Latin America.
One of the findings of the survey is that Hispanic immigrants are largely working poor, though few said they need help finding work.
"Their work ethic is very high," Edmonds said. "They would give back to the community, but they need to learn how."
But some are in the country illegally. That and other factors lead to gaps in things such as social services and transportation because they cannot legally get driver licences.
The survey also found that one of the biggest needs in the community is access to health care.
Many immigrants don't get medical care until they end up in the emergency roombecause they lack insurance and are ineligible for public assistance.
The adults interviewed had 275 children, more than half younger than 5. The children have limited English skills as they head for first grade.
Many adults list more opportunities to take English classes as one of their main needs.
That finding pleases the Hispanic Leadership Council, which sees English as the key to assimilation.
"When you learn a language you learn a culture," Edmonds said. "That is essential."
• • •
In its brief existence, the leadership council already started initiatives toward the five goals it developed from the survey.
It is working with the Pinellas County school district adult education section and libraries to establish English classes. The classes would take place after hours since many immigrants juggle more than one job. The council also is working on a plan to put English classes on public-access television.
On May 15 the council is sponsoring a summit for health providers at the Hospice of the Florida Suncoast to address immigrants' health-care gap.
To address community's stress, the Hispanic Outreach Centeralso is looking to hire a bilingual mental health professional.
And a YWCA employee — former sheriff's deputy Leo Cordero — is counseling Hispanic students and families at Largo Middle School.
"I never had worked with this group of children," Largo Middle School principal Fred Ulrich said. "I thought we were doing okay with them. All of a sudden they wrote a letter to the Hispanic Leadership Council saying they felt unwanted here."
Jose Cardenas can be reached at jcardenas@sptimes.com or (727) 445-4224.
A looming question
Even as the YWCA's Hispanic Leadership Council works on its follow-up to its needs survey and plans its immigrant health care summit for May 15, its own future could be in question.
That's because, as an outgrowth of the YWCA, the council stands to be affected if the Pinellas County Juvenile Welfare Board cuts support to the Y.
The JWB has questioned the Y's financial and administrative stability and is awaiting a plan to address those problems before approving $2.7-million in funding for the budget year that begins in October.
Major findings of the survey
1 Hispanic immigrants are largely working poor, though few said they need help finding work.
2 One of the biggest needs in the community is access to health care.
3 The adults interviewed had 275 children, more than half younger than 5.
4 The children have limited English skills as they head for first grade.
5 Many adults list more opportunities to take English classes as one of their main needs.
>>fast facts
A looming question
Even as the YWCA's Hispanic Leadership Council works on its follow-up to its needs survey and plans its immigrant health care summit for May 15, its own future could be in question.
That's because, as an outgrowth of the YWCA, the council stands to be affected if the Pinellas County Juvenile Welfare Board cuts support to the Y.
The JWB has questioned the Y's financial and administrative stability and is awaiting a plan to address those problems before approving $2.7-million in funding for the budget year that begins in October.
[Last modified: Apr 29, 2008 08:15 PM]
Comments on this article
by Monica
Apr 29, 2008 3:21 PM
We do benefit from having healthy, functional, and immersed immigrant groups. Much of this money does go to US citizen?s, the Children! We can provide them a foundation to be successful, responsible, law abiding, compassionate leaders.
by Monica
Apr 29, 2008 3:21 PM
Organizations like the JWB understand the complex concepts, the challenges, the need, the tension related to social change then seek out solutions. The JWB is a desperately needed entity to organizations such as the YWCA to make a positive impact.
by Phyllis
Apr 29, 2008 3:07 PM
The work of the Hispanic Outreach Center is to be applauded. Our nation is a far more complex civilization than it was at the turn of the century, and it is much more difficult to assimilate into. What has happened to our compassion for others?
by Pete
Apr 28, 2008 5:21 PM
Tax dollars are tight and we frankly need to spend our money in other areas. Social programs should be for citizens!!!
by David
Apr 28, 2008 9:14 AM
Learning a language after the age of 12 (a developmental landmark) can prove to be difficult. It takes time but it is a necessity. I applaud the people who are trying very hard to so, lets have some compassion and help them learn.
by Sandra
Apr 27, 2008 10:26 AM
I arrived only speaking french and immersion in the culture and language due to necessity helped me learn quickly. My Slovak relatives created a Slovak community with a church and school and have never learned english to this day. Necessity is key.
by Pete
Apr 27, 2008 8:50 AM
Ms. Guerrero has lived in this country for at least 5 years and she dosen't speak english? However, when waves of immigrants came here at the turn of the century they had to learn english or they did not work. Stop the hand outs.
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