Latino Affairs Special Coverage

https://magicvalley.com/news/local/some-idaho-hispanic-groups-worry-census-outreach-is-toolittle/article_7de8a2b5-68de-51d8-a44f-f34941698974.html

Some Idaho Hispanic groups worry census outreach is too little, too late MEGAN TAROS mtaros@magicvalley.com Jul 21, 2019

Margie Gonzalez, executive director of Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs, present statistics about Idaho's Hispanic population Dec. 4, 2018, during the 'State of the Hispanic Community in South-Central Idaho' hosted by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce at the Canyon Crest Event Center in Twin Falls.

PAT SUTPHIN, TIMES-NEWS

TWIN FALLS — With the 2020 census fast approaching, states are powering up their outreach efforts and Idaho is no exception.

While the Gem State had an 82.6% return rate for the 2010 census, there’s still a long way to go to reach an accurate count of the state’s minority groups, which impacts federal funding and political representation.

With six months left and no additional state funding for census outreach, some are feeling the crunch to put together an effective plan in time.

“We’re not setting it up to be successful, we’re setting it up to fail,” said Margie Gonzalez, executive director of the Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs. “The messages are not reaching our community.

On June 24, Gov. Brad Little announced the formation of Idaho’s first census committee. Its goal is ensure all residents are counted with a focus on reaching historically undercounted populations.

The committee will have members from diverse a range of organizations, including government agencies, law enforcement and identity groups in order to address the needs of underrepresented groups.

“Especially for hard to count groups, finding someone the community respects and using those trusted voices makes a difference,” said John Thompson, former executive director of the Council of Professional Associations on Federal Statistics. “You can’t get a message out from Washington, D.C.”

The Trump administration’s efforts to add a citizenship question to the 2020 forms has added to some states’ worries about a significant undercount as some people may be hesitant to participate in the census because of their nationality or legal status. Gov. Brad Little’s office said the citizenship question was not a factor in creating the committee.

Trump announced executive action last week ordering federal agencies to compile citizenship data. The announcement comes after the Supreme Court struck down the addition of the citizenship question and the Justice Department announced it would not continue to pursue the issue.

“Idaho gets on average $15,000 in federal funds per person,” said Andrew Mitzel, senior adviser of intergovernmental affairs. “If we miss someone, we lose $15,000 per person per year and that impacts everything from school lunches, hospitals and roads.”

The state’s small, rural communities that are predominantly Hispanic are at risk of losing thousands of dollars in much-needed federal funding. In places like Clark County, where the population is barely more than 850, a failure to reach Latinos that make up 45% of its population could be devastating. Undocumented immigrants make up 21% of its population.

The stakes are not as dire in the Magic Valley as a whole, where approximately 23% of residents are Latino and 9% are undocumented, but community groups are working with schools, government agencies and local businesses to prepare them to assist with the count.

In Jerome, where 36% of the population is Latino and 12% is undocumented, economicdevelopment organization Jerome 20/20 is keeping abreast of the census and acting as a guide for other institutions in the county.

“What we’re going to be doing is keeping this in front of them,” said Larry Hall, executive director of 20/20 Jerome. “We’ll be having more public events and getting the word out there.”

Jerome stands to lose $2,000 per person not counted per year.

Though Idaho has a relatively small percentage of undercounted communities compared to other states, its lack of data for these groups makes it difficult to identify and target them for census outreach.

An accurate count is crucial to maintaining accurate data for groups like the Commission on Hispanic Affairs to decide where to direct their efforts, Gonzalez said.

“If we don’t count them this time, we have to wait 10 years to try again,” she said.

Awareness may not be enough. Fear and distrust of government are common factors that keep minority populations from returning census forms.

“One barrier is motivation. It’s one thing to create awareness and it’s another for people to respond,” Thompson said. “Finding out what people care about is key.”

The Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs has been focusing its census efforts on the concerns of Latinos as learned through public town hall events. Conservation Voters of Idaho, which will also be represented in the census committee, is also drawing from its own experiences in mobilizing the Latino community.

“Conservation Voters for Idaho is taking the lessons we’ve learned in our efforts to increase participation in elections by Idaho’s Latino population, and the barriers that can sometimes arise in that process to support the efforts locally, regionally and statewide to inform a comprehensive strategy to reach out to one of the fasting growing populations in the state,” Antonio Hernandez, voting rights associate at Conservation Voters for

Idaho, said in a statement. “A complete count of all Idahoans is important to ensuring that the next decade of funding and public policy accurately reflects our families and communities.”

Representatives from the organizations that will form the Complete Count Committee will meet for the first time July 25.

“One way or another, this affects you,” Mitzel said. “Somewhere down the line you are affected by these numbers. Right now we are setting ourselves up for the next decade.”

Megan Taros is a Times-News reporter and Report for America corps member covering the Magic Valley’s Hispanic community and Jerome County. You can support her work by donating to Report for America at http://bit.ly/supportRFA.

MORE INFORMATION

https://magicvalley.com/news/local/social-media-posts-about-jerome-ice-activity-lead-to-music/article_806f137151b3-5c41-8ef3-41c5c079fb5d.html BREAKING

Social media posts about Jerome ICE activity lead to music festival cancellation MEGAN TAROS Times-News and NICOLE FOY Idaho Statesman Jul 18, 2019

JEROME — A Latino music festival scheduled for Saturday has been canceled because of speculation about Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in Jerome.

This comes on the heels of ICE raids that were planned for last weekend in 10 major cities.

“El Tour de Idaho de Los Inquietos is canceled until further notice for the safety of our people — we are with our brothers in Jerome,” event organizers with the Colombia Event Center posted to Facebook.

Posts and videos uploaded to Facebook claimed that ICE agents rented several hotel rooms at the Best Western in Jerome and that raids were planned for the weekend.

Twitter posts said the raids were also possible in Boise, Nampa and Caldwell. Rumors about raids have been spread nationwide, including one in Blaine County.

The music tour was set to take place in Boise, Nampa, Meridian and Caldwell.

In one Facebook video shared more than 650 times, community activist Maria Bucklew visited Best Western to ask whether immigration officials were staying there.

“All I’m doing is telling people they’re here, now you do whatever you want,” Bucklew told the Idaho Statesman. “We’re going to be ready for them if they’re coming to hurt our communities.”

Bucklew told the Statesman that she did not see the officers herself and did not know whether ICE was there to conduct raids. Bucklew was instrumental in rallying hundreds to protest Jerome County’s 2017 attempt to contract with ICE and lease bed space for immigration detainees.

“We don’t want them here,” Bucklew said in the Facebook video.

The ICE field office in Salt Lake City said that the agency had no official business in Idaho planned, according to representatives from Familias Unidas, which provides legal aid to immigrants.

Best Western said it could not divulge the identity of anyone staying at the hotel.

“It is absolutely possible that ICE could do a raid and we wouldn’t know about it,” Jerome Police Chief Dan Hall told the Times-News.

Canyon County spokesman Joe Decker told the Statesman on Thursday night that the Canyon County Sheriff’s Office had not received any notification from ICE about possible activity there.

The agency is not required to tell local law enforcement that it is conducting raids. The only time ICE would inform local police is if its activity involves a case that police are already working, Hall said.

Ticketholders for the canceled event were asked to receive a refund only from the place where the ticket was purchased.

Leo Morales, executive director of ACLU of Idaho, did not have any confirmed information about an ICE presence in Southern Idaho, but he said community members were panicked.

“Immigration is doing their work on a daily basis, that is true,” Morales said. “That’s what they do. It is important for all community members, regardless of their immigration status, to know their rights in regards to law enforcement.”

Morales also cautioned community members to be careful with the information they share, especially in light of the already-present fear in many immigrant communities across the country. “... It can create a significant amount of trauma for people already in a difficult place,” Morales said.

Editor's note: An earlier version of this story misattributed a quote to the Jerome County sheriff. The quote was from Jerome Police Chief Dan Hall. The Times-News regrets the error.

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Idaho farmers feel pinch of worker shortage

THE BIG STORY

How a lack of migrant workers could change American agriculture MEGAN TAROS

mtaros@magicvalley.com

crease in wages has Magic Valley farmers worried about downsizing or ceasing operations. “(Shutting down operations) is not uncommon in part because of the migrant shortage and costs,” said Michael Marsh, president and CEO of the National Council of Agricultural Employers.

The H-2A program also requires farmers to house and feed workers, and provide transportation and basic accommodations like laundry. These expenses are paid out-of-pocket.

The council offers workshops that help farmers learn how to stay in compliance with the law.

It perused litigation to pause the H-2A wage increase particularly for Utah, Colorado and New Mexico, which experienced an increase of more than 20%.

“If you’re a farmer and you’ve planned for a 10% increase then find out it’s 23, you’re not going to be able to do it,” Marsh said.

TWIN FALLS — She was dressed in her best clothes and high heels. The strangers she paid to take her across the border said they would pass her off as a tourist. Instead, she had to brave the desert.

Margarita Partida is a former migrant worker who landed in California before settling in south-central Idaho. She used to travel between the two as the seasons demanded: March to November in Idaho and November to March in California.

The number of migrant workers has declined nationwide, and many of those workers who are here now are on an H-2A visa, which allows farmers to bring in foreign workers for seasonal jobs.

