Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  00:01

How I grew up you said? 

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  00:02

Yeah, how you grew up? How was your childhood?

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  00:07

I don't know. I'd say childhood was a little bit kind of messy and parents went through a divorce pretty young. Moved around a lot. I lived in Texas. I've lived in Mexico and different parts of Virginia. So, Harrisonburg, Waynesboro, Stanton, and then now here in Richmond

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  00:31

Did you did you grew up religious? Was your family religious?

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  00:36

Yeah. So my dad was very Catholic, my mom, not so much. So once I moved in with her, like, after the divorce, I spend most of the time with her, I stop being so religious. But there was a time where we actually lived in the church. So we spent a lot of our time there. My dad kind of made the first step to introduce Spanish speaking mass in our community. So that was a big part of always attending, like multiple masses a week. Yes, so very Catholic. Yes.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  01:08

Can you also elaborate a little bit more on because are both of your parents, Mexican born? Both your parents are immigrants to the US, right? 

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  01:20

Yes.So both of my parents born in Mexico grew up in Mexico, didn't come to the US till a couple of months before I was born. I think my mom might have been probably eight or nine months pregnant when they came to the US and they came to I think it's Greensboro something Virginia?

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  01:43

Did are you Would you consider yourself still religious now?

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  01:47

I'm not not as much now. No, my dad still very much is I kind of stopped going to church when I was like, 13 I think.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  01:59

Interesting, as well. Um, so how did so give you talk about your know your parents can do being what did How was your fewer parents home life before they moved to the US? How was that? If they what they told you?

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  02:18

So I know for the most part, like on my mom's side, like, not the best home life, you know, like abusive mother, father, never there type of things. So um, so she very much her last resort was to marry my dad and come to the United States. They met as English teachers, teaching one of the local schools in Saltillo, which is my mom's hometown. Yeah, she had had lots of opportunities to like come to the United States, for like her high school, like college application, stuff like that. She got a lot of scholarships, and her mom never let her. So when she married my dad, that was kind of like her window to come here. And my dad, his dad had left him with his grandma when he was very young. So their relationship is kind of weird. Like, I still don't even really know my grandpa and my dad say that well. And my dad's mom died in childbirth with him. So my dad has always been like, you know, hardworking, and his dad left to the US to come here. So when they have that opportunity of, oh, well, we know somebody in the US. Let's just take it and go so.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  03:25

 Definitely. And can you talk a little bit about your parents, you know, why did they choose specifically Virginia? Here?

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  03:32

So the most the main reason that they chose Virginia is because my dad's dad was here. So he lived in Greensboro. So that was like the first point of contact. So we lived in a city where he was for a little bit. Before we ended up moving to to Waynesboro in my early childhood.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  03:53

And from Waynesboro, where did you head off afterwards? 

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  03:57

So we were in Waynesboro for quite a while. I think it might have been like second grade, that my mom got deported. So she had to go back to Mexico for a while. While she was still like in in Juarez and things like that. We stayed with my dad, in Waynesboro, and then after my mom was able to move back to her hometown and got a house there. Me and my younger brother moved to Saltillo do with my mom, and we lived there for about two years. I completed first and second grade there. 

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  03:59

Can you talk to me about, you know, being born to us and having you know, for the most part, I would say for about eight or eight years, having about a us being in the US culture and then going transitioning that into being more than a Mexican culture. How was that for you? How would that transition?

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  04:52

Yeah, I would say like, it's a very strange transition because I'm one part, you know, living in the US It's like your your only exposure to Mexican culture is in the house. So especially in a small town like Waynesboro, where you're one of two other Latino kids, the only time that you spoke Spanish was at home, things like that. Even at the library, like there were no Spanish books. We had no family in the area, we're the only ones in the US. And in my entire both sides of the families, no one else had come to the US. And so then go going back to Mexico, like, it's another type of culture shock, because the only culture that you grew up in is like this Americanized version of, I can only be this way at home, and I have to be American, outside of home. So then going, going to Mexico, everyone's like, Oh, speak English, speak English for me. You know, it's kinda like, you have to perform for both sides. So even when you're here, we're like, Oh, my God, see something in Spanish? It's the same thing down there. Oh, my God see something in English. So there's a lot of that.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  06:00

What was Was there any experiences that stood out to you while being in Mexico? 

