Jason Tejeda Molina  00:01

Yeah, we're gonna we're gonna start. Um, lovely. Once again, make yourself comfortable once again, share be as open as you'd like to be. And have we just had a good time to have a conversation. I was actually talking to my boss and some of the other people and I was like we need to have like a cafecito station. We have like a little–

 

Georgina Martinez Minero  0:19

Yeah like

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  00:20

El chisme, exactly. Let us begin. So, how did you come to live in Virginia? And how long have you lived here? Do you live somewhere else before settling in the state and the Commonwealth?

 

Georgina Martinez Minero  00:48

Um, I lived here pretty much most of my life. I lived maybe two or three years in West Virginia. But Virginia like all my life

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  00:59

Yeah, can you also tell me a little bit about, like your family like specific where your parents are from?

 

Georgina Martinez Minero  01:05

Yeah, my dad is from Cordoba, it's in the state of Veracruz, Mexico. And my mom is from a little place called Alpotzonga de Lira y Ortega en Tlaxcala, which is also in Mexico. My parents, my mom, she emigrated to the US when she was 18. She was working with her aunt and they've like found a job at like some processing plant, I think. My dad had some of his brothers living here already, my mom came here with her aunt. But there was nobody here in the US that she was related to.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  01:42

When did like do you know originally when like your father's family decided to come to US broadly and then more specifically, like Virginia?

 

Georgina Martinez Minero  01:50

I think my– so he has three brothers living here, actually. But I think the main one that he stayed with, I think he came here maybe a few years before? I’m not entirely sure.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  02:11

I understand that. And so like, you know, do you have any, You know, I asked this, Do you have any family still living in Mexico? 

Georgina Martinez Minero  02:19

Oh, yeah. I have a lot of family still there. 

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  02:22

Yeah. Do you all generally kind of go in between?

 

Georgina Martinez Minero 02:24

Mhm-hmm

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  02:25

When was the last time you went?

 

Georgina Martinez Minero  02:30

If I remember correctly, probably around the summer. Yeah, it was. It was last the past summer. We went to go visit my dad's family. And then, like a day or two with my mom's family.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  02:45

Nice. Can you tell me a little bit about like the relationship you have with your extended family. 

 

Georgina Martinez Minero  02:50

It's really close. Really close. My dad's family, my grandma from my dad's side. And he used to come or she used to come to the US a lot when she was you know, a bit younger. And we, you know, we've been really close since like, I like I share the same name as her like, I feel like really bonded with her. And with my mom's side of the family, like I never met them until I was around eight years old. But they still treat me like really close family. I'm really really grateful to have them.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  03:23

Yes. How often do you say do you think you talk to them? Like by the phone or FaceTime anything like that?

 

Georgina Martinez Minero  03:32

Not often actually. I think cuz my grandma on my dad's side, she's losing her hearing and say with my grandpa. You know, my mom calls her family, but I don't live there anymore. So it's not like I joined those calls either.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  03:49

No, definitely get that I remember the my grandma the other day she calls me and she's like she's like I'm losing my hearing. Like it in a joking way. You know, sometimes just joke around and say like “Ya no puedo escuchar.” Yeah. And I'm like, well grandma, that's like pretty serious 

 

Georgina Martinez Minero  04:04

Ya ni modo. 

Jason Tejeda Molina  04:06

Ya ni modo verdad. Oh. So, you know, the president is let's talk about living. Let's talk about living in Virginia. So let's talk about living in Virginia. So you know So can you tell me a little bit about the main area like the main like county that you lived in the main city that you lived in? Growing up in Virginia?

 

Georgina Martinez Minero  04:26

Harrisonburg, Virginia. It was very small. This was like before JMU started their big expansion in the city. But, you know, I felt like my family was one amongst maybe a couple dozen, like Latino families in that area. And then it grew a bit more and now, there's a lot more than Latinos in that area.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  04:55

How has kind of been like your experience about, you know, your family living in Virginia, you know, living in Harrisonburg, how has that, how's that experience overall has been?