The visa program requires Slowing of migration farmers to pay its enrolled emIt was pitch black on the borployees a set minimum wage. derlands between the U.S. and Idaho’s rate increased 16% from Mexico as Partida pressed herself last year to $13.48 per hour. That against a wall along the canal she rate is only 44 cents lower than Please see WORKERS, Page A8 California. The consistent in-

REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK

Citizens Police Academy kicks off new session

DREW NASH, TIMES-NEWS

Kristina Tapia, licensed clinical social worker, discusses mental health and getting children to open up Aug. 8 at Family Health Services in Jerome.

Connecting

A

diverse group of citizens gathered at the Twin Falls Police Department on Wednesday night to begin a 10week journey into the depths of law enforcement operations.

Parents with their children, truck drivers, retirees, nurses, teachers, criminal justice students, many of them Navy veterans — and myself — sat in the officers’ classroom at the Craig T. Bracken JULIE A. FERRARO Operations Building for the first session of the annual Citizens Police Academy.

“I love coming to the first night of the Citizens Police Academy,” said Chief Craig Kingsbury in his welcome to us.

“I love to show off our police department.”

Kingsbury made it clear that while a lot of knowledge will be imparted over the coming weeks, the academy will also be fun.

Humor was, in many ways,

cultures

How Idaho is engaging a growing demographic

L

atinos comprise one of the fastest-growing demographics in the Gem State, and have since the 1980s. The trend is clearly visible across communities in the Magic Valley.

In an effort to reflect the changing nature of the population within classrooms and the health care sector, local school districts and medical facilities are attempting to diversify their staff, as well as create resources and programs to better serve the Latino community and provide more access points.

Hispanic Affairs Reporter Megan Taros investigated what is being done to address diversity and representation in these areas

by interviewing school district and health care professionals working to represent Latinos and enhance leadership capacities.

Programs like Latinos in Action at Jerome High School help shape young students’ futures by inspiring them and bringing out their talents. In the health care realm, freelance interpreters at St. Luke’s are working to create inroads for patients who don’t speak English, while helping increase their confidence in their providers and address cultural competency.

As Idaho’s demographics shift, social services strive to keep pace.

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If you do one thing: The Sun Valley Music Festival will feature a concert with a “Music Inspired by Outer Space” theme at 6:30 p.m. at the Sun Valley Pavilion, 300 Dollar Road. Free admission. $4

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the order of the day.

Capt. Anthony Barnhart, for instance, started his presentation on the history of American policing with the opening credits from the old TV series “CHiPs”.

Sgt. Justin Dimond, who coordinates the academy with Deb Kelley, joked about drawing maps for us to find the various locations we’ll be visiting, like the county range and city gun range.

“I’m going to draw you a sweet map,” Dimond said.

Kelley chimed in, “He draws the maps, and I fix them.”

The Citizens Police Academy is about giving residents of Twin Falls, and some from beyond those boundaries, a taste of what police do, Dimond explained.

“You’ll get to blow things up, shoot guns and drive cars fast,” he said.

I’m up for that.

There’s a serious side to the classes, too.

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waded in with her back to the Air and Marine Operations helicopter that hummed above her.

She was careful to never look up. The whites of her eyes would shine under the helicopter’s spotlight and give away their position.

It wasn’t until she found herself wading in neck-high waters in the middle of the river that she began to think her journey was over.

“I looked back to see if I could turn around and swim back but it was too far. There was just desert all around me,” Partida said in Spanish. “That was when I thought, ‘We’re going to die here.’”

When she landed in California,she began work almost immediately.

“We really are a strong community,” Partida said. “We come here to work right away so we can help ourselves and our families, so we aren’t a burden on this country.”

Partida worked as a migrant until she injured the ligaments in her wrist falling off a ladder while working at an orchard. She required five surgeries.

Now Mexican laborers are less likely to migrate due to better social programs, falling birth rates and economic improvement in Mexico, according to a 2016 study from the Institute for Research on Labor and Employment at the University of California Berkeley. Migrant labor, in general, fell about 60% since the late ‘90s.

“What we’re seeing now is laborers who have been here earning more money and gaining more experience,” said Randy Capps, director of research of U.S. programs at the Migration Policy Institute.

“They’re moving from agricultural work into better jobs.”

Older migrants are also aging out of the labor force, Capps said.

As migrants start families in the U.S., their children who are citizens are afforded more opportunities and do not tend to continue agricultural work.

Changes in immigration law‌ Restrictive immigration laws passed since 9/11 have made it difficult for migrant workers to come and go as free as they once had. Since 1996, there have been seven major acts passed to tighten immigration restrictions.

Off a wide, open stretch of

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“Companies have got wise to this and figured they could pay $13.48 an hour in Idaho or they can pay $7 a day. It doesn’t take much to figure out that it’s cheaper to move their business overseas.”

Michael Marsh, president and CEO of the National Council of Agricultural Employers Washington Avenue sits El Milagro Housing, an affordable housing complex for agriculture workers, where Ofelia Bastidas and her husband, Polo Gil, live.

She and her family found a stable living in Twin Falls, though sometimes she travels to Nampa for a week at a time depending on the harvest.

It was 20 years ago when Bastidas and her husband decided to move with their son to south-central Idaho to flee the violence in their native Culiacan, a city in the northwest Mexican state of Sinaloa. The family’s story is reminiscent of that of many others: They wanted a better life.

“We had to make sacrifices for our kids so they could have a chance to do something better so they don’t do what we’re doing,” Bastidas said in Spanish. “I always tell them to study, go to school, get ahead in life.”

An increase in deportations that started with the Obama administration and have continued under Donald Trump’s presidency left some farmers understaffed and unable to fill positions, Marsh said. Farmers have often turned to H-2A to replace workers who had to be let go due to immigration sweeps.

Dairies are not eligible for the H-2A program as the work is yearround.

“This has been a program for a long time. We hear dairymen say they’re struggling to fill positions,” said Rick Naerebout, president of the Idaho Dairymen’s Association.

“That’s why we want Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform and extend a visa program to help fill these jobs.”

Bastidas twisted a tissue in her hand as she spoke. Her father died four years ago and she wasn’t able to visit him or attend his funeral.

She said the recent talk of raids scares her and her fellow field workers, but she has to continue living her life.

“It would be a lie to say I’m not scared,” she said. “It’s not easy for us but we have to keep working.

We have to pay rent and eat.”

If the trend continues‌

Mike Gaxiola grew up on a farm in Murtaugh and still runs a business hauling potatoes and sugar beets during harvest time. He’s seen a lot of change since he was growing up.

“You’ve got probes, drones, a lot of new technology. There’s sugar beets that don’t need as much weeding,” he said. “But at the end of the day, you still need people out there hauling and harvesting to get it done.”

If farmers continue to struggle to hire workers, they may have to incentivize prospective employees by offering higher wages or offering more benefits, Capps said.

A long-term consequence is farmers moving their businesses to other parts of the world.

“Companies have got wise to this and figured they could pay $13.48 an hour in Idaho or they can pay $7 a day,” Marsh said. “It doesn’t take much to figure out that it’s cheaper to move their business overseas.”

Gaxiola also works with Youth Build, a program at the Community Council of Idaho that works with at-risk youth and puts them through job training. He said he hasn’t heard much interest in agriculture from young people, but he thinks that could change.

“We used to have to turn all the pivots on manually, now you can look on your phone,” Gaxiola said. “If you can get young people to see what agriculture can offer and what it is now I think more of them will be interested.”

While consumers will likely always have fresh fruit, milk and vegetables, a continuing shortage can mean relying on other countries for food.

“If you have food security, you have national security,” Marsh said. “We do not want the country to be in a position where we need to rely on someone else for food.

Megan Taros is a Times-News reporter and Report for America corps member covering the Magic Valley’s Hispanic community and Jerome County. You can support her work by donating to Report for America at http://bit.ly/ supportRFA.

JULIE A. FERRARO, TIMES-NEWS‌

J.P. O’Donnell, left, Twin Falls Police Department, chats with Robert Leitch during a break at the Citizens Police Academy on Wednesday.

Academy From A1

“Bad things do happen,” Kingsbury told us. “We are here to handle them.”

Running through the department’s code of ethics, Kingsbury described it as the most important document for the department.

“We have to be held to a higher standard,” he said.

He provided his insights into the symbolism of the badge each officer wears, the departmental patches, and the officer’s name on the right chest.

“There’s a meaning and reason for each,” he said.

As for the departmental patch, included on the uniform since 1962 in its present form, Kingsbury chuckled that he looked into changing it after joining the department in 2016, but the reaction from his officers was a resounding “No.” With 77 officers and another 22 civilian employees to serve a population estimated at 50,000 people, Kingsbury acknowledged his department is spread kind of thin. Having concerned residents like those participating in the Citizens Police Academy, however, gives proof to the statement of Sir Robert Peel, the British father of law enforcement, “The police are the community and the community is the police.”

That history, presented by Barnhart, and Twin Falls Police history, reviewed by Capt. Matthew Hicks, provided a foundation for what we will be learning in the weeks ahead.

Hicks is the department’s

unofficial historian, and he expressed a definite love of preserving the documents, photos and stories of Twin Falls police.

As someone who’s done archiving over the years for organizations and museums, I can relate, and found his abbreviated overview — it usually takes three hours, he said — fascinating.

The timeline detailing a transition from police as warriors to police as guardians of the community fleshed out how officers work today.

“We’re always looking for new technology to help us do our jobs,” Hicks said.