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  06:08

Um, not as far as like, as much as I've experienced here. I mean, once you're like settled, everyone's like, really welcoming. I mean, we had all of our family there. So there was that, that familial support, things like that. But I mean, I don't think anyone was ever, like, too weirded out that Oh, you came from the USA, I think part of it was like, Oh, my gosh, that's so cool. Like, tell me more about it,so.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  06:40

 Would you say that there was more of an intrigue about was happening in the US?

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  06:44

Yeah, I think more of like, a supportive nature than anything. 

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  06:47

I see. So do you so do you feel like do you feel like anyone challenged like your Latinidad while being in Mexico, or was that typically not really like your experience?

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  06:59

Um, not at that age. No, I feel like now that I've gotten older, it has happened a lot, especially with like, older cousins who are now coming to the US. And you're like, oh, yeah, you're definitely a gringa, things like that. But as a child, I mean, you're a child, these other children, they don't have any other like experiences as that. So seeing someone who has such a wider range of experiences, it's just more like intriguing to them. 

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  07:23

I see. So after you said it was second grade, or third grade that you said that you came back to the US, where were you guys living at that time?

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  07:34

Um we came back to Waynesboro and I think my parents were like, literally like just finalizing their divorce. So then my mom moved to, I think, yeah, we were still in Waynesboro, just a different part of the city. And then we moved to Harrisonburg. Yeah, so we came to Harrisburg in 2004. And it was like right in the middle of the school year, so I had just finished I had to finish fourth grade in Harrisonburg. So,

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  08:08

So if you can explain kind of, you know, so now going to going to Harrisonburg and we say that Harrisonburg was majority where you spend your adolescence time. Yeah. So, being in Harrisonburg, how was that different from even say, even Waynesboro? You know? How was that experience?

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  08:25

It was a lot more diverse. So that was like the first time where I definitely experienced like, oh my god, there's other Latino people in the school. Like some of these teachers speak Spanish and things like that. Like there's Spanish books, in the libraries. There's yeah, there's other kids that look like me and I met some of my closest friends there who are other people that are from Mexico, have similar experiences similar backgrounds, when in like the smaller towns like Waynesboro and Stanton, like that wasn't a thing.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  08:58

Definitely so. So going to say, you know, when you first moved to How was it when you first moved to like Harrisonburg? Like, how was how was the atmosphere? How was, you know, you touched a little bit about it if you could elaborate a little bit more? That would wonderful.

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  09:16

So I mean, I was always like a really quiet kid. Like, I mean, my mom had just recently got her her green card. So we were still like dealing with all that stuff, trying to find a place to live, you know, recent divorce. So I was very much like a secluded type of kid very quiet. I kept to myself. You know, we grew up like, poor. So there were like instances where kids would notice like, Oh, she's wearing that from the thrift store. And I would just like shut me off for for a while, but I try not to let myself get too bothered. I don't think I think moving to Harrisonburg was, what was best for my family at that point. My mom was working at the hospital as like an interpreter. So she had those opportunities there and was also  finishing school at the same time. Well yeah I think I definitely liked the environment, of Harrisonburg  more than like Waynesboro and things like that, because they were just like, there wasn't as much a sense of community. So

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  10:18

That's interesting. And I know this is going a little bit, you know, fast forward a little bit. But how has Harrisonburg changed In your opinion?

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  10:28

I think it's just definitely growing. There's a university there. So it's always just expanding, we're getting a new high school. So for the longest time, we only have one high school. Sometimes it's like, Oh, does it really need any more of this, but at the same time, I think growth is good. Change is good. So it might bring I don't know, it might bring  good things to  the city.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  10:55

In your experiance, in your experience, what has been your experience with the Latino community inside of Harrisonburg?

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  11:00

I think it's really it's close knit, but at the same time, it's kind of divided, especially also like based on like, neighborhoods and things like that. So there are some neighborhoods where it's just all Latinos. And then there's some neighborhoods with all white and like, two Latino families. So it really just depends like proximity, who you grew up around, and things like that. But other than that, I mean, there's solidarity, like you see someone speaking in Spanish, and if they don't speak English, someone will always offer to help things like that. But yeah, I feel like since it is like a smaller town, there's everybody knows everybody. So it's pretty easy to just be like to help out anybody so.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  11:51

I definitely understand that. And has there been any, like any obstacles, any challenges while you were living in Harrisonburg?