 

Georgina Martinez Minero  05:09

It was, it was something no know, being Latinos in a predominantly white area, it was a little scary. And I, it was a bit.. I’d feel like a bit of an outcast. I didn't, I wasn't allowed to go to school until I learned English. And by then, you know, I lost a majority of all my Spanish. And I tried really hard to fit in with all the kids. And I just felt like I wasn't able to. Like it was like, I'm trying to assimilate, but it just didn't work. And then as I grew older, you know, that still felt like the same, I still felt weird, I still felt like I didn't really belong. Until I met my friend groups, which was predominantly Latino. And I felt more at ease with them, I felt more of myself with them. And even now, like as I'm in college, and I associate with more children, or like more children, more adults, I guess, are just like me, you know, I feel less like the version I was when I was in Harrisonburg than I am now.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  06:27

That's interesting, because you know, something, I guess I didn't really know. Because you might have meant you mentioned a little bit briefly was did you said, Did you forget some of your Spanish when you were transitioning?

 

Georgina Martinez Minero  06:37

Yeah. So when my parents tried to, like put me into school, we didn't have or they didn't have like the dual language programs that they do now. When they were trying to put me through through School in West Virginia, like if your child doesn't know, English, like fluently, she's not able to join us. She's not able to be in school. And I think they told us that when I was like, around four years old, I would have gone to preschool, but they didn't let me. And since then, like, my parents would teach me everything in Spanish, like they would read to me in Spanish, they would, like address me or in English. I meant in English. They would like address me in English and stuff. And, you know, by, by the time I was around, like, kindergarten, first grade, I didn't really know any Spanish.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  07:41

I also bring that up, mostly because I know I had some. Well, I would say I had a similar under similar experience where at least for me, it was, you know, I don't know, do you feel like it was isolating? Do you feel like the specifically your parents speaking to you, and you having to respond to them, like communicating between your parents? Did you feel like they were some sort of isolation? Did you feel like it was not being able to completely vocalize what you want to say to your parents, or your family or anybody like that

 

Georgina Martinez Minero  08:11

there was a lack of being able, or like just being understood, I think. I just I found it hard to communicate with them because of this steadily growing language barrier. And yeah, like, they were, like, learning English, like around the same pace as I was, but you know, I was learning it faster. I was in these in these classes, where I was just just learning pure English. And, you know, there wasn't much I could say to my parents, so help them understand, like, I know, I don't feel like your daughter anymore, or like, I don't feel connected to you anymore in this way.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  09:01

So also talking about the land population, just like in Harrisonburg. How is it? How was it you know, during your time there because I also know that you also currently, just to shift, we're going to we're to pinpoint that we're going to come back to that. But also just to also clarify you also, now are kind have living in like the greater Richmond, like community as well. Right. So like, what has kind of been like your experiences? I want to know kind of what's been your experiences with the Latinos living in Harrisonburg and also Latinos living in, in Richmond as well?

 

Georgina Martinez Minero  09:35

Um, it's funny, like I was talking about feeling isolated and with the non-Latino kids, I felt like a strange isolation with the Latino kids as well. You know, I I feel like I've looked different, I dress differently. I wasn't raised the same way. You know, my parents, they started a business when, you know, I was only seven. You know, no one else could really relate to that feeling. And there was just something so different about the Latino population in Harrisonburg. And then there was me. I feel like maybe it was aesthetic reasons. It was like style reasons. It was just like, the way I grew up. The way we weren't like, in a community, or like, we were separated from the community just by choice. Something about it, it just made me feel like I wasn't included either.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  10:47

For me, that's, that's really interesting that you mentioned, you know, I know that your your family has a business. And a pretty well known business within the local, you know, Harrisburg community, I knew, definitely, even before I met you, I definitely knew about it. And like it was just one of those, those places that everybody kind of just knew. Can you elaborate more? Can you elaborate a little bit on? It's really interesting to me, can you elaborate about being a Latino and being part of a Latino family that has a business? And how that kind of was different than, say, some other Latinos who, you know, whose families weren't business owners? How kind of was that lens of having like a business from your point of view?

 

Georgina Martinez Minero  11:35

It was always busy. I never was able to interact with, like, my peers. You know, there was a, there was a weird separation of, oh, my parents are my parents were employees somewhere else, versus oh,  my parents are business owners. Like, there's that difference. And I wouldn't, you know, from school, it was like, I went to school, and I went straight to the business because my parents, you know, couldn't afford to hire a babysitter, they couldn't. They obviously didn't want to leave me a home alone. So I would just go to the restaurant and feel even more isolated as they were just like, attending all these other customers. And I was just in the corner, like, like, that meme, like the kid doing their homework, like in the corner of the restaurant and stuff. So yeah, I think just felt just felt not like a childhood. Like, if that makes sense. Like, I just felt like I wasn't interacting with enough people at such an early age. And I feel like that definitely felt detrimental in my, like, interacting with other you know kids.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  12:54

And also, if correct me if I'm wrong, I'm pretty sure you're the firstborn or you're the oldest. So how has that experienced having to be the kind of like the older child and your dynamic within? Because I know you have a brother, you have a sister, is that correct? How was how how's your relationship with your siblings? Like, we just can talk about that.