Tales of some more gruesome events in local law enforcement, such as the death of Officer Bracken during a stolen car incident in 1939, were made tangible with the discovery of Bracken’s uniform when Hicks was searching for historical information on the department at the Twin Falls County Museum.

He pointed out the bullet holes as he uncovered the garment on a table in the classroom, with other historical artifacts.

“It’s the uniform he wore the day he died,” Hicks said.

All I could think is, “Wow.” I’m sure I’ll have similar reactions to upcoming classes with the K-9 unit, the SWAT team and driving the police vehicles.

Kingsbury, Dimond, Hicks and Barnhart all recommended we get to know the men and women of the Twin Falls Police Department and other agencies like the Twin Falls Fire Department we’ll be interacting with until we graduate in late October.

“I hope you learn something,” Kingsbury said. “I hope you have fun.”

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THE BIG STORY

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PAT SUTPHIN PHOTOS, TIMES-NEWS‌

Staff Interpreter Marlen Clark translates for Evelyn Rodriguez Aug. 1 before Rodriguez’ ultrasound to determine the due date of her baby, at St. Luke’s Magic Valley Medical Center in Twin Falls.

MAKING INROADS TO SERVE LATINOS Engaging a growing demographic

MEGAN TAROS

mtaros@magicvalley.com‌

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oing to the doctor or asking for help at school can be daunting enough for many young people, but in some cases it becomes much more difficult. For those who feel like outsiders, the obstacles can feel insurmountable.‌ Latinos are one of the fastest-growing groups in Idaho since the 1980s. Yet as the Gem State attempts to bridge its professional labor gap, diversity remains a tenuous new frontier in both the school system and the health care system.

There is a stark contrast between the state’s Latino population and Latinos in its professional workforce. Latinos make up 12% of Idaho’s population, yet comprise only 2% of its skilled labor, according to the Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs’ most recent Hispanic Profile Data Book.

In response, schools and health care facilities across the Magic Valley are attempting to diversify their staff and create resources to better serve the Latino community and create more access points. Someone with a familiar background or someone who can speak a person’s native language can transform what may be an isolating experience into an inclusive one, where individuals feel visible and validated.

“Seeing those faces makes you open to seeking those services,” said Kristina Tapia, a Mexican-American licensed clinical social worker at Family Health Services in Jerome. “It’s empowering to see that. It’s kind of magical I guess.”

Breeding leaders‌

For Jiselle Vergara, her schooling isn’t only about her. She has to set a good example for her younger sisters. But it wasn’t always this way. When she entered Jerome High School as a freshman, she

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Jiselle Vergara, 18, shares her experience of being a Hispanic student Aug. 2 at the College of Southern Idaho’s Jerome Center in Jerome.

Diversity and representation This is the first installment in Megan Taros’ diversity and representation series. The second installment will cover business and politics.

Megan Taros is a Times-News reporter and Report for America corps member covering the Magic Valley’s Hispanic community and Jerome County. You can support her work by donating to Report for America at http://bit.ly/supportRFA. didn’t have much of a desire to go to college.

“I never liked school,” Vergara said. “Even though I was good at it, I just didn’t want to go.”

Vergara, 18, will be a liberal arts major at College of Southern Idaho this fall and is spending her summer working at CSI’s Jerome Center taking calls and helping fellow students navigate the admissions and registration process.

Her attitude about college

changed “from one day to another” with the influence of her mother, who encouraged her to give college a shot. Vergara became more confident with this decision when she enrolled in the year-long Latinos in Action program at Jerome High School, which teaches leadership skills, college readiness and career planning.

The beginnings of Latinos in Action reflect a similar founda-

tional experience shared by the organization’s founder — Jose Enriquez. During his early days in school as an immigrant from El Salvador learning English, he remembers feeling lost and unable to fit in.

“I knew I had a lot to offer, but I didn’t know how to showcase it,” Enriquez said.

It wasn’t until a coach encouraged him to get involved in school activities and invest in his studies that he changed direction. He went on to receive a wrestling scholarship to Brigham Young University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in education and Spanish, a master’s degree in educational leadership and a doctorate in educational leadership.

MORE INSIDE: The inside scoop: Hispanic Affairs Reporter Megan Taros reflects on the project, E4

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Times-News

“When they see someone is there for them who looks like them, I think we start seeing better outcomes.

I hope I can be that person for them because I understand where they are coming from.”

Rose Castro, CSI Jerome Center coordinator

Diversity From E2

The idea for Latinos in Action came when he was teaching at Timpview High School in Provo, Utah. Enriquez noticed that his Latino students were not as engaged in school as other students.

He began teaching about Latino leaders like poet Pablo Neruda and author Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It was then that he had an important realization: instead of teaching about role models, why not create them?

“We’re here to develop and utilize their talents,” Enriquez said.

“There is so much brilliance and experience we’re not utilizing and that we’re missing out on.”

Taking it beyond the classroom‌ Enriquez created what he considers a “living curriculum,” one that leaves room for adjustment as each school navigates what works for its individual students.

Jerome, Wendell and Gooding high schools have implemented a dual-credit program with CSI that allows students to take a special general education course designed

by Latinos in Action teachers.

Students also have the option to take dual-credit courses toward other college subjects.

Vergara has taken four dual credit courses and was able to bypass some general education requirements. Enrolling in dual credit courses is optional as the program is meant to meet students at their level and help draw out their potential, Enriquez said.

“I always emphasize that this is an asset-based program,” Enriquez said. “It’s not remedial. It’s building on the skills they already have.”

It hasn’t always been an easy journey for Vergara. In high school, she worked at Panda Express and moved to Shoshone in the middle of the school year.

She had to wake up early to take her sisters to school, go to school herself and then go to work.

“I’ve always been like ‘just do it,’” she said. “That’s kind of how I do everything. I have to do it, so I do it.”

Vergara looked up to her older sister as a role model — she was a teen mom with two kids who managed to graduate high school and go to college.

“It’s like, I didn’t have an excuse,” Vergara said. “I didn’t have that kind of challenge. If I don’t go (to college), then my sisters might see that and think, ‘If she doesn’t go, then I don’t have to go.’”

‘One team, one town, one family’‌ Jerome High School’s Latinos in Action program has been in place for a decade, but its teaching staff is not reflective of its student body. In Jerome Joint School District, where 53% of students are Latino, 94% of its teachers are white.

These statistics reflect a dilemma that spans much of the country.

Schools nationwide are struggling to close the representation gap, but have hit roadblocks such as lack of funding, low pay and wealthier school districts picking up its most qualified teachers.

Principal Nathan Tracy said that hiring diverse staff in Jerome can be a challenge because college graduates in Boise and eastern Idaho sometimes don’t want to leave the area once they graduate. To address this conundrum, Jerome High School launched a teacher’s club to try to encourage area students to come back to

PAT SUTPHIN, TIMES-NEWS‌

College of Southern Idaho’s Jerome Center Coordinator Rose Castro talks about the importance of inclusion Aug. 2 at CSI Jerome Center in Jerome.

School districts over 40% Latino % Latinos

% white teachers 53%

Shoshone Minidoka County Joint Murtaugh Joint Valley Bliss Joint Wendell Jerome

98.23% 45%

100%

41%

100%

48%

96.3%

43% 100% 62% 93.26% 53%

Source: Idaho State Board of Education

teach in their home communities after graduating college. A key tenet of the Latinos in Action class is returning home to give back.

“They served you, so now come back and serve them,” Tracy said.

The school has an evolving list

94% Lee Enterprises graphic

of clubs and programs that celebrate diversity as well as bilingual aid and events for parents and English as a Second Language students. About one-fifth of the school’s staff is bilingual.

“Our motto is one team, one

DREW NASH, TIMES-NEWS‌

From left, Latinos in Action members Kristy Gonzalez, 14, Jazmin Magallon, 14, and Carmela Estrada, 14, hand out schedules Aug. 7 during registration at Jerome High School.

town, one family,” Tracy said.

“Our goal is for the students to feel like they’re included, they’re seen, they’re heard. We are all Jerome High School.”

The staff has had to be resourceful in finding ways to make themselves more accessible to Spanish-speaking parents and students. Two years ago, as part of a school-wide effort, the staff purchased Rosetta Stone, held weekly lessons with the school’s Spanish teachers and went to nearby Mexican restaurants to practice.

Students say these collective efforts and being around other students who shared their culture and experience have created a sense of family when at school.

“Every time I was at my lowest, (Latinos in Action) helped me keep going,” Jerome High School senior Joel Leon said. “Whenever I had a hard time, I was feeling down, whenever I felt like I wanted to drop out, they were there for me.”

Bridging the gap‌

Attracting staff isn’t only a difficult process for K-12 schools.

CSI President Jeff Fox said that it can be difficult to bring in talent because the Magic Valley isn’t considered a “destination” like New York or San Francisco. He’s heard plenty of excuses during his time with the school.

He recalls an applicant once canceled an interview upon getting off the plane at Magic Valley Regional Airport, dismayed by the lack of trees.

Diversity of staff and programming, however, has been a process at least 30 years in the making, according to Fox. “Diversity and representation has been an intention for a long time,” he said. “We’ve always been open and looking to hire bilingual staff and people of color.”

The school appoints those best qualified for each position regardless of background, but bilingualism is a key consideration.