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  11:59

Um, I mean, I think so. Yeah, especially like being Latino, and like, in the high schools and sort of like different programs, like higher level programs, like, for example, like STEM, very discriminatory type of education and a sense where like, these teachers do not necessarily like Latino students, just because they were Latinos, same with like black and brown, any black and brown students, they, there was just a lot of bias in these types of education, educational programs. So it kind of felt like, we didn't belong. So I know a lot of kids ended up like quitting these programs, I quit the program, because, you know, at some point you just can't take not being treated equally I guess so. 

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  12:50

I understand that. And if you're comfortable, can you give an example of what you saw as some unfair treatment towards brown and black and brown kids?

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  13:00

Yeah, so I mean, a lot of the things are like, like microaggressions. If you raise your hand in class, and you're the only one who has your hand up, he'll pick on a white kid and not the person with their hand up. different opportunities, like there was no like financial aid opportunities. Just nothing was like an equal opportunity thing. And then there were teachers who would like brag about like, there was one teacher who bragged about pinning a student to the wall. Because he was a "bad student", things like that, like these people have some sense of like pride in this type of discrimination they were doing when they would never do that to a white student, but a black or brown student, they're fine with bragging about like assaulting them basically so.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  13:50

That is interesting. So did you ever find any type of like resources or anything while you were living in Harrisonburg? Um either within the community, I know that because I would say like, would you say that your family was pretty involved or is pretty involved within the Harrisonburg community? So what type of resources did you all either have or help supply within the city?

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  14:17

I mean, I know that we were like, in a bunch of like community groups, things like that. And one of the major things that we did when we first went to Harrisburg was like petition to get a street name change and we eventually got that changed. My mom ran for like local office, things like that. I feel like in the high schools since that's like the majority of like, my memory and things like that. I don't think there were a whole lot of resources especially going to like majority like white school, things like that. Like I don't even think there were like any clubs for Latino kids. The only thing I do remember and like did enjoy were being able to take higher level Spanish classes. So like the natives speaker Spanish classes. And those were always fun. Like, we had an actual Spanish speaking teacher, someone who came from Puerto Rico, someone who knew what it was like to be Latino and not, not someone who just took Spanish. at, JMU was. But yeah, I don't know, if there were resources. I mean, they were not very well known. I would say.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  15:25

That's really interesting. And fast forwarding a little bit. You would, I also know. So you've now transitioned from Harrisonburg, really? to Richmond, Virginia. Right? So what has kind of been your now that you, you are a VCU student right. And can you can you talk a little bit more about what you study and like your studies and what you're kind of focusing on while you're here?

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  15:54

Yeah, so I'm a social work student. Right now. I'm a junior in the BSW program. Um about to move into the upper level coursework. So that's like the field placement, things like that. So we'll get more hands on experience. But I also work in a research lab that focuses on working with black and Latino families are also expanding to work with other types of families and younger kids who we are right now focusing on like middle childhood. But I think like just in Richmond in general, like it's, at first, it was like a whole nother world, like, there's so much more diversity, so much more different types of communities just just everywhere, like, you'll go to one part of city and we'll be like, completely different than the other. So a lot of the work I'm doing now like is working with Black and Latino children to see like, how their experiences are affected by the people around them, what their parents experiences affect them, and things like that.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  16:58

That's really intriguing. how did you get, how did you do, find out what how did you get involved in that type of work? 

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  17:04

So, I first found out about it through like, work study, like on handshake, and then they took away my work study, but my, like my mentor there, the research lab was kind enough to hire me as a regular employee so.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  17:19

That's Interesting.Interesting. So was that the only job that you've had working here? If you Oh, have you had other jobs as well?

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  17:35

Um, so this is the longest job that I've had. But I also work a second job. So I just work a real position at GameStop.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  17:44

That's interesting. How, how has say your skills in what you do as obviously you with your work with, with black and brown you know families? And also how is your work with obviously working in GameStop? And can you elaborate what Gamestop kind of is is that like?

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  18:06

I mean, it's just a retail brand video, game store collectibles, things like that? 

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  18:11

Has your work in either world has it kind of like complemented the other work or have, how have you seen? 

