New center to address Latino issues

By Patrice Worthy\nIndiana Daily Student\nThe Latino population is one of the fastest growing population groups in the United States. Latinos are represented everywhere, and here in Bloomington, they are a huge part of the ethnic minority. The Spanish speaking population has grown so rapidly that many organizations have come together in order to help them adjust to living in North America.\nOne particular group is Centro Communal Latino. The newly established group is based in Bloomington and is meant to be an umbrella for the issues of the Latin community. Daniel Soto, president of CCL, said the main thing is to get people from the community to express problems.\nHe said he is concerned with problems most commonly faced by non-English speaking Latinos. \n"Before problems arise, we want to already have the answers," Soto said.\nMany of the immigrants who come here do not understand the vast difference between the judicial system, educational system and work force here and in their native countries. Maria File-Muriel, vice-president of CCL, said Spanish speakers don't have a way to express their concerns.\n"They don't know their rights when it comes to landlords and in the work place," she said\n"They don't know their responsibilities and oftentimes people assume it is the same here as it is in their country." \nCCL's goal is to create one place where Latinos can go to find help and meet other people like themselves. The group has a one year plan to establish a center, solve basic problems, gain non-profit status and work with other organizations in the community to sharpen cultural sensitivity. \n"Our plans are to raise funds for projects, but most of all we want to be good friends and neighbors to people in Bloomington and educate people about our differences," Soto said. \nLillian Cassillas, secretary and director of the IU Latino Cultural Center, said one of the goals of the CCL is to break down the language barrier between immigrants and the Bloomington community. The biggest obstacle is getting people to translate and translate correctly. The problems that arise between English and non-English speakers are most readily seen in the judicial and educational systems, she said.\nPedro Roman, executive director of CCL, said the judicial and law enforcement system can be challenging to Spanish-speaking people. \n"Communication problems with policemen and neither party knowing what to do is an issue we are trying to work through," he said. \nCassillas said she agrees.\n"Indiana does not have an official interpreter's training," she said. "There is an assumption that anyone can translate anything in Spanish, but there are medical terms and legal terms I wouldn't have any idea about." \nThe organization plans to establish an interpreter's class to alleviate that particular problem. They also plan to aid in helping parents deal with having a child in the North American school system. The language barrier and culture clashes often cause problems that hinder children from receiving a well-rounded education. \nMany immigrant parents don't know that they need to give their children extra help with school work. File-Muriel said she feels both the parents and teachers need to be more educated about the educational differences. It is also hard for a teacher to communicate with a parent if they don't speak the same language, she said. \n"The education systems are so different, the role of the family in formal education is different; parents don't need to be as involved in Latin America," File-Muriel said. \nThe CCL board is also being created to support the "Dream Act" -- a bill in the U.S. Senate to help immigrants in a state establish residency after they graduate from high school -- is being pushed by Sen. Richard Lugar, R.-Ind. This will allow high school graduates of undocumented immigrants to go to college and have in-state residency. Without the act, many of the graduates have to return to less privileged countries without the chance of a college education. \nThe board is also using Latino IU students to help immigrants in the Bloomington community. \n"Students work with families through volunteer services and tutor kids in English," Casillas said.\nUsing IU students to help in the process benefits both parties. Soto said many Latin students who come to IU don't speak Spanish, so it is an opportunity for them to have a human connection and immerse themselves in such a new culture. \nCasillas said she feels many Latino students don't feel so isolated when they help the people of the community.\n"Students have a family they can go and see if they don't go home for the holidays," she said. \nSoto said the CCL does want to solve every problem in the Latin community, but most importantly they want to encourage diversity. \n"Latinos come from all over and have many different cultures within our race," Soto said.\n"We encourage diversity; we think it's something we can contribute." \nMany service providers in Bloomington have partnered with the CCL in order to better unite the Bloomington community. \n"We continue to be in close contact with the Food Bank, Monroe County Library and other government agencies to help facilitate the needs of the Latino community," Soto said. \nThe CCL also encourages Latinos in the community to volunteer their services as well. \n"We want to find out who is really in the community and how they would like to contribute," Soto said.