DREW NASH, TIMES-NEWS‌

Maria Medina, 17, left, and Karla Martinez, 14, sit at the Latinos in Action booth during registration Aug. 7 at Jerome High School.

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THE BIG STORY

Times-News

Sunday, August 18, 2019 | E3

“I have parents say to me that they don’t get involved or go to their kid’s school because they’re afraid they will embarrass them because they don’t know the language or they don’t know how something works. They feel a lot more confident after something like this.”

Cesar Perez, CSI’s Hispanic liaison and director of the Jerome and Gooding centers

DREW NASH, TIMES-NEWS‌

Cards showing different feelings are taped to Kristina Tapia’s office door Aug. 8 at Family Health Services in Jerome.

“When they see someone is there for them who looks like them, I think we start seeing better outcomes,” said CSI Jerome Center coordinator Rose Castro, who is responsible for helping students with questions about the college enrollment process. “I hope I can be that person for them because I understand where they are coming from.”

Castro’s position is one of the newest at the college; she works closely with bilingual and English-learning students. The college also offers ESL and citizenship courses for immigrants.

When the college received funding from a Title III grant in 2016, it began designating money for developing programs to help non-traditional students such as parents and those with full-time jobs.

Among them is the Bridge to Success program, an eight-week summer course that educates students about various aspects of campus life, as well as math and computational skills. The program has been successful among first-generation stuDREW NASH, TIMES-NEWS‌ dents and Latinos, according Photos from previous Latinos in Action club events are hung during registration Aug. 7 at Jerome High School. to Bridge Program coordinator John Hughes. Based on the four cohorts the program has educated so far, 53% of its students are Hispanic.

“When it’s their first time, whether they are of Hispanic background or not, people don’t know what they don’t know,” Fox said. “And that means they don’t know what to ask or who to go to for help.”

Programs like Bridge to Success and Latinos in Action have made some students feel more comfortable with their lack of knowledge and helped them feel confident enough to speak up about it.

“When I didn’t know something, I would see that other people had the same questions I did,” Vergara said. “It made me feel less alone.”

Family plays a key role‌

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Student success isn’t always about schools. Parental involvement, socioeconomic status and level of education can affect whether or not a student is prepared for college or the workforce.

CSI is in the pilot stages of its parent college, which offers courses for parents of future and current students to familiarize themselves with subjects from the application process to scholarships. The courses are offered in both English and Spanish.

“I have parents say to me that they don’t get involved or go to their kid’s school because they’re afraid they will embarrass them because they don’t know the language or they don’t know how something works,” Cesar Perez, CSI’s Hispanic liaison and director of the Jerome and Gooding centers, said. “They feel a lot

PAT SUTPHIN, TIMES-NEWS‌

Malena Rodriguez, supervisor of language services, explains the role interpreters play with the hospital Aug. 1 at St. Luke’s Magic Valley Medical Center in Twin Falls. more confident after something like this.”

The Bridge Program — which extends throughout each enrolled student’s term at the college in the form of regular academic counseling and check-ins — stresses the importance of family by hosting events where parents and friends are invited.

CSI’s orientation is also open to friends and family.

Being sensitive to Hispanic tra-

ditions and family values is key to building a strong relationship with students, said Bridge Program coordinator Rosey Alberdi.

“It comes down to understanding. We want to show them we understand the dynamics of the family,” Alberdi said. “That way (the parents) buy in and understand we’re not taking their kids away from them. We want them to better themselves for their family as a whole.”

A slow-burning passion‌

When Guadalupe Gonzalez first moved to Twin Falls, she felt like she had stepped into a time machine. She spent the majority of her adult life in the bustle of Mexico City and the languid pace of south-central Idaho hit her hard.

She worked in health care while in Mexico but wound up as a court translator when she relocated to the Gem State in December 2000 to be with her mother who had

already immigrated.

“It just wasn’t my passion,” Gonzalez said of the court system.

“I had a chance to work in the juvenile court and I liked that better but there was still something missing. I didn’t really know what I wanted then.”

It was almost 20 years ago when St. Luke’s Magic Valley decided they needed to make a change in the way they cared for patients who could not communicate in English. That was when it created the interpretation program that serves patients in-person, through voice calls and video chat. The program has grown to hundreds of freelance interpreters within the St. Luke’s network who are on call at all hours of the day.

Gonzalez is now one of them.

The interpretation service seeks to make communication easier and to diminish the dangers of improper communication. It is common for patients with language needs, for instance, to use family members or under-qualified translators for their appointments.

Family members may also have a conflict of interest when it comes to the care of their loved ones.

“It is very dangerous,” said Malena Rodriguez, supervisor of language services. “So much gets missed with improper translation.”

Misdiagnosis is one of the major risks that result from poor communication and a lack of cultural competency. Patients feel more confidence in their provider if they can identify and effectively communicate with them, Rodriguez said, but there is limited data about what increases the risk of misdiagnosis in Latinos as there have been no major studies on the subject, according to a 2003 report by the Journal of the American Medicine Association.

Gonzalez, like the more than 300 interpreters available, is the liaison between the patient and provider. She believes that having someone with a relatable background who speaks the patient’s language is vital to his or her health.

“Patients are sometimes intimidated about coming to the doctor,” she said. “When I see a patient for the first time I always say, ‘I am your voice. If you don’t tell me something, I can’t tell the doctor.’ I think they understand that.”

The gravity of the subject matter she handles can be overwhelming at times. She is most stressed by what she calls “life or death situations,” and working with abused children.

“When I first started, sometimes I got in the shower and just cried and cried,” Gonzalez said.

She handles the stress through prayer and has since been hopeful about her role as an interpreter.

Please see DIVERSITY, Page E4

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Times-News

“Patients are sometimes intimidated about coming to the doctor.

When I see a patient for the first time I always say, ‘I am your voice.

If you don’t tell me something, I can’t tell the doctor.’ I think they understand that.”

Guadalupe Gonzalez, interpreter

DREW NASH, TIMES-NEWS‌

Kristina Tapia, licensed clinical social worker, discusses her work in the mental health field Aug. 8 at Family Health Services in Jerome.

Diversity From E3

Cultural competency in the clinic‌ When the program first started, interpreters were not allowed to advocate on behalf of the patients. Now, it is permissible for interpreters to intervene during instances of cultural insensitivity.

“Sometimes I get to say I will not translate something because it is culturally insensitive,” Gonzalez said. “I help the provider navigate people’s cultures.”

It is not everyone’s preference to be attended by someone of a similar cultural background, said Tori Torgrimson, behavioral health director at Family Health Services. It is the job of the provider to figure out what works best for the patient.

When Torgrimson started at Family Health Services 15 years ago, she was the only therapist who spoke Spanish. Now there are only four fully bilingual providers in behavioral health services. Family Health Services has also implemented translators to bridge the access gap.

While Latinos experience anxiety and depression at the same rates as those of other races, only 20% speak to a doctor about their symptoms and only 10% actually attend therapy, according to a 2001 Surgeon General’s report.

Immigration and fear of deportation can undercut the number of people following up on their appointments, but that typically happens when there is a perceived threat of Immigration and Customs Enforcement presence.

Last month, a rumor about potential ICE raids in Jerome resulted in calls from concerned patients uncertain if they should come to their appointments.

These occasions tend to be a hiccup and patients return after the tension subsides.

PAT SUTPHIN, TIMES-NEWS‌

Staff Interpreter Gina Espinoza, left, and Malena Rodriguez, supervisor of language services, demonstrate how a patient call works with the Indemand Interpreting machine Aug. 1 at St. Luke’s Magic Valley Medical Center in Twin Falls.

“I think it shows a resiliency on the part of the community,” Tapia said.

Immigration-related stressors that exacerbate mental illness can even impact Latinos who are citizens.

“When you have a connection with immigration, holistically, that affects the whole community, even if you were born here and are a citizen,” Torgrimson said.

In the last 10 years, there has been an increase in the number of Latino patients seen by behavioral services staff at Family Health Services. It uses language ser-

vices for 15% of its patients across all facilities, but sometimes having a relatable background helps patients open up and build trust with their providers.

But it can be more than just language that is needed. Essentially, it’s a genuine cultural connection that can ultimately make a real difference.

“With the teenagers, that conversation is totally in English, but you pick up on the cultural pieces,” Tapia said. “They might say something about la llorona, and I get it.” La llorona, also known as the weeping woman,

is a famous oral legend in Latin care sector.

American folklore.

Family Health Services is expanding by creating new positions Looking to the future‌ in which speaking both English Jerome High School is working and Spanish is required. A lack to create programs that emphasize of behavioral health specialists the value of diversity, including in Idaho across all demographics culture clubs, where students is, in part, influencing this effort. learn about unique cultural tra- The organization is now outgrowditions such as food, dance and ing its space in Jerome and will art. The school hopes that it will move to a larger facility. see the benefits of its teacher’s “I want to provide these serclub when its graduating seniors vices for la raza, my people, begraduate from college and return cause they deserve that,” Tapia in the future, hoping to work for said. “That’s really why I’m still the high school. here. I know they are being helped, The same is true in the health and I want to be there for them.”

The inside scoop ‌Almost three months to the day I was finishing my final class of my master’s program in New York City, I started packing for my move to Twin Falls just two weeks later. I remember telling my classmates I got an offer from the Times-News covering Hispanic affairs and the response was almost always the same: ‘There’s Hispanic people in Idaho?’