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  18:18

Definitely, I think that because, I mean, working in these types of jobs, you're always working with people and being a social work student, like you're always going to work with people. So having that, I mean, most of my jobs that I've had before, we're always working in retail. So I've had that years of experience. And then being able to apply Social Work theories to it, and then also applied in my lab work like, I mean, it was just definitely enhanced my ability to understand other people to work with people take on leadership roles, things like that.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  18:51

And talk a little bit about your social work once you went to graduate, what ideally, you know, generally what would you would like to do once you graduate?

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  19:00

Um, so once I graduate with a bachelor's, I do either want to go into a masters or a PhD program and want to pursue research.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  19:08

So it would be something a little bit different than social work or would it be? 

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  19:12

Yeah,I'm not too sure if I want to do like, you know, like counseling or individual practice case management. I'm not too sure about that. But definitely, I want to go more for research route,more of a  higher education route.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  19:26

That's good, interesting. And so what has kind of been your experience with the Latino population at VCU? Have you've been involved in any clubs, Latino , clubs or anything about that as well?

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  19:43

Yeah so the only um the main club that I know about is LSA, and I've been involved in a few things of there's and obviously at work like most of the students are Black and Latino. So having that, you know, we're all pretty close. Now we can all relate on different aspects about our, our origins and things like that. I do think it is a little strange or like there's a big difference in being from like Harrisonburg being from the south, and being from NOVA where most students are from. So there is often like huge disparities in culture aspects of, you know, a NOVA child of immigrants and a southern child of immigrants. I think there's also like a tax bracket type of difference. So, a lot of these kids when I would share experiences of my own poverty growing up, have never gone a night without food, things like that. So in in a way, like, it's good to have these communities, but also at the same time, I don't always feel like I belong in their type of community.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  20:51

So, like, you know, more, kind of more upper class? 

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  20:57

Yeah. 

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  20:57

Gotcha. That's interesting. And has there has there been, you know, generally speaking within the population here, there's like a specific nationality that you've seen that there's more of here. And then because you're, you're Mexican. Is there like, who do you, who do you see more here?

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  21:22

I feel like I've noticed a lot more of like Central Americans like Bolivians. There's a lot of Peruvians but yeah, I feel like just a lot of Central, South America.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  21:37

And how would you say that compares to Harrisonburg? Because, in Harrisonburg what would you see more of?

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  21:43

Um, honestly, in Harrisonburg, I feel like it's probably about the same like a lot of Central Americans when we did have a large Mexican population, like most of my friends are Mexican so. 

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  21:56

Very interesting. And going back, if we can go back a little bit to talk a little bit about Harrisonburg, because I do want to touch up on obviously, James Madison University, is there. Did you have any involvement with JMU? 

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  22:10

Yeah,so I was in a program called "Valley Scholars" for since middle school, like the end of middle school, I think that's like seventh grade or something like that. I don't know. Till high school, I did end up dropping out of it. Because you know, COVID hit, and they just put a lot of pressures on students, and a lot of us couldn't handle it in the end. But yeah, I mean, they did open up a lot of doors. The program itself gave us lots of like different workshops, opportunities to tour JMU, their different facilities, even helped us like fill out college applications, or FAFSA, things like that. But I think just JMU just wasn't the place for me, I mean, majority is white students. It just funneled like the white students from our high school to them. And they just, there wasn't a big sense of belonging.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  23:11

I see.So Imma  ask you, that's because that also that brings me a couple questions. How did you feel about being has been part of the community? How do you feel JMU engaged with the community areas, especially maybe in like the Latino community? Do you think that they did enough? Or you think that they, you know, they did a particularly good job? Or yes,no?

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  23:33

There were some aspects of were like, it's a good effort. Like, for a while I worked with a coalition that was to encourage less alcohol abuse and substance abuse in Latino youth, especially like Latino high schoolers. But then eventually, that program just got dissolved. And there were other programs where it was like, you know, a space for like teens to talk about things that were feeling like, just whatever. And eventually, that also got dissolved. So there was like, these programs didn't really last. And I think a lot of the culture of JMU is kind of just keep to themselves and promote the well being of their own students. And not really the community around them, at least, that's just like, what from my perspective is, is you always hear the story of like, brown kids getting pulled over, but the JMU kids are drunk on the sidewalk at 3am and no consequences, you know.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  24:32

So this is a particular question that I feel like you that I really don't ask a lot of people putting in the position that you are in the work that you do. I think it's very appropriate. So coming from being part of kind of being part of the community aspect, right, like you're a part of the community like part of that commundad, to now being part of an academic space or being part of like now the university because I think traditionally a lot of Latinos almost kind of feels like a distrust towards institutions. How has that, you know, how has that affected or how that affected your experience?