 

Georgina Martinez Minero  13:14

It's really close, like really close. I remember taking care of them when my parents weren't able to. It didn't go like to such an extensive degree, where they were like referring to me as like a mom, which I'm really grateful for. I'm glad that my mom was able to step up when they needed her. And when I needed her at times. So there's that. I feel like we're just really close. And apparently like, that's not like, a thing to like my dad's side of the family, which is really funny. He's just shocked that we're, we get along so well, despite, you know, a lot a lot of the rocky patches that my family has faced. 

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  14:02

Definitely. I feel that some so let's move. So I guess transitioning into kind of you now. You decided to go to Virginia Commonwealth University, right? Oh no,  first you go to Blue Ridge, you got a Blue Ridge Community College, excuse me, and then you transfer to VCU. So how was kind of that that transition from you know, from being in Harris to Harrisburg area now to to Richmond? How was that transition for  you?

 

Georgina Martinez Minero  14:36

Pretty much since high school like I, I've been wanting to go somewhere different than Harrisonburg. I knew that Harrisonburg, though I have a love for it. It didn't have much to offer me. I was missing, like, groups of people that I wish I had more interactions with, I wish I, you know, I wished I was more outgoing. I wished I was less reserved. And I knew staying in Harrisonburg wasn't going to do that for me. So I had my hopes since community college. And even in community college though I felt like I may have grown a little bit more. I still needed that one thing. And I was kind of stuck there for two years, just because I wasn't really stuck there. But whatever but I had to go to school, because I knew that if I went to Virginia Commonwealth during like, peak COVID times, that wouldn't really make much sense. So once I finished all my two years, and Blue Ridge, I finally went to Virginia Commonwealth, I met more people. And I feel like I'm I've made a lot of progress since then. And I know that I'm making a lot of progress now.

Jason Tejeda Molina  15:52

So that I know that you're someone who is, you know, I, you know, this is this is this is this is on the record, but it's also it's like, it's on the record this off the record I was telling, and this is not just like for my boss, but if he decides to hear, it seems like yeah, no, but it was. I was talking to my boss and my coworker, as we're coming back from, from this research, you know, from this other interview that we're doing. And I remember, you know, I was just telling them, and I was like, you know, you know, these people that I'm going to  have you know, have automated obviously, when we're going to meet this girl we talked you know, just briefly about you and stuff and Georgina and I'm like, you know, this girl is like, really, she's like really smart. Like you I know, you're someone that really likes to, in their own way be involved in you know, really like to make a difference. And wherever you be, especially like in the Richmond– you know, here in your community, you're someone that really is passionate about those types of things. And so like what type of like organizations in what type of resources have you found in Richmond, that's kind of helped you? Be it economically, socially, mentally.

 

Georgina Martinez Minero  16:54

A lot of my sources are really my friends, you have meant a lot to me, since like middle school. Paloma, my friend has meant a lot to me since elementary. You know, I felt like I can confide in you, with you all like about, you know, my specific struggles, being a Latino in Virginia. And aside from that, I've mostly been, like reserved to mostly school spaces. LSA has been a big help. Criticisms of it aside, I feel like I have met some people there that I am truly am grateful for. Yeah. And we also have Latino voices group where, you know, we just, it's just all Latinos, and we just talk about specific, you know, topics that might be affecting us. And I find that it's more personal. And, you know, we talk about things that are important to us. I really appreciate that.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  17:58

Definitely. you know, can you also, let's talk about archery. I know you're apart of the archery club. Yeah, what is that been about?