It happened so often I developed a rehearsed speech about Hispanic population growth in the Gem State.

I always considered myself an adventurous person having moved from my native Los Angeles to San Francisco and then New York in a span of less than five years. But my move to Idaho was the only time I was made to feel like I was doing something crazy. Who could imagine that a young woman who spent

seven years in New York City would jump ship to a town that’s less than 1% of her current city’s population? I knew every time someone was surprised that a newspaper in Idaho had a need for a Hispanic affairs reporter that I was making the right move.

I’ll admit I might not have considered Idaho if it wasn’t for Report for America, a nonprofit organization that places reporters in newsrooms that have a coverage gap. I’ve always thought that for a news organization to be successful, it should be representing all people who live in its coverage area, and Report for America is helping journalists in this country be a part of a national effort to protect press freedom and uplift communities. In my case, it is also to make sure the voices of my people are heard.

Local journalism has the potential to move mountains. When a local reporter creates an alliance with the people on the ground doing critical work to help underrepresented communities, that partnership can be unstoppable.

Idaho’s Latino community and others who are at the forefront of movements affecting positive change for the communities in the Magic Valley have embraced me in the two short months I’ve been here. It is an honor to help tell their stories. I don’t know that my 14-year-old self — a Mexican-American girl in a scrappy, working-class county in southern Los Angeles who PAT SUTPHIN, TIMES-NEWS‌ was just barely developing an interest in journalism — would have Times-News Hispanic Affairs Reporter Megan Taros meets with hospital imagined being here today, but I’m interpreters Aug. 1 at St. Luke’s Magic Valley Medical Center in Twin Falls. so glad I am.

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https://magicvalley.com/news/local/hispanic-heritage-month- tness-challenge-a-bright-spot-aftera/article_b4fc9076-cf48-5d69-8919-32004d948f46.html

REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK

Hispanic Heritage Month tness challenge: A bright spot after a grueling few days MEGAN TAROS mtaros@magicvalley.com Sep 21, 2019

Times-News Reporter Megan Taros exercises as part of the Idaho Commission of Hispanic Affairs' annual Hispanic Her Month tness challenge Wednesday at the Twin Falls City Park in Twin Falls. Taros is the celebrity captain of one of fou statewide teams.

PAT SUTPHIN TIMES-NEWS

TWIN FALLS — It sounded fun when I first heard it: Latino journalists around Idaho will lead four teams in the Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs’ annual Hispanic Heritage Month fitness challenge. The kicker? The daily challenges would be designed by the Boise Police Department.

I take comfort in the fact that all of us must have fancied ourselves as participants in some wacky real-life sitcom where we’d bumble around trying to figure this challenge out and look cute doing it. How wrong we were.

It didn’t help that Hispanic Heritage Month started on a Sunday this year. The fact that it’s intended to coincide with several Latin American independence dates, including Mexico’s, meant I started this challenge full of tacos and fighting the urge to melt into the couch.

That morning, I opened my email while deluding myself into thinking we’d start off easy — and, horrifyingly, that might be the case as far as Boise Police are concerned.

“Do this three times in a circuit,” the email read. My orders were as follows: 80 highknees (40 for each leg), 15 pushups, 25 body weight squats, 30 lunge jumps (15 each leg), 20 tricep dips, 20 sit ups, 30 mountain climbers (15 for each leg), 30 second back, left and right planks.

The first inner struggle I faced as I read the email again was the embarrassing fact that I had no idea what some of those were. I searched enough of them online that my phone suggested I make a file for my “favorite exercises.” It was as if everyone was mocking me.

That led me to my second inner conflict, which was the hubris that got me here in the first place. Then, as if going through all the phases of grief in rapid succession, I resigned myself to my fate.

By day three I had not done much better. I was still googling some of the workouts, and I am not confident I was doing all of them correctly. I did something a little different for the fourth day and decided to head to the park before my lunch break to get the challenge done. It was the first signs of change.

The Boise Police Department gave us eight different exercises to do for as long as we could for a minute each. It was the most benevolent routine yet but as our photographer Pat Sutphin, can tell you, I still had to take some time to figure out what I was doing. It wasn’t until afterward that I felt like the strenuous activity I felt unduly bound to was doing me some good.

On a normal lunch break I would eat in my car and read the day’s newspaper if I hadn’t got around to it, but on this day I drove home, made a fresh lunch and straightened up my room without once considering dropping into my bed and missing the rest of the work day.

It remains to be seen if this extra energy will keep up as the challenge goes on or if it’s a bright spot before an inevitable collapse, but I’m feeling ready to take on the world.

After a quick nap.

Megan Taros is a Times-News reporter and Report for America corps member covering the Magic Valley’s Hispanic community and Jerome County. You can support her work by donating to Report for America at http://bit.ly/supportRFA.

Megan Taros is a Times-News reporter and Report for America corps member covering the Magic Valley's Hispanic community and Jerome County. You can support her work by donating to Report for America at http://bit.ly/supportRFA.

MORE INFORMATION

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THE BIG STORY Sunday, November 24, 2019 | magicvalley.com | SECTION E

DREW NASH, TIMES-NEWS FILE‌

Protester Maria Bucklew, center, speaks to a large crowd that had gathered outside of the county courthouse after a county commissioners meeting concerning a contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement July 10, 2017, in Jerome.

ON THE VERGE OF A SHIFT Idaho’s Latinos strive for political representation

MEGAN TAROS

mtaros@magicvalley.com‌

‌TWIN FALLS — Although Idaho’s Hispanic population continues to be the Gem State’s fastest-growing demographic, the community’s political representation remains minimal. Only one state legislator out of 105 voting members is of Hispanic descent, and local governments statewide have only begun to scratch the surface in terms of how representative they are of the communities they serve.

This has some advocates concerned that the needs of Latinos are not being understood and appropriately met by the people representing them.

When large blocks of voters aren’t engaged, it can also spell trouble for the geographical area in which they are casting their votes. The outcome of critical issues may not be favorable for the community as a whole if some voters who may be able to sway the vote stay home instead.

The Latino demographic in Idaho may not be as civically engaged as other demographics due to the overall makeup of the population. The majority of Idaho’s Latinos tend to be younger, lower-income and have a lower education level than their peers at the polls. Groups with those defining characteristics typically turn out in lower numbers across the board on Election Day. Polling patterns are diametrically different than demographic patterns in the Gem State.

This is a pressing conundrum because Latinos are on track to become the largest share of the nonwhite, national vote by the 2020 presidential election. The demographic already has a record number of registered voters. Still, Latinos have limited influence over their political and personal

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PAT SUTPHIN, TIMES-NEWS FILE‌

Margie Gonzalez, executive director of the Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs, presents statistics about Idaho’s Hispanic population Dec. 4, 2018, during the ‘State of the Hispanic Community in South-Central Idaho’ hosted by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce at the Canyon Crest Event Center in Twin Falls. Latino advocacy groups rely on census data to determine where to invest their efforts. Idaho does not keep data on the ethnicity of registered voters.

More online: This is the second installment of a two-part series. Go to Magicvalley.com for the first installment: Connecting cultures: How Idaho is engaging a growing demographic Go to Magicvalley.com to see the Latinos and politics photo gallery.

representation.

State leaders, however, say the community is on the precipice of change.

“Because of the size and age

of our population, we’re going to start seeing a real shift in the next five to 10 years,” said Margie Gonzalez, executive director of the Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs. “We’re going to see Hispanic youth in leadership roles all across the state.”

Inspired to make a difference‌ Gonzalez has led the commission for 18 years. She has seen significant changes in attitudes toward Latinos over that time, but for Latinos who live in small, isolated communities like Clark

MORE INSIDE: Q&A with the Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs, E3

County — an area where 45% of its population of 850 identifies as Latino — nearly half the residents require language or other assistance to access services. The divide between the Latino community and the government in areas like this is immense.

“When you have families who may be dealing with health issues and have to drive 45 minutes to work or seek other services, voting is probably the furthest thing from their minds,” Gonzalez said.

“I can’t imagine how they get it done.”

Please see LATINOS, Page E2

THE BIG STORY

E2 | Sunday, November 24, 2019

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“I’ve heard a lot of ‘I’m just one person; my vote doesn’t make a difference.’

We need to move past that.”

Juan Saldaña, community resources development specialist for the Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs

DREW NASH PHOTOS, TIMES-NEWS‌

Stephen Allen King votes during elections Nov. 5 in Shoshone. Gooding, Minidoka, Owyhee and Jerome counties are among the next in line to be required to provide Spanish ballots under the Voting Rights Act.

Latinos

Latino voters Percentage of eligible Latino voter population by states with Latino populations comparable to Idaho in 2018

From E1

Since 1987, the Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs, which operates out of Boise, has been advising government officials, acting as a liaison for the Hispanic community and making site visits to get a reading on how well local schools, police and government agencies are serving Hispanic residents. The commission also hosts community forums to gather resident feedback.

It uses the information to issue an annual report on the state of Idaho’s Latinos.

The report is published each January, and includes information on where Latinos are working, the number of people requiring language assistance, where Latino children are attending school and current, measurable health patterns and behaviors.

The organization uses this report to advise legislators on issues facing Latinos.

“We’re the eyes and ears for the governor’s office and there’s only two of us. It’s a big job,” Juan Saldaña, community resources development specialist, said. “We have a big share of the population to represent and we’re doing it.