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  25:09

I mean, there's definitely a lot of impostor syndrome. Like, it's just weird to be the only Latina and sometimes even only like person of color in certain spaces. Like I did a an internship over the summer where we had this one professor come in, and it seemed like he had never talked to any type of brown people in his life. He was just making like slight microaggressions, like racist remarks, and it's just kind of like, mind blowing that these people have never had to interact with anybody different than them. So at the same time, it's like, do I belong in these spaces? But then it's also like, I need to make myself belong in these spaces. I'm gonna make my mark in these spaces. No matter what.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  26:04

That's really interesting. In when you, have you felt? You know, have you felt tangible, kind of, how do I wanna say this? Have you found tangible? Have you seen tangible results of leaving your mark? And if yes, how? So? Anything like that?

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  26:21

I mean, I think definitely right now. I have a lot of like opportunities. I'm meeting with the, the Dean of the School of Social Work. It's just because of the research opportunities that I have. I got interviewed for VCU news. And I was like, on the front page for a while. I'm going to Florida for a conference to present my undergrad research. I'm applying for some more research fellowships this summer. Working with my lab full time this summer, like they want me to stay on. I feel like it just, I don't know, whatever I did, must have worked. So

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  26:58

That's good. So we can, we can transition a little bit towards the topic of obviously COVID-19. And you know, that pandemic. You know, you you were in Harrisonburg for the onset of the pandemic and put into quarantine. You know, how did you how did you first learn about it?

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  27:20

I mean, I think, kind of the same way that everybody did in that year, we were all in high schools or senior year. And they were like, Okay, two weeks off of school for something. Two weeks turned into two more weeks, and two more weeks, and two more months. And then during the lockdown, things like that. It kind of just everything went on a pause. Teachers gave up, students gave up. Our high school graduation was a drive through high school graduation.Yeah. What was the other part of the question?

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  27:56

Yeah, it was just kind of how was that experience? But how was? So during the pandemic? Was your parents? Were they considered essential workers? Or were they allowed to stay more at home?

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  28:10

So at that point, I didn't really like speak to my dad at all. I hadn't really had a relationship with him. Probably since like 2013, 2015. My mom, I think she had recently lost her job. So she didn't have a job. And she had recently had my sister not too long ago. So she was running a daycare. Daycare shut down, because most of the clients in the daycare were teachers. So they were obviously shut down as well. My stepdad at the time, he I guess he was considered a central worker, he worked at the hospital. But honestly, I had very little interactions with him. So he was never, it never crossed my mind that he mattered so.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  29:00

So were you working at the time during the pandemic?

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  29:04

I was not because I was, uh, it was my senior year of high school. I was taking lots of AP classes. So that was the main focus. But then everything shut down. So everybody just,yeah.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  29:16

if I may ask this question How was kind of like the family dynamic? I think I didn't ask this before but are you and your mom and I know you have? You have you have a sister you have a brother, are like, particularly you guys close? How is the family dynamic? Generally speaking. 

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  29:31

Um, I feel like not so much now as we were like early high school. I feel like the pandemic was really a turning point where like everybody realized there's, we've got some issues in the family because you're locked in with these people like more than you're used to, you know, people will go to work at school eight hours a day and now you're locked in close proximity, you know, can't do anything about it. So I think the their relationships kind of dissolved. And then I was going through a lot, typical high school breakup. And then the extreme depression, just from like being locked in not seeing anybody. And I think my parents were also going through that as well.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  30:19

I understand. So, if you may, if you could also elaborate just this kind of, you know, I know, you know, you're also a advocate for, you know, mental health and well being for a lot, just a lot of people I know, specifically the Latin community. Can you elaborate, just like about the, in your opinion, the importance of mental health, particularly in taking mental health seriously?

