Section Editor: Elvis Novas Written by Elvis Novas
Advisor for the Dominican Community Center and member of the Board of Directors of Housatonic Habitat for Humanity, Danbury, CT.
"I am very greatful for the privilege of being selected as editor for the column "Hispanic/Latinx Voices: Stories from our Community" of the Global Health eMagazine."
My desire for a better community has been the guide to introduce me to community work, specfically in the Hispanic/Latinx community. This experience has allowed me to see and treat people in our community with great human and professional values; men and women who just need a platform to share their stories and amplify the voices of others.
Our vision for the column "Hispanic/Latinx Voices: Stories From Our Community" is based on the interest of making our people, culture, values, and points of view known and at the same time motivate our audience to be more interested in our community.
With this, we seek greater visibility for our community, the opportunity for our people to expose their talents and abilities to communicate and for others to know true stories. I encourage you to follow us each month as we feature inspiring stories from our Hispanic/Latinx community in the city of Danbury, Connecticut. Please feel free to send me your ideas or thoughts at enovas@gmail.com
Originally published in the Global Health eMagazine February 2023 Edition.
See original post below.
Written by Jacqueline Cabrera
"Jacqueline Cabrera is a first generation Dominican-American author and artist. She is also the mother of two boys. On her time off, she enjoys going out for hikes and getting involved in her community.
Jacqueline loves all things Danbury, art and nature. For more tips follow me on IG jcabsal"
How to build a support system in five easy steps.
As I reflect on 2022, life, and all the changes that have occurred since I moved to Connecticut, I can finally say that I have built my community. In 2019, I left the Bronx with the hopes of giving my children a better future. In 1996, my mother made the same decision and moved to NY from the Dominican Republic. Just like my mother and I, many women decide to leave it all behind for the well-being of their children. But what happens when you don’t have a community in your new city? How do you start to build one?
Here are five ways you can connect to your local community and other like-minded members of your community.
1. Connect to yourself, your children, and your loved ones first.
The uncertainty and stress levels that we have experienced the past couple of years have caused us to disconnect from ourselves which then also causes us to be disconnected from those we love and care about. To connect to yourself you need to figure out what makes you feel good and happy in life and do more of that. Do you like to spend time with friends? Do you like to read? Write? Dance? Whatever that is, do more of it. Once you build a better relationship with yourself, you’ll start to notice that it is easier to build relationships with others. Relationships are a two-way street, one must put in their part for them to work.
2. Connect to your child’s school.
Meaningful collaboration is a top goal for the DPS strategic plan. Each one of our 18 schools has a family liaison who is in charge of connecting parents to the school and community resources. Give your child’s school a call and let them know you’d like to speak to a family liaison. They can help you apply for services, find sports/activities for your children or refer you to other local organizations that can give you additional support.
3. Connect to nature.
If there is one thing that we have more than anything else here in Danbury, is nature. Going out into nature not only helps you have a better mood but also gives you a chance to exercise while you are admiring all the natural beauty we have right outside our windows.
4. Seek positive role models.
A positive role model is someone who you strive to be like. Someone who has some of the qualities you aspire to have. You can find role models in your place of work, at your local shops or businesses, or on social networks such as Facebook, or LinkedIn.
5. Search for local community organizations.
Danbury is full of organizations that are ready to help you accomplish your personal and professional goals. For the past couple of months, I have been lucky to work with organizations such as St. Joseph Parenting Services, the Dominican Community Center, Danbury Public Schools, Ann’s Place and the Danbury Public Library. They are among the many local organizations that we have here in Danbury. Find one organization that is aligned with your values and reach out to them. You’ll be surprised how easy it is to get in touch with someone.
Danbury is a melting pot where you will find people from many diverse cultures and backgrounds. Life itself comes with many changes and challenges but having a support system makes things so much easier. Connecting to your community and other members of your community is easier than you may think. Pick up the phone, go on Google and start your journey today.
Originally published in the Global Health eMagazine February 2023 Edition.
See original post below.
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