Big things come in small packages and we’re chiquitos, pero picosos (small but spicy).”

In a recent Pew Hispanic Center study, almost half of Latinos surveyed “questioned their place in American society,” and twothirds said the current administration’s policies have been harmful to Latinos.

That same study, however, suggests that these same factors galvanized Latinos — nearly 60% of respondents from both sides of the political spectrum said they feel more enthusiastic about voting in upcoming elections.

“The youth are starting to see how their parents and grandparents struggle and they want to make a difference,” Gonzalez said.

A deeper sense of belonging‌ Young people are not the only ones who find it difficult to apply their voices to the world of politics.

It was a long time before Alejandra Hernandez felt confident enough to speak her mind during meetings in her professional role.

English was not her first language and she left all her family behind in Chile. Now the executive director of the Unity Alliance — a nonprofit that focuses on engaging minority populations in the Magic Valley — is also a member of the Twin Falls Diversity and Inclusion Committee, which advises the City Council on matters relating to underrepresented communities. The committee promotes civic engagement, community building, and acts as a liaison between residents and city government.

When Hernandez knew she was moving to the U.S. 23 years ago, she began learning English before she ever set foot in Boston, the city she lived in prior to moving to Twin Falls. But language wasn’t always the problem. Even though she used to feel self-conscious about her accent, it is the discon-

Latino population

Eligible voters, Latino share

Oklahoma

10.6% 5.8%

Oregon 13.1% 7.7%

Utah 14% 8.5%

Washington

12.7% 7.4%

Wyoming

10% 7.1%

Kansas

11.9% 7.1%

Massachusetts

11.8% 8.7%

Idaho

12.4% 7.8%

Source: Pew Hispanic Center Lee Enterprises graphic

A sample ballot in English and Spanish is laid out during elections Nov. 5 in Shoshone. While Lincoln County is required to provide bilingual ballots, it is not required to provide translators at the polls. nect between her native culture and American culture that still troubles her.

“I feel like I don’t really have a home here,” Hernandez said. “I’m missing a deeper sense of belonging.”

Hernandez has to face obstacles participating in local government that someone born and raised in the U.S. might not be challenged by such as gaining the confidence to speak up, navigating a different culture and winning the respect of peers.

“When you’re an immigrant and your first language isn’t English, it adds a whole other layer to getting involved,” Hernandez said. “But if people don’t like it, there’s nothing I can do. All I can do is be who I am and be there for the community.”

It’s not just outside groups that should consider the needs of Latinos. Hernandez said that it is up to Latinos in Idaho to step up and start a dialogue with others — one that respects and understands other perspectives.

“When you’re a minority, many times you need to bite your tongue

to get what you have to accomplish,” Hernandez said. “But we also need to learn how to have difficult conversations with people even when they are different from us.”

A new way forward‌

Things have changed in the way Idaho legislators talk about Latinos since Rep. Sally Toone, D-Gooding, was an educator more than 30 years ago. Back then, there wasn’t even a conversation. At the time, the relationship between the Latino and white communities was so marginal that the groups understood very little about one another. Now, concerted efforts are being made to facilitate a dialogue by groups like the Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs and Conservation Voters for Idaho.

Toone’s background as an educator in Gooding and Wendell, two highly-concentrated Latino areas, fuels her commitment to students who are part of the Latinos in Action classes around the Magic Valley. If students are brought up learning about the po-

litical process, it’s more likely they will engage with it, she said.

Her presence in the classroom helps dispel the idea that running for office and being in a state leadership role are unattainable goals.

“Every child deserves to be treated the exact same way and have the same opportunities as everyone else,” Toone said. “I’ve always said that.”

Political participation for Latinos is on the upswing, according to Gabe Osterhout, research associate at the Idaho Policy Institute at Boise State University. Youth in particular are engaging more, but there is still a sizable portion of eligible Latino voters that are not exercising this right. This might be because voters don’t feel empowered.

“I’ve heard a lot of ‘I’m just one person; my vote doesn’t make a difference,’” Saldaña said. “We need to move past that.”

But civic engagement is difficult to track. Information about voter turnout by demographic is not available in Idaho, leaving agencies working with Latino voters to rely mostly on anecdotal informa-

tion. Saldaña said that responses from Latinos about their relationship with local government vary, and depend on the characteristics of the city they are voting in, which can encompass a history of discrimination.

The ramifications of discrimination both past and present cause some older Latinos to feel discouraged by interacting with government. Latinos nationwide who are victims of domestic violence are not showing up to court hearings, undocumented food vendors are fleeing cities and some individuals are afraid to complete simple tasks such as obtaining a new ID. “Older Latinos sometimes don’t want to vote because they remember when they were harassed at the polls,” Saldaña said.

“They don’t want to ruffle any feathers.”

Lincoln County is the only county in the state mandated by the U.S. Department of Justice under the Voting Rights Act to provide ballots in Spanish. Poll volunteers tend to be elderly and white, and polling places aren’t required to have translators, although voters can bring their own translator into the voting booth.

These hurdles can be daunting and deter voters of color.

“Something we’re seeing is a real concern with the polls and how inviting they are to our demographic,” Gonzalez said. “With the presidential election, more youth want to engage — but those who are first, second, third generation still struggle.”

A familiar face can make a voter’s experience more comfortable, especially for those who are new to the process. The Commission on Hispanic Affairs has been engaging in formal discussions with the secretary of state to discuss structural changes that aim to connect with Latino voters, as well as groups such as AARP, to encourage elderly Latinos to volunteer as poll workers.

“Our elderly aren’t coming,” Gonzalez said. “We don’t have anyone who looks like us or speaks our language at the polls.”

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THE BIG STORY

Times-News

Sunday, November 24, 2019 | E3

DREW NASH, TIMES-NEWS‌

Stephen Allen King heads to the voting booth during municipal elections Nov. 5 in Shoshone. Turnout for municipal elections is historically low across the board.

DREW NASH, TIMES-NEWS‌

Stickers are laid out during elections Nov. 5 in Shoshone. The county experienced only a slight increase in voter turnout following implementation of Spanish ballots compared to other counties that are demographically similar.

Do Spanish ballots make a difference?‌ Jerome, Gooding, Owyhee and Minidoka are expected to become the next counties that must comply with the language provisions of the Voting Rights Act, but so far, no counties have preemptively made Spanish ballots available.

Counties struggle to implement multilingual ballots: cost and a need for accuracy are impede progress. Jerome County has attempted to engage its Spanish speakers through voter registration drives and answering voter questions on Spanish radio. While these initiatives have shown marked progress, voters are still not showing up to the polls, Jerome County Clerk Michelle Emerson said.

Jerome city leaders say the in-

DREW NASH, TIMES-NEWS‌

An electronic voting machine is displayed on Election Day Nov. 5 in Shoshone. The machine can also be used in Spanish for those who need language assistance.

terest of Latinos in their local politics has shifted over the years.

“Jerome is at a tipping point,” City Councilman Chris Barber said. “We work hard. We want participation. There should be no fear of local government. We want voter participation in everything we do.”

Spanish ballots in and of themselves, however, have not proven to significantly alter voter turnout. Lincoln County saw a negligible change in turnout in the 2018 gubernatorial election, while demographically similar counties including Minidoka and Gooding saw a nearly 10% increase each.

This could be because of Lincoln’s small population size, a potential lack of awareness of Spanish ballots and a low share of Democratic voters.

“Last year was the county’s first

experience with Spanish ballots, so more elections and data points will paint a clearer picture,” Osterhout told the Times-News prior to the Nov. 5 election.

Systemic change from state leadership is imperative in getting Latinos to the polls and creating real change, Gonzalez said. Without leadership from the state, there is no incentive for counties to implement change on their own.

“It needs to start at the state level. More of our elected officials need to get behind it to push that,” Gonzalez said. “There isn’t really anyone holding anyone [else] accountable.”

munities of color and prove a need for structural change. Underrepresented groups tend to be undercounted by the census, making it difficult to pin down real numbers and monitor changes.

“For some Hispanic groups working toward mobilizing, it can be a real challenge,” Gonzalez said. “We’re not able to measure if we’re making progress or not.”

On the Friday after the Nov. 5 election, Antonio Hernandez and his colleagues at Conservation Voters for Idaho were determining how to direct their outreach for the next election based on information gathered during election preparation.

The organization mobilizes to Diminutive data‌ gather information on historically Idaho lacks data on voter eth- underrepresented communities. nicities. This complicates matters Prior to the election, representafor groups trying to reach com- tives called voters in English and

Spanish in order to gauge their interest in voting. While most respondents said they were more enthusiastic about voting after the call, many needed to be told there was an election underway.

“Municipal elections have a historically low turnout across all communities,” Antonio Hernandez said. “We all share a lack of information on why municipal elections are so important.”

Cultural and language differences create additional barriers for underrepresented communities. About 10% of the people Conservation Voters for Idaho speak to during each election cycle said their preferred language was Spanish, but counties are not required to provide information in Spanish or have translators Please see LATINOS, Page E4

Q&A with the Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs MEGAN TAROS

mtaros@magicvalley.com‌

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‌BOISE — It’s no small job visiting every county in Idaho, but the Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs spends each year doing exactly that. It is a small operation that has acted as an advisory board for state legislators since 1987. Its two employees, who are also supported by a team of commissioners, visit with community members, local leaders, schools, police departments and other services to get a reading on the state of the Latino community in a given area.