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  30:42

Yeah, I mean, I always grew up. My mom was very much an advocate of mental health because she had also her firsthand experience of, you know, my grandmother shows with mental health, both of her sisters struggle with mental health. My brother was struggling with mental health. my stepbrothers, struggling with mental health, I was struggling with mental health, like I had been diagnosed with anxiety and depression, I think my freshman year of high school. So it's like 2015, 2016. And I was on medicine for a long time. My brother was trying to get diagnosed and things like that. But oftentimes, schools would just, you know, ignore him because he was getting good grades. So if your grades are good, everything else doesn't matter. And I think I experienced it a lot as well like taking AP classes, taking dual enrollment being in these scholarship programs. If your grades were good, nothing else mattered. So, which unfortunately led to a lot of people like there was a kid that I knew he was a Latino kid in the same Vally Scholars program with me, pressure just got too much. And he ended up in mental hospitals for junior, senior year like he disappeared. Yeah, I feel like a lot of these institutions and programs try not to, or they're not putting the effort in that they should to make mental health a priority. Which I like a lot now going into into social work, is that mental health is the number one priority. If your self care and mental health as a social worker is not your priority, then you can't do your best to help other people. And I think other like other areas of work to implement that as well. Because if you can help yourself, you can help others.

Jason Tejeda Molina  32:29

Very true. So was there any any of going back to the pandemic, was there any family members friends, or someone that you knew that was that was impacted by COVID?

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  32:45

I mean pretty much like all of my friends. We were all like struggling, like money was tight. School was difficult that we all had to adjust to switching completely to online when we had never done that in our lives before. We were always worried about getting sick, like having a toddler in the house. You know, nobody knew what COVID did to like babies and things like that. My mom got COVID a couple of times. Both times she had to be hospitalized. stepfather didn't do anything, so I was basically raising a child while my mom's like dying in her bedroom, but because of COVID.So yeah, I think we're very much directly impacted by it.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  33:35

So how do you feel like the Latino population was impacted in COVID? Do you think, um you know, just do you think that information was spread well? Was there misinformation? How do you, How do you feel about that experiance?

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  33:48

I feel like the information wasn't all that well spread, because there were still a lot of people in our community who are like, Oh, it's not that bad. Like it's just typical, like almost like the flu. But then a lot of the Latino population are essential workers in our community you don't we have like the the food plant, the chicken plants, the distribution centers. And all these people still had to work because they were considered essential workers think similar, like all the retail people, they were all considered essential workers when they in reality like these people need a break too, like they're very much likely to be affected. And I think just people didn't know the severity of COVID till it got to them in a way which unfortunately happened to a lot of people. I mean, you, we would hear about all the deaths in the hospital like daily of older people who unfortunately still had to work then eventually got COVID and got sick and died. But I feel like just in general the way the whole country handled the situation was not the best it could have, but given the circumstances of its a major pandemic, nobody knew what was happening. Yeah, I don't know. It was just a mess.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  35:01

Did you get vaccinated? 

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  35:03

Yes.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  35:04

 Do you feel? Do you feel like a lot of Latinos got vaccinatec?

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  35:07

Um, I feel like it's kind of 50/50 Because most of the people that I knew directly did get vaccinated. But then there's some people who just you know don't believe that the vaccine is real, but a lot of my family and things like that we are pretty, I guess, educated, at least in Mexico, like my grandma was a nurse, my aunt's a nurse, one of my aunts lawyer, so they all like understood the risks and the consequences. So they did get vaccinated as well. But I feel like also people that don't know about how accessible the vaccine was, for a lot of places, they were giving it out for free for a long time, and they still are same as like the flu shots. And some people still just either one don't have the time or just don't have the knowledge or don't have accessible knowledge to learn more about it.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  36:05

I see,and I, something else that I forgot to ask you about the thing is, is essentially, do you still have family in Mexico? 

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  36:16

Yeah,so pretty much my whole family is in Mexico. I do have one uncle who moved up here last year, but he lives in Tennessee, so it's still about a six hour drive away?

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  36:26

Are you do you speak with your family in Mexico, you guys close?

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  36:30

There was a long time where we didn't because of a lot of family stuff went down. So we were kind of blocked by the whole entire family. But I went to Mexico two years ago, I think, and kind of reconnected with a lot of my cousins as well, pretty similar in age. I live with some of my cousins for a while. So yeah, we're slowly getting back there. There's still like a big disconnect. Um, you know, I'm the only American one and our cultures are very different or memes very different things like that. So

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  37:06

Definitely, what has been, what was what would you say some of your favorite memories in Mexico?

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  37:13

Um, I feel like birthdays. And my mom was also a teacher. So a lot of the time just being at school was a good memory. Like I had

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  37:25

some someone there all the time. I had a lot of friends in elementary school there.

