News – Page 3 – Ruby Cayenne

Primera Latina en la Junta de Supervisores en Humboldt: Para Imprimir

March 7, 2023October 11, 2023Ruby CayenneLeave a comment

por Ruby Cayenne traducido por Desiree Osornio

Natalie Arroyo, Supervisora del Cuarto Distrito del Condado de Humboldt. | Foto por Ruby Cayenne

En 2023, Natalie Arroyo empezó como la primera latina del condado de Humboldt elegida para un cargo en la Junta de Supervisores en representación del Distrito 4.

Arroyo conoció el Watershed Stewards Project a través de AmeriCorps y empezó a trabajar en este área realizando conservaciones pesqueras en Petrolia, California. De origen puertorriqueño y criada en Miami, Florida, vino a Humboldt en 2006 desde Nueva Orleans. Arroyo se quedó en Humboldt principalmente por la belleza natural y arquitectónica de la zona. Al haber crecido principalmente en bases militares, estas características la cautivaron.

Las características rurales y pequeñas que tienen la mayoría de los pueblos del condado de Humboldt le recordaron a la cultura puertorriqueña de su familia, donde la gente es muy amable y se recibe con los brazos abiertos. La comida y la cultura son formas en las que Arroyo permanece unida a su cultura.

“Criarme como puertorriqueña y probar todos los sabores, y las experiencias familiares que vienen con la comida, son algunas de las experiencias más agradables de mi vida personal,” dijo Arroyo.

Para Arroyo, la tradición puertorriqueña valora la amabilidad y la ternura hacia todas las personas, así como la conexión con otras culturas latinas. “Eso es algo con lo que crecí y que tengo que retomar en nuestra cultura aquí,” dijo Arroyo. “Siento que soy muy cariñosa y familiar con la gente de una forma que no esperan. A veces eso puede parecerles confuso cuando sólo estoy trayendo al espacio lo que es normal para mi familia.”

Arroyo comenzó su carrera política a comienzos de los veinte años, trabajando como voluntaria en juntas directivas de organizaciones sin ánimo de lucro. Sirvió dos términos en Eureka City Council antes de avanzar
en su carrera para servir ahora en la Junta de Supervisores del Condado de Humboldt.

“Pienso mucho en el lenguaje y la formulación de políticas y en si la información es accesible a la gente en su idioma. También hay mucha necesidad de más vivienda,” dijo Arroyo. “Tanto como es importante alojar a los estudiantes y a las personas que no tienen vivienda ahora, también es importante recibir a personas de fuera de la comunidad, incluyendo a personas que han emigrado aquí desde otros países.”

Como política, Arroyo es una firme defensora de los derechos de la mujer, está a favor del derecho al aborto y le apasiona apoyar a las organizaciones que proporcionan atención sanitaria reproductiva. Quiere que la gente tenga derecho a tomar sus propias decisiones con respecto a su cuerpo. Arroyo reconoce que el derecho a decidir ha sido fundamental para que muchas personas se encuentren hoy en día en la vida.

En lo que respecta a su trabajo, le entusiasma ser un ejemplo para que otras personas latinas vean que potencialmente pueden servir a su comunidad como funcionarios del gobierno de formas que sean significativas para ellas. También enseña una clase en Cal Poly Humboldt sobre Resolución de Conflictos Medioambientales, y expresó que los estudiantes Latinx han tomado su clase porque sintieron esa familiaridad e inspiración por ella ser latina.

“Me resulta interesante cómo a veces la gente no quiere hablar de diversidad racial, cultural o étnica. Hay veces en las que he estado en una sala para tomar una decisión y, si yo no hubiera estado allí, la decisión no habría salido así,” dijo Arroyo. “Estoy muy orgullosa de ser latina y de asumir un papel de liderazgo. Es innovador para este lugar y este momento.”

First Latina on the Board of Supervisors in Humboldt: For Print

March 7, 2023October 11, 2023Ruby CayenneLeave a comment

by Ruby Cayenne

Natalie Arroyo started off 2023 as Humboldt County’s first Latina to be elected to office on the Board of Supervisors to represent District 4.

Arroyo was introduced to the Watershed Stewards Project through AmeriCorps and started working in this area doing fisheries conservation in Petrolia, California. Coming from a Puerto Rican background and growing up in Miami, Florida, she first came to Humboldt in 2006 from New Orleans.

Arroyo stayed in Humboldt largely due to the natural and architectural beauty of the area. Having grown up primarily on military bases, these features intrigued her.