Margie Gonzalez, executive director, and Juan Saldaña, community resource development specialist, are the duo behind this undertaking. An issue they have been working on with state leaders is voter engagement, which includes supporting the youth vote and making political spaces accessible to Latinos through language assistance and cultural competence.

Q: Why is it important for Latinos to make their voices heard?

Saldaña: Representation matters. There are communities in Idaho with 50% to 60% Latino populations and 0% on their community councils… It’s important that everybody votes and they exercise that right. You can’t be what you can’t see.

Q: What are some barriers Latinos face in terms of civic engagement?

want to know what’s going on, but it’s not always easy.

Gonzalez: People still struggle with language and cultural barriers. There are counties that have a high percentage of Latinos, but they don’t see it as significant enough to make that change. I don’t think unless it comes from the top that they’re going to make that change.

Q: Why aren’t leaders motivated to make that change?

Gonzalez: I don’t believe that they believe that we come out to vote, and because of that, they feel like they don’t have to respond to our issues or our needs. It’s really challenging to counteract that if we don’t have the data.

Q: Where do we see improvement in voter turnout?

Saldaña: I’m happy to see the direction it’s going with youth.

We’re seeing a lot more kids running for things like student body president. As we move forward, I think we’re going to see them be more politically engaged.

Gonzalez: We really are seeing a real shift in our state and change PAT SUTPHIN PHOTOS, TIMES-NEWS‌ is going to happen in the next five Margie Gonzalez, executive director of the Idaho Juan Saldaña, community resource development years. The youth are starting to Commission on Hispanic Affairs, meets Nov. 7 with specialist for the Idaho Commission on Hispanic see how their parents and grandrepresentatives from the College of Southern Idaho to Affairs, meets Nov. 7 with representatives from the parents struggle and they want to review the Hispanic Youth Summit, which took place College of Southern Idaho to review the Hispanic make a difference.

Oct. 3 at the CSI Student Union building in Twin Falls.

Youth Summit, which took place Oct. 3 at the CSI Gonzalez has been working with the Secretary of State Student Union building in Twin Falls. The commission Megan Taros is a Times-News to improve outreach to Latino voters. meets with local agencies every year to discuss how reporter and Report for America communities can better serve their Latino populations. corps member covering the Magic Valley’s Hispanic community and Saldaña: We’re seeing a lot of because they don’t know the might need to find child care or Jerome County. You can support people feeling intimidated even language or understand the pro- leave work early and worry about her work by donating to Report for going to a city council meeting cess. It takes a lot of time. People parking. People are interested and America at http://bit.ly/supportRFA.

THE BIG STORY

E4 | Sunday, November 24, 2019

Times-News

DREW NASH, TIMES-NEWS‌

A voter arrives at his polling place during elections Nov. 5 in Shoshone. Lincoln County is the only county in Idaho that is required to provide ballots and voter information in Spanish under the language provisions of the Voting Rights Act.

Latinos From E3

working the polls. This creates a conundrum for voters and poll workers alike.

“The resources aren’t available,” Antonio Hernandez said.

“It creates a cycle (of non-voting). If no one is reaching out to these communities, then that’s the result.”

Fostering systemic change‌ Low voter turnout is a structural issue across the board. Many demographics share similar barriers to voting and being civically engaged. A change in those patterns would require an overhaul in the way civic engagement is handled and addressed. An earlier introduction to the political system could create the traction needed to encourage stronger engagement with government, Osterhout said. Voter information must also be created to reflect the realities of all communities.

“When it comes to information, when it’s not made for you and with you in mind, it’s not going to be accessible,” Antonio Hernandez said.

Latino leaders agree that buy-in from state and community leaders is critical for mobilizing Latino voters. Legislators sometimes underserve Latinos because the scope of the population and the amount of active Latino voters is unknown.

Essentially, that makes it tricky to incentivize leaders to cater to the community and creates a cyclical dilemma.

“It’s a numbers game and frequent voters are the target,” Antonio Hernandez said. “The Latinx (a term used to encompass

PAT SUTPHIN, TIMES-NEWS‌

Members of the Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs meet Nov. 7 with representatives from the College of Southern Idaho to review the Hispanic Youth Summit, which took place Oct. 3 at the CSI Student Union building in Twin Falls. The commission is working to encourage Latino youth to get involved in politics and leadership roles. all genders) community gets less resources in every election, and if they get less resources, they are going to become infrequent voters — and they’re going to be viewed as unreliable voters. So leaders are continuing to overlook this demo-

DREW NASH, TIMES-NEWS‌

Christine Curry has her ID card checked during elections Nov. 5 in Shoshone. Fear of discrimination at the polls sometimes contributes to a lack of voter engagement by older Latinos who remember being harassed at the polls.

“They don’t want to ruffle any feathers,” Juan Saldaña, community resource development specialist at the Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs, said.

graphic.”

According to community leaders, encouraging Latinos to become active in the community is crucial.

A liaison for the community who understands their cultural backgrounds could inspire more indi-

viduals to become involved.

“I’ve always been a rebel and I always knew what I wanted to do,” Alejandra Hernandez said. “What we need are people who will stand up and be there for the community.”

Megan Taros is a Times-News reporter and Report for America corps member covering the Magic Valley’s Hispanic community and Jerome County. You can support her work by donating to Report for America at http://bit.ly/supportRFA.

DREW NASH, TIMES-NEWS‌

Matthew Kepner votes during elections Nov. 5 in Shoshone. Voter participation in municipal elections is typically low across the board. Demographic characteristics of the Latino community, including a high percentage of youth and low-income voters, may contribute to lower civic engagement.

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2019 |

magicvalley.com

City backs refugee center

HOLY NIGHT

Trump order requires local government support for programs RYAN BLAKE

rblake@magicvalley.com

TWIN FALLS — City officials have backed refugee resettlement efforts in Twin Falls and encouraged the county and state to do the same.

City Council members Monday unanimously approved signing a letter that indicates the city’s continued support for the refugee resettlement program at the College of Southern Idaho. The letter is a response to an executive order signed in September by President Donald Trump that requires state and local governments to publicly say they will accept refugees.

In a passionate speech, Councilman Chris Talkington lamented that Twin Falls has not always had a “pristine record” of incorporating those with different backgrounds into the city. Signing the letter is a necessary step in committing to being a neighborly community, Talkington said.

“There have been fits and starts and stops and backward motions at times on whether we really want to have an open community,” he said. “I’m damn proud of this community for opening its doors and becoming an impression of what’s right with Idaho, what’s right with America.”

Although located in Twin Falls, the CSI Refugee Center is entirely independent of the city and the county, and is paid for through federal grants.

However, Trump’s executive order required states and local governments to “opt in” before allowing refugee resettlement programs to operate in their jurisdiction. The order says doing so will ensure that “refugees are resettled in communities that are eager and equipped to support their successful integration into American society and the labor force.”

Mayor Shawn Barigar said this is an opportunity to strengthen the city’s partnership with CSI and other government entities.

“The folks who come through this program, once they’re here, are part of our community,” Barigar said. “The program is capable of providing that support to them and we should be supportive of them as well.”

The letter encourages the state of Idaho to continue supporting the program.

The Associated Press reported more than 30 governors have agreed to accept refugees, but about a dozen Republican governors, including Gov. Brad Little, have stayed silent.

Little will review the commitments made by local governments before making a decision, spokeswoman Marissa Morrison said in a Monday statement.

DREW NASH, TIMES-NEWS

How an Idaho church is adapting to a growing demographic MEGAN TAROS

mtaros@magicvalley.com

JEROME — t five minutes to midnight the pews emptied as worshippers at St. Jerome Catholic Church, many of whom were there since the celebration started four hours earlier, huddled around the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe.

Beneath the golden-framed image were dozens of roses and candles left by parishioners and above were twisted, red and green curtains that stood for the colors of the Mexican flag. At the cue of the priest, they sang “Las Mañanitas” (“Little

A

Mornings”), a traditional birthday song, and continued with hymns for 30 minutes straight to signal the start of the Feast of Guadalupe.

The Feast of Guadalupe — commonly known by Mexicans as her “birthday” — is a celebration of the day it is said Guadalupe appeared to an indigenous man named Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin, who was canonized in 2002, at the Hill of Tepeyac in Mexico.

St. Jerome Catholic Church began this celebration, a two-day event honoring Mexico’s patron saint, as a response to Latinos flocking to the church.

“They’ve always liked what we’re doing,” Claudia Gonzalez, secretary at St. Jerome who also teaches Aztec dancing that is performed at the church, said in Spanish. “Thank God they welcomed us from the start.”

The Diocese of Boise says more than half of the estimated 179,791 Catholics in Idaho are Latino. This shift in demographics is forcing Catholic parishes statewide to restructure to cater to the thousands of Latinos who attend Mass every weekend.

Please see GUADALUPE, Page A5

Please see REFUGEES, Page A4

If you do one thing: Go and look at the many Christmas lights and decorations that are on display throughout the Magic Valley.

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Guadalupe From A1

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops released a guidebook in 2014, “Best Practices for Shared Parishes: So That They May All Be One,” to help churches navigate the changing landscape.

Much of this integration began as early as the 1960s, especially in places like CalWorshippers gather for the Serenade of the Precious Mother ifornia, Arizona and New at St. Jerome Catholic Church Dec. 11. Mexican Catholics Mexico, and a second wave celebrate the day the Virgin of Guadalupe is said to have first began in the 1980s as Latiappeared in Mexico by singing hymns at midnight. nos began moving in force to agricultural areas in northernmost states in search of jobs.