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  37:34

Yeah, like birthday parties here are way different from birthday parties in Mexico. Like you rent out a whole center and you have a lot of people and there's clowns and pinatas, and you know, the whole the whole usual stuff. And then also having like, you know, your grandparents, they're your cousins, they like you always had yours have family. And here it's like, damn I don't have anybody.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  37:56

I understand that. And so you're coming to also just going back just you know, just talking about life. Going back coming and going back to to Richmond How was just like, you know, simply put it How was being in Richmond been for you?

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  38:13

I think it's definitely been good for my mental health. Yeah, I mean, growing, to learn how to be an adult, how to be independent, things like that. Pretty much, mostly financially independent now. working two jobs trying to manage that and school. Yeah, I think I'm just forming who I am so.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  38:43

And something that that I particularly wanted to ask you was, you said that your parents both were they Met as English teachers, and so they in which, is they have a pretty good grasp on English. And so how was it, did you ever have difficulties formulating or explaining yourself to your being able to communicate fully with your parents in that, like, in a language barrier way, was never really a situation you guys  had to go through?

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  39:11

Not language wise. I mean, there were times where, like, if I wanted to, like express something in Spanish, you know, my Spanish isn't like, 100% Perfect. There'd be issues like that. But I think since both my parents were pretty educated in English, you know, my dad pretty much assimilated to American culture when he came here, so he always had that grasp on it. Yeah, I don't think we ever had really any barriers, language wise, other than like, culture wise.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  39:42

Can you elaborate a little bit on maybe some of the cultural differences?

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  39:45

Yeah, so I feel like a lot of it like with my, with my dad, mostly, very much that type of like machismo culture, you know, like girls can do this, girl can do that. Like I wasn't allowed to play video games till I was like 16 Just because it was a boy thing. Also very much like a religious culture, like I had to do this and that like cleaning, cooking, like I had to learn how to do all these things. And he never understood like the concept of mental health just because there wasn't anything that was ever spoken about in his culture or in his family. Yeah, so like when I started expressing issues with my mental health, again, high school, middle school, I was very much told that's all in your head, you need to get over it. So yeah, it was mostly those type of barriers, like not wanting to, to grow a little bit, he changed a lot now, he's getting there. But.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  40:42

I understand that. I have couple of just a couple more questions and um. So let me ask you this. Have you,do you ever feel like you've had to omitt part of your identity or your culture to kind of fit in to society you're doing or we've ever refrained from doing something in order to be accepted in the United States?

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  41:07

I mean, yeah, definitely. I mean, there are times where in my head, like in Harrisonburg, when I'm there, I won't speak Spanish, like with my mom or sister out in public, just because there have been times when we've been like, harassed because we were speaking Spanish. There are times where I don't want to, like tell people where I'm from, I just rather be, you know, kind of a mystery. Like, I don't tell everybody my name, like in common settings. Like that's not to, you know, I have to introduce myself, things like that. I don't know. I feel like also working in retail, like, some people will be like, you're Mexican, aren't you? And I'm like, what's gonna come after this? Like, I kind of have to be cautious with who I share things to at the same time.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  41:57

That's interesting. Have you had...been experiences where in doing so, just something popped out at you or like some sort of that led to a certain experience that you have to go through? Does that make sense? 

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  42:15

Can you repeat the question?

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  42:15

 So you said sometimes, something that stood out to me was, you said that sometimes you'd be hesitant to to tell someone your your name, just because they could lead to something. So I'm interested in knowing what has that led something in the past? Or has that brought some sort of complications?

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  42:35

I feel like with like, the topic of my name, like, whenever I order, like coffee or something, I never give them my name. Just because always comes with oh, how do you spell that? Oh, how do you say that? Oh, oh, that's so exotic. Oh, that's so different. Like, just, you know, like these microaggression things where people who it's a clear name, like it sounds exactly how it's spelled. Struggle, just because it sounds slightly different, and make it an issue just because it sounds slightly different. 

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  43:08

That's interesting.So let me ask you something. What do you think? What do you think about how the issue of immigration is talked about by, say, politicians or the general public? You know, what would what would you Paloma, What would you like people to know about Latinos that maybe people have misconceptions about or that they never maybe not thought about?

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  43:33

I feel like a lot of people don't think about how much immigration supports this country and how much it basically built this country. I mean, everyone here was an immigrant essentially. And I think a lot