Q&A: Estela Torres

Wednesday, December 09, 2009

By Christie Koriakin

Jackson Hole, Wyo.-Estela Torres recently took over as executive director of the Latino Resource Center, becoming only the second person in that community leadership role. The founding director, Carmina Oaks, retired earlier this year.

With the most recent statistics indicating that Latinos may now account for as much as 20 percent of Teton County’s total population, Torres will have her hands full continuing the LRC’s mission to help integrate Latinos into the Jackson Hole community.

Jackson Hole Weekly: What is your vision for the Latino Resource Center?
Estela Torres: I just want to get a good feel. I just want to work on what’s here right now; expand our existing collaborations and then go from there.

The [Latino] population is going to be huge. The projections by 2050 are for the Latino population not to be a minority anymore, but to be the majority in the United States. So the more you can enhance the cultural aspect of Latinos into the community, the community is going to be better off. I would just love for everyone to embrace that.

JHW:  Have you seen big changes in the local Latino population since you first arrived in Jackson Hole?

ET: I came out in 1981. When I came out there were very few Latinos, maybe five. You could count them on one hand. But then in the ‘90s, the Latino population exploded.

JHW: Do the Latinos here struggle with the differences in culture and weather?
 
ET: I think basically, they just want a job. It’s hard and its different, with the snow and the cold, but they are not going to complain about it that much if they have a job.

But those are some of the things we try to help with. Tonight I said we should talk about the chain law on the pass, because a lot of people are not aware of that. And parking restrictions at night. So those are the kind of things that we want to make sure that the Latinos know too

JHW: What are the main issues facing the Latino population in Jackson Hole and how does the center address these problems?

ET: Probably the number one issue is immigration. Because once the visa expires, then they need to go home. And that doesn’t always happen. People are afraid that they are going to be deported. That’s living in fear and that’s hard.

There are also language and cultural barriers. There are just a number of documents that need to be translated if you are not a citizen. We translate documents here. We have monthly forums. We have a representative from a bank who is going to come to explain checking accounts and everything you need to know in the banking world.

We try to disseminate information that a person from another country might not necessarily know because it might be done differently in their country.

JHW: What is your view on the current immigration policy in the U.S.? Is that something that is in your mind as the director here?

ET: Not as the director, because right now I just want to provide the services that Latinos need right here. But my personal view is that it seems like the problem was heightened after 9/11. But Latinos are the labor force. There is a large number, but if they can find work, to me, that means that the Americans don’t want that work. I think we ought to come to some sort of amicable solution, so that they are not illegal.

JHW: Do you see discrimination toward Latinos here?

ET:  Sometimes I will read things in the paper, like letters to the editor. I think there is a little bit of that, not that much though. To me, this community has embraced the Latino community.

JHW: Is there any outreach to try to get the community to understand and empathize with Latinos?

ET:  We do as much as we can to try to inform the public. I think people are aware, but we want to work on that. And with the Latino population growing, I think it would behoove everyone to learn a little bit more, to broaden horizons.

JHW: Do you think Latinos feel like an integrated part of the community? Or do you think there are two distinct groups?

ET:I think as far as trying to follow the laws and learning the language, people are trying, but it takes a while. I know that English as a Second Language classes are full. This is a new generation here so it’s going to take a while to get people fully integrated. As long as we can all live respectfully and civilly, I think we can live within our own groups. JHW

Photo by CHRISTIE KORIAKIN
Estela Torres’ second day as the executive director of the Latino Resource Center.


PERMALINK:
Q&A: Estela Torres | Planet JH News Article: General News

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