“There are more immigrants in rural places because they’re chasing jobs,” Hosffman Ospino, associate professor of Hispanic ministry and religious education at Boston College, said in a phone interview earlier this month. “With that in mind most of those immigrants are Roman Catholic and a cultural reference for them is the Roman Catholic Father Adrian Vazquez speaks to his Latino parishioners Church.” during Mass at St. Jerome Catholic Church Dec. 12. The Virgin St. Jerome was one of Guadalupe, the patron saint of Mexico, is said to have church that experienced appeared to an indigenous man at the Hill of Tepeyac in this sudden influx in the Mexico.

DREW NASH PHOTOS, TIMES-NEWS‌ ‘90s and moved to expand its 350-person church in Worshippers gather for the Serenade of the Precious Mother at St. Jerome Catholic Church 2000 to accommodate the Dec. 11. Mexican Catholics celebrate the day the Virgin of Guadalupe is said to have first arrival of up to 1,500 Latinos appeared in Mexico by singing hymns at midnight. attending Spanish Mass. the church. Churches at the to find the answers to those Anglos why we do these things, that there’s a reaLearning to coexist‌ helm of an issue will fade questions.”

The costumes Gonzalez’s out of the spotlight when A point of tension in son we do things a certain dancers were wearing this clergymen and parish staff some parishes is that way they are more open,” year have come a long way pioneering this work leave Latino parishioners tend to Vazquez said. “People are from when she first started for another parish. The be low-income and don’t more open here. The unmaking them. Her first year same can be said for inte- have the capital of some derstanding will come with she sewed together a sim- gration. The Irish and Ital- white parishioners whose time.” ple top and skirt for the ians had their own struggles families have been with The church needs more female dancers. This year when they were newcomers and supported the church Latinos in leadership poshe created a red ensemble to American churches, a for generations. sitions to help foster that with gold sequins, the im- trend now affecting Latinos.

The Feast of Guadalupe understanding, Vazquez age of Guadalupe, strings of “Here it’s better,” Father at St. Jerome Parish raised said. A daunting task for Latino parishioners participate in the Feast of Guadalupe golden beads that clacked Adrian Vazquez, the priest nearly $5,000. The Feast of the church now is to recruit procession to St. Jerome Catholic Church on Dec. 12. The with every movement and a at St. Jerome, said. “I’ve St. Jerome, its patronal feast youth from growing demo- Virgin of Guadalupe, the patron saint of Mexico, is said to towering headdress of pea- worked a lot of different that is more widely sup- graphics to become a part have appeared to an indigenous man at the Hill of Tepeyac in cock feathers. places and there’s places ported by parishioners of all of the clergy or community Mexico.

Her drum thundered where you can really see the backgrounds and has spon- leaders. A deliberate effort News reporter and Report through the church as the separation.” sors, took in $28,538.96 by to connect with Latinos in and laypersons doing the for America corps member youth dancers jumped, spun There are 19 priests under comparison. a level beyond language is work,” Ospino said. “This is covering the Magic Valley’s and wove their way around the Diocese of Boise who The church community, necessary to creating in- not done with Hail Mary’s. Hispanic community and one another. identify as Latino. Churches however, has found a way viting, diverse churches, You need to be professional Jerome County. You can cultural brokers.”

“There were only a few in Twin Falls, Gooding, Ru- to come together when it Ospino said. support her work by donating mistakes,” she said with pert, Wendell and Buhl all comes to raising money.

“There needs to be better to Report for America at a laugh afterward as she have Latino priests leading “Latinos are good at leadership — more leaders Megan Taros is a Timeshttp://bit.ly/supportRFA. mingled with parishioners the church. working, Anglos are good in the dining hall where volwith money,” Vazquez said unteers served Mexican hot ‘Nothing unites us in Spanish. “It’s like ‘you chocolate and piles of Mexi- more than this’‌ find the donors, we’ll come can sweet bread throughout volunteer.’ We get along bethe late-night service.

On the second day of cause we work together.” worshipTeaching the Aztec danc- celebrations, ing class has been a way for pers huddled together in A sustaining force‌ Gonzalez to connect youth the parking lot of CheverAt the same time as with their culture, but also ria’s, a Mexican restaurant churches are trying to welkeep ties with her own. on South Lincoln Avenue, come a diverse group of “This is the heritage of some clutching Mexican hot parishioners, the Catholic my mom who passed it chocolate while the dancers Church is experiencing a down to me,” Gonzalez said helped one another adjust sharp decline in the number in Spanish. “These were the their outfits. of people who identify with traditions of the place where When the procession to the religion. she grew up. This is a way St. Jerome was set to begin One in five adults, about for me to help our children four volunteers carried a 20%, identify as Catholic, stay connected with their display adorned with soft down from 23% in 2009, culture because without it pink roses that surrounded according to a 2019 Pew Rewe’ll lose it.” small statues of the Virgin of search Center survey. Much Prior to the opening Guadalupe and Juan Diego of the younger parishioners of its expanded space in recreating the story of her propelling the church, how2005, St. Jerome only had appearing before him. The ever, are Latino immigrants. two masses, one in English volunteers stood one at ev“What we’re seeing is a and one in Spanish, with ery corner, hoisting the dis- population that is young Spanish Mass overflowing play onto their shoulders. and Spanish-speaking and $34.95 $44.95 into the street. Its services The parishioners followed an aging white, American plus tax & shipping have now grown to host two them toward the church led middle class,” Ospino said.

Spanish masses on week- by Vazquez in the reciting “The Hispanic population ends, cultural events like the of the rosary. By the time is booming. So the question Feast of Guadalupe and a the procession reached the for the church becomes how Valentine’s Day fundraisers church, it was lashing rain, to serve them.”

The majority of Catholic known as Noche Romantica and its followers arrived All-new for 2019 • 136 pages, hardcover • Historic photos of Magic Valley at the doors of St. Jerome Church leaders are also ag(Romantic Night).

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A shared parish, one that singing “La Guadalupana,” ing. The majority of priests and nuns are older than 60, serves two or more demo- a traditional hymn.

Order online and save with flat-rate shipping graphics, is not often sought “We are here in spite of which means they learned after because of the difficul- rain and cold because we from a different school of ties that come with trying to are united by the Virgin of thought that may not be as serve multiple populations. Guadalupe,” Vazquez said reflective of today’s realiExpedited shipping available for Christmas delivery They often happen after to the overflowing crowd ties.

Pick up your books locally, including pre-orders demographic shifts related at the 1,200-seat church “They were trained unto jobs, immigration and during the Spanish Mass. der a completely different “Nothing unites us more church. That’s like if you’re childbirth rates. going to work with cars and But a church population than this.”

132 Fairfield Street W., Twin Falls (Mon.–Fri. 8 a.m.–5 p.m.) is regularly evolving, and While the Mass for the you go to school and learn Order by mail now (discount expires 12/31/19): parish leaders must brace Feast of Guadalupe was how to fix a Model T,” OsPostmark by 12/5/19 for Christmas delivery Ship my order to me: $34.95 plus $2.10 tax and $6.95 shipping and handling per book. Order will be shipped to the largely Latino, parish staff pino said. “I’m sorry, but in for sudden change. address below. Quantity: ___ x $44.00 = $______ total “If I took a picture of my said the community still this day and age you have church today then in six comes together at fundrais- to learn to work with Teslas Payment method: ☐ Check/Money Order ☐ Visa ☐ MasterCard ☐ AmEx ☐ Discover months, one-third of the ing events and other church and computers. They need people would be new,” Os- activities. The transition to be trained to serve in a Name pino said. “Gone are the for St. Jerome comes much culturally diverse church.”

Send form and payment to: days you were baptized, easier than in other parThough creating a welTimes-News Address married and died with the ishes. Racial and economic coming environment has c/o Memories Book P.O. Box 548 same church.” disparities are flashpoints gone well for St. Jerome, Twin Falls, ID 83303 City State Zip The history of the Catho- for divisions between pa- there is still work to be lic Church in Idaho is pep- rishioners. These issues can done. A common problem pered with moments where be more difficult for immi- in shared parishes is clashPhone E-mail the church advocated for the grants to navigate as they ing ways of practicing the rights of Latino immigrants. are also trying to assimilate same religion. With the new Card # Expiration In the 1960s the church ad- into a different country. wave of Latino parishioners vocated for better treatment “It’s difficult to be an came holidays not often celSignature Verification Code of Mexican farmworkers immigrant,” Vazquez said. ebrated by white parishioand in the 1980s the church “They work long hours and ners and religious activities From the archives of Blip Printers, DeMary Memorial Library, Idaho State Historical Society, was a major rallying hub to there’s no time for family, like quinceañeras, a young Jerome County Historical Society Museum, Minidoka County Historical Society Museum, Twin decry white supremacist the environment at school girl’s fifteenth birthday Falls County Fair and Stampede, Twin Falls Police Department and Twin Falls Public Library violence against Latinos in is different than what they marking her transition to Sponsored by south-central Idaho. want for their children, womanhood that is often Just as church popula- there’s pressure to conform, celebrated with a Mass sertions change in waves, so things like that. And there’s vice. do the events that define not enough tools from them “When you explain to

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