The small and rural characteristics of most towns in Humboldt County reminded her of her family’s Puerto Rican culture, where people are very welcoming and embrace one another. Food and culture are ways that Arroyo remains connected to her heritage.

“Growing up Puerto Rican and eating all the flavors, and the family experiences that come with food, are some of the warmest experiences in my personal life,” Arroyo said.

To Arroyo, Puerto Rican tradition values warmth and kindness towards all people, as well as a connection to other Latinx cultures. “That’s something I grew up with that I have to pull back in our culture here,” Arroyo said. “I feel I’m very warm and familiar with people in a way that they’re not expecting. Sometimes that can seem confusing to them when I’m just bringing what’s normal for my family into the space.”

Arroyo began her political path in her early twenties by volunteering to serve on nonprofit boards of directors. She served two terms on the Eureka City Council before advancing in her career to now serve on the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors.

“I think a lot about language and policymaking and whether information is accessible to people in their language. There’s also a lot of need for more housing,” Arroyo said. “Just as much as it’s important to house students and house people who are currently houseless it’s also important to welcome people in from outside the community including people who have immigrated here from other countries.”

As a politician, Arroyo is a vocal advocate for women’s rights, in favor of abortion rights and is passionate about
supporting organizations that provide reproductive healthcare. She wants people to have the right to make their own bodily decisions. Arroyo acknowledges that the right to choose has been pivotal to where many people are in life today.

When it comes to her work, she is excited to be an example for other Latinx people to see that they can potentially serve their community as government officials in ways that are meaningful to them. Also teaching a class at Cal Poly Humboldt on Environmental Conflict Resolution, she expressed that Latinx students had taken her class because they felt that familiarity and inspiration from her being a Latina.

“It’s interesting to me how people sometimes don’t want to talk about racial, cultural, or ethnic diversity. There
are times when I’ve been in a room to make a decision and if I hadn’t been there, the decision would not have gone that way,” Arroyo said. “I’m very proud to be Latina and to be in a leadership role. It’s groundbreaking for this place and this moment in time.”

Black Student Union is reorganizing at Cal Poly Humboldt

February 20, 2023October 11, 2023Ruby CayenneLeave a comment

by Ruby Cayenne

The Black Student Union (BSU) at Cal Poly Humboldt (CPH) is getting revitalized. While acting unofficially for now, the club remains a central place of community for many Black students at CPH.

BSU was founded in the 1970s and has been a part of CPH’s history for many decades. According to CPH’s 2022 Fall Census Headcount by Ethnicity, Black students make up only three percent of the total student demographic. Students and faculty expressed how important the sense of community and representation facilitated by the club has been.

“Really at the heart of getting this club going again, it started from having and developing authentic connections with students and identifying students who see and understand the value in BSU,” said Douglas Smith, coordinator of the Umoja Center for Pan African Student Excellence and mentor to the BSU students.

Currently, a few dozen students are already unofficially participating and many more have reportedly dropped in to express interest in joining. Future intentions of the club, such as events, will be centered around bringing the club together with Black students, the whole campus community and local organizations.

“Right now, we’re just in the process of figuring out how to bring the students together and who do we reach out to in the community,” said Michael Steelman, president of the BSU and sophomore studying Critical Race Gender and Sexuality (CRGS).

Steelman expressed how the club was and continues to be, a predominant reason why he initially feels comfortable at the university and continues to study here.

“Like you don’t see that many colorful people here. Where do I fit in? How can I fit in?” said Honey De ’Lite, vice-president of the BSU, a freshman majoring in child development, teaching and CRGS with a minor in criminology. When she found out CPH did not have a BSU club, she took the initiative to get it started again.

Through BSU, De’Lite has been introduced to other areas of interest such as the funding board, which has allowed her to create more events and resources for the club. She has a deep passion for inspiring other students to get involved and to speak out in the local Black community.

“There is a rich history here of Black Student Union,” said Harrel Deshazier, advisor for the BSU. “They were organizing Black graduations. Doing different concerts and I often tell the officers there’s a lot of things you can do to make sure that you have a space here on campus.”

BSU is currently unofficial, but official meetings will begin to commence in the coming weeks, with details available on the CPH website under clubs and organizations.

“It says BSU. That doesn’t mean it needs to be just Black students participating and helping with events or even coming to events. We want all folks to be involved,” Deshazier said. “As a White person, it’s important to take a backseat, listen and assist when asked. But in general, I want White students and students who are non-Black to feel comfortable joining our events because as a Black person, I want to feel comfortable joining other events that aren’t Black centered.”

For more information, check out their website at humboldt.presence.io/organization/black-student-union.