 

Georgina Martinez Minero  18:07

it's been it's been fun. I was, admittedly, really nervous. The first couple times I went because I was one of the only brown kids in that in that club. Maybe one of two. And then it just felt strangely out of place. You know, I was just a member. I don't talk. So you know, there's that too. But I recently got the leadership position I have now and it's running the social media pages. And I see more, more black and brown people in that club, and I'm genuinely so happy about it. Like I feel like I d on't know I feel less isolated now. And I think me being in the SOVO fair like advertising it and not, you know, being one of the only brown people there it was like, enough for people to feel comfortable to come and talk to us. I think that just feels great. And I have a position of power and I'm able to show like Hey, I am passionate about this stuff too It's not weird. It's not like strange or out of place for me to be here. I'm here. I have my space here. I want you to feel like you also have your space here too

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  19:30

 What has been one of your favorite memories from archery club?

Georgina Martinez Minero  19:37

Was probably when I shot my first bullseye. 

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  19:43

Wow. 

 

Georgina Martinez Minero  19:44

Yeah, I was I was really proud. I've been wanting to do archery forever. So I finally did it. Even with like, the really bad quality like club, bows and arrows. I still l did it

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  20:00

You must of felt like Katniss Everdeen .

 

Georgina Martinez Minero  20:02

I did.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  20:03

Did. No. But um, so you know, now being in you know, Virginia and not being in Virginia. Excuse me now being in you know like VCU? You know, let's talk about jobs. Right. So have you been working as being part of a student here?

 

Georgina Martinez Minero  20:17

Yeah, a little part time job.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  20:20

Yes. Tell me. Tell me about that. I mean, when you're growing up was the substation generally like your main source of income when you did work? I assumed that that is true. So now transitioning into say like this, having a different experience with a different job. What has that been like?

 

Georgina Martinez Minero  20:36

It's strange. Like I, I did grow up working for this substation, and with my parents. And I found it to be incredibly stressful. I did not ever want to disappoint my parents, I wanted to be perfect. I wanted to do exactly what they wanted me to. And I feel like that was so overwhelming. You know, there was times where I wished I had a different job. But my parents were like, well, this is easy money, like you work can work for us. You don't have to worry about other management or other people messing with you. Like you can work with us with the family. So I just stuck it through until I moved. And now I work part time at this little like sandwich shop up in the Fan. And it's been strangely like, relieving. Like, I don't have my parents yelling at me at my shoulders, like just telling me what to do. I don't I'm not worried about letting someone down. Like it's a it's a part time job that I can find anywhere. So it's, you know, I'm not I don't feel as committed. And I don't feel like I'm supposed to feel as committed. I think it's just been like a relaxing way to earn more money and I feel good that I'm not leeching off my parents and that's not how they would say it either. Like I but during that time when I was working with them, I genuinely did feel like I was leeching off of them. And so now it doesn't feel that way anymore. Now I can say oh, I make my own money you don't have to give me money for this week. I can do this myself.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  22:27

That's awesome. So like is there any like is there any like issues anything like you deal with at work or like any where in the community, like how is like your experience, generally with non Latinos have been you know, bought either via Harrisonburg or in Richmond housing, how's your kind of just like, experiences with non Latinos being like either white Americans or African Americans or etcetera?

 

Georgina Martinez Minero  22:52

Like, just in general?

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  22:54

Yeah or socially.

 

Georgina Martinez Minero  22:59

Around here, like now, I've realized that I don't spend as much time as I used to with white Americans as I did when I was back in Harrisonburg. You know, now I feel like I've really narrowed down who I want to spend my time with and who understands me better. And it has always been like, Latino people or other people of color. When I was living in Harrisonburg, like, that's really all I had, you know, it was mostly just my friends. And like, the majority white people that were at my school, like, I remember when I was in high school, I was, I was in I was in band. And it really just felt like a complete divide.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  23:41

How so? 

 

Georgina Martinez Minero  23:43

So there's two bands, there's two ends and that was taught. It was Concert Band, and then it was Symphonic Band. 

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  23:48

I see 

 

Georgina Martinez Minero  23:52 

I was mostly I was in concert band, like all four years, I didn't really care to improve. You know, I knew that I was going to do music forever. But the way that Symphonic Band felt so superior to everyone else, and it was mostly all white kids and these kids had like instructors, they had tutors they had the time to be practicing, like, everything. You know, I didn't have all that I didn't have the resources to seek out a tutor. I didn't have the resources to, you know, go district and have the resources for even my own instrument. And most of these kids did. And it was it was that it felt strangely classist and it felt strangely racist. Considering that some of these kids have said, like, really terrible things to other brown people in that school. I did not feel welcomed. I didn't feel like I could be myself.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  25:01

I feel that, so what are some like? Is there any, like goals or anything you'd like you looking forward to like, you know, this semester? Like, just some general, like getting goals, like via your work or anything? Looking forward to? Also wow, I forgot to even mention your major. Yeah, it's really pretty what are you studying?

 

Georgina Martinez Minero  25:17

I'm an HPEX major. I'm in concentrating in health science. So really, it's like a broad, like, Hey, you can go into a health field. But I'm really trying to get into dental hygiene school.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  25:35

Nice, because I remember thinking on this, like what I? Cause I know what you do in a very broad sense. 

 

Georgina Martinez Minero  25:41

Yeah.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  25:42

So I'm like, yeah, they do. They do. Like I think I said, like you do like pre med or something. But like, you know, that's good to know, Apex apex. What are some goals, either, you know, going further to college, or even post college with wasn't really what some of your ambitions are, you may want to go towards?

 

Georgina Martinez Minero  26:01

Again, dental hygiene, I really want to do that. And then after graduating from dental hygiene school, I'm really interested to practice in Mexico, I really want to give back to where my mom is from, because they don't have direct access to resources like health or dental health. And I have such a deep connection with where my mom is from, that I want to go back, and I want to give back to that community.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  26:39

That's awesome. That's really interesting. How has, you know? I guess you don't I always I feel similarly but um, how has just like your family influenced your, you know, how, how have they influenced your desire to continue within college, you know?

 

Georgina Martinez Minero  27:02

They've always pushed me, they've always pushed me to do well in school and to pursue higher education. And though at times, it was stressful, it was overbearing, and sometimes I, you know, I still want to stop and give up. I know that that isn't what they would have wanted for me. And I think I've internalized that so much that I don't want to stop. And if I do stop, I'm going to be really disappointed in myself.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  27:34

That's really interesting. Let's talk about one of, you know, a lot of people's favorite topics, saying that in a very sarcastic manner. The following question, we're gonna talk just talk about like the COVID-19 pandemic. So, you know, you were you.. Were living when you live in Harrisonburg when the pandemic started, and how did you also like, learn about it?

 

Georgina Martinez Minero  27:59

Yeah, I was I was in Harrisonburg, I was middle of my senior year of high school. And, you know, the news, you you just hear about this new virus going around and how it started in China. Now, there's like a couple cases in the US. And just like that, everything shut down, you know, you're senior year canceled and you can't go to school anymore. You can't see your friends anymore. It really just did catch me by surprise. And I remember it, I remember I was in my living room. I was on my phone. And I was texting my friends. And the news hit that we were on lockdown until the foreseeable future. And I was just devastated. I felt like I was I had a lot of things going on with my life. I was finally leaving high school. I had greater ambitions to you know, go to college. I finally knew what I wanted to do with my life. And I was being out there I was, you know. I was not being as introverted as I used to be. I used to be more outgoing,  

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  29:18

You also in the band.

 

Georgina Martinez Minero  29:19

 Yeah, that's that was my biggest thing ever. I was like, wow, I can do the things that I really, really wanted to do. And then COVID hit.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  29:30

So during the quarantine, when we first started, I know, it's been a couple years since then, like crazy right. 

 

Georgina Martinez Minero  29:37

Yeah

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  29:38

But when you, you know, when the when the quarantine first started, and this must have been very different for you all, did you did your family and did your business shut down during COVID or was still open during COVID?

 

Georgina Martinez Minero  29:51

I think if I remember correctly, we shut down for a couple of days. But we knew that if we kept being shut down, we would lose the business. And, you know, that's that's our income at that point. We've, we've had it for a decade by that point. And if we shut it down, who knows what would have happened to us. So he kept doing it. And I remember I was I was also driving for them. Like I was driving orders around for them. And we all wore masks in the kitchen. And we were all so scared about, you know, if we were going to be the next business to shut down because we we saw like all these other businesses in Harrisonburg close. Like, oh, God, what if? What if that's us next? I remember that.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  30:53

So did you also know, did you know anyone? Personally, that got COVID in those really those beginning times?

 

Georgina Martinez Minero  31:03

No, thankfully not. I remember. My my family, I was so scared for my family, because they were working during that time. And if they caught COVID, during the peak of it's a bit being so aggressive. You know, I remember, like thinking to myself, like what do I do? If one of my parents passed away? What do I do if they leave me this business and they don't know what to do with it? Or they leave me with my siblings? I don't know what to do with them. And I'm like, That's so scary.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  31:46

That's absolutely a real thought. So, and this is also a question that is, how was it just having in your family, especially maybe your parents home more often then the probably where like, the majority of your life? At least for at least for some days, really, for a time period?

 

Georgina Martinez Minero  32:07

It was a very strange feeling actually, like, one night, we stayed up, and we were drinking. Like, this was the first time we have spent time together, in a while. We were just talking we were just joking around. And you know, as the night kept progressing, we had this really serious moment where like, Oh my God, we are living in a historical moment right now. We don't know what's going to happen. And we don't know what will happen to us. But for tonight, it's it's us and and we love each other. We're a family, it was really cathartic. And it was like wow, my– this is the most personal I felt like in such a long time.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  33:13

You know, if I that was I remember there's a moment to just briefly I also resonate with that. I remember, I I was with my mother and this is so funny how these things happen and where they happen. We were in we're in the drive thru of a Dairy Queen. Like we're in a Dairy Queen. My mom says something really poignant. And she said, you know, like, the plants are growing. Like how like nobody would was really taking care of plants and how like, over growing of plants was like normal because like people couldn't go out and like, you know, just like mow their lawns or like trees and it was just there was like, a moment for me of kind of seeing the world differently because I think maybe you may have relate to this as well just like taking a moment to kind of pause and just kind of see everything that's around you. I think that for a lot of people, I know myself included. We just like wow, like we will always go go go go go until  there is just just this moment or these moments where we can like truly be present where we are with the people that we love. Like you said it was very cathartic, it was very like, wow. 

 

Georgina Martinez Minero  34:30

Yeah.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  34:31

That's crazy um. And also, like, you know, moving along the, you know, I know that you recently recovering from from COVID yourself. And, you know, moving along, obviously, did you get vaccinated? 

 

Georgina Martinez Minero  34:45

Yes.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  34:46

Nice and did, and did generally did the people around you also get vaccinated?

 

Georgina Martinez Minero  34:49

Mhm-hmm

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  34:50

Nice. And were you How did you feel when like, you know, strange question, How did you feel when, like the vaccine kind of came through? And how did you feel like were you eager to get it Like how was was it Was it the reaction? Like, how was that thought process?

 

Georgina Martinez Minero  35:09

It was a really interesting, like experience I from what I was, I was thrilled to take it, like, I miss my friends, I wanted to see them. I wanted everything to go back to, you know what it was. Maybe not exactly. But you know, I just wanted to see the people I cared about again. But I do remember having to convince my mom, that it was okay. It was interesting. I actually saw like this thing about Latinos and, like, taking in a lot of misinformation like, you know, like, frequently Primer impacto and stuff like that, like all the fake news that they would ingest. 

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  35:52

The Facebook,

 

Georgina Martinez Minero  35:53

The Facebook, and they would believe it. They would believe it before like any other like, legit source would tell them about it. My mom has been this really weird, not antivaxx, but like definitely, like, eat like, very weary of vaccines. 

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  36:10

Considering with people of color in like medical procedures. 

 

Georgina Martinez Minero 36:12

That's true. Like, that makes sense. 

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  36:15

That is not unprecedented. 

 

Georgina Martinez Minero  36:17

Yeah. But like her specifically, she's like, there's no way that they fix the they managed to get this vaccine so fast. There's no way that like, it'll fix everything. People are probably gonna be sick again. Like, I understand that there is medical medical atrocities that have happened to our communities, but I don't feel like this is it. and I had to tell her about that. You know, it's like, Mom, I don't think they're gonna microchip us. I think this is just a– hey, we need. We just need everything to go back and can't keep living like this kind of deal. 

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  36:57

And Georgina, you know, let me just because I don't want to assume anything. Do you feel like the Hispanic community was just like very, you know wary? Very capricious of just like, hesitant, you know, you'd say there, do you think at large, they were hesitant to get the vaccine, and you said your mom was but like other Latinos as well, that you saw, were they also like, kind of like suspicious or, like, hesitant to get the vaccine? 

