Centro Hispano held a press conference Friday to give a statement on the recent arrest of California Senator Alex Padilla.
The Democratic senator was forcefully removed and handcuffed by police at Kristi Noem’s Homeland Security press conference in Los Angeles Thursday after he attempted to speak out on the immigration raids that have caused mass protests around the country, the AP reported.
Centro Hispano felt it needed to speak out and affirm its commitment to the community as uncertainty caused by immigration raids and mass arrests continues to spark worry.
“What happened this week for me personally was the straw that made me think we need to be more forceful about coming out and speaking out and saying what we’re feeling,” said Karen Menéndez Coller, executive director of Centro Hispano.
Menéndez Coller expressed her empathy while she shared her family’s immigration story. Menéndez Coller comes from El Salvador; her parents pushed hard and sacrificed to provide a better life for their family. The sacrifice accompanied by dignity, pride and love continues to impact her today.
Despite the effort, a barrier formed as Menéndez Coller’s father seemingly lost something in the United States as opportunities and benefits of systems were not allotted to him.
“How that impacted me as a young girl is something that I process and navigate to this day,” Menéndez Coller said. “What happened to Senator Padilla and to any man in our community is reprehensible and is meant to send a message to our families, to our children and to their parents that our pride, dignity and our heart are secondary and that we can be silenced.”
Despite what the message the federal government is sending, Centro Hispano wants to make sure people know that it is always there.
“The current climate only alienates and reduces public trust, but please know that you can always trust us,” Menéndez Coller said. “We vow to always do everything in our power to not leave anyone behind.”
Navigating trust remains a barrier, especially as ICE continues to target the resources of immigrants.
While there have not been overt immigration raids in Madison under the Trump administration, an air of nervousness still plagues those seeking resources. Menéndez Coller points to more subtle actions by ICE through threatening letters and the constant possibility of deportation.
“If you’re afraid, if you feel like you can’t really connect with different spaces, I hear you because I’m that way, too. You are my other me,” Menéndez Coller said. “If you come here, you’ll be surrounded by people that have learned how to navigate those fears, those barriers, and who are here, not to do it for you, but so that we can all learn and do it together.”
Menéndez Coller encourages the community to come to Centro Hispano — especially on its weekly El Mercadito on Thursdays. She says it’s a great way to see how the community “flows at Centro.”
“Eventually, my hope is that for that person that may not feel that they can trust yet, they will soon and they’ll take advantage of all the resources we have here,” Menéndez Coller said.
El Mercadito is held every Thursday until late fall-early winter from 4-8 p.m. at Centro Hispano, 2403 Cypress Way.