 

Georgina Martinez Minero  37:23

I don't remember like, really knowing any other perspectives, there was like, my mom's friend, she was also Latina. I don't know if she ever really got vaccinated, because she was also very wary about it. And I think even like, sometimes even my dad was like, this is weird. Like, this is suspicious. I don't trust it, but I'm gonna get it anyway. So maybe there was like a bit of, like, suspicion about it. And was I ever really aware of why? No, but I just wanted everything to go back to normal. You know, I was tired of being away from my friends for so long. I wanted to go back to school. I wanted to not be in my house anymore.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  38:18

How has how now being in this quote, unquote, post, you know, post pandemic, kind of, like era? How has, how's your experiences been like, now that you're, you have this moment, where in this kind of post pandemic?

 

Georgina Martinez Minero  38:45

I was talking with my dad, actually, I was while I was still recovering over the week. And he kind of told me this thing. It was actually I don't know if it was a little scary or if it was just like, oh, well, type of thing. But he mentioned like, I think COVID is just going to be the new flu. You know, it's not like a crazy thing anymore. It's just you're sick. And that doesn't feel right. You know, just two years ago, we were freaking out about people having it because there's very clear, like health problems that happen after. But now that it feels so normalized. It feels strange. Like, I feel like I'm focusing really on my health, like, way more often, you know, I feel more of a germaphobe I feel like I'm washing my hands a lot. I feel like I'm cleaning things a lot. And that's just kind of how I like adapted to that era now.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  40:01

Something I haven't you know, I want your thoughts on is, you know, of course, in the Latin community, it's very, very much kind of physical. When you meet someone, did you give him a kiss? You give him a hug? Has that changed in any way? Like, now?

 

Georgina Martinez Minero  40:17

No, 

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  40:18

No?

Georgina Martinez Minero  40:19

No, I still do that. Am I still like a little scared about doing it sometimes? Yeah. Cuz I know what that might have been Holly on COVID. Because my dad, he went to a hug me. He's like, Oh, I'm a little sick. Okay, this one seems like nothing serious. Like, I feel like you would have told me if it was like a positive COVID. test. So I did it  anyway You know, that's my dad. I say hi to my dad like that all the time. And I got sick. Oh, maybe that's why. And I like just yesterday, I hugged one of my friends who I haven't seen in a while. So I'm like, oh, waiting. Maybe that hasn't gone away.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  41:01

I did have a couple more questions to be seen it. How has it been now? Just being just how's it been being in Just like Richmond in general?

 

Georgina Martinez Minero  41:14

It's been great. 

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  41:15

Yeah,

 

Georgina Martinez Minero  41:16

It's been great. I love my time here. And I was right, you know, Harrisonburg wouldn't have given this to me. I feel like I'm exploring new things. I'm meeting more people. I'm realizing, and learning things about myself. That I wouldn't have years ago. I feel like I'm making a home out of this place. That's really, that's really freeing.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  41:49

You know, to ask a more broad question. You know, how do you think the issue of immigration is being talked about, you know, by politicians and the general public? What would you like them to  know about Latinos?

 

Georgina Martinez Minero  42:04

My mom is an immigrant. I mean, both my parents are technically and all she wanted to do was make money to send back to her family. And she knows so many people that are just the same way. You know, the the work, where she lived in her area was very miniscule, she wouldn't have made anything to help support her family. So when she moved here, like she just knew that this was her one chance to make something work. And that's so many immigrant families on that I see. They're just trying to survive their just trying to send money to their other family to survive. And it's so frustrating to see like constant. Oh, these immigrants are rapists or drug dealers are no good. They don't pay taxes. They don't do this. Don't do that. When it's not true. And there's so much negative attention towards them, when really we should be helping them. The United States, you know, leaving a country like your home country, to a new country that you have no experience in, you don't know the language. You don't know the people. But you're just trying to live and work and survive. That's terrifying. And they need our help. They need all the support they can get.

Jason Tejeda Molina  43:48

What would you like people to know about your story?

 

Georgina Martinez Minero  43:57

I want people to feel like they're not alone. I feel during my time here. I heard other people's stories about how they felt almost exactly the same way. And it felt almost unbelievable. And at some points, you know, like there's no way that you You feel the same way that I do but it's true are people that know what you've been through and I want people to know that they're not alone.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  44:40

Thank you. I think that that concludes our interview. Once again, I really appreciate you taking your time to meet with me and to be able to be open enough to do this interview.

 

Georgina Martinez Minero  44:53

Thank you.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  44:54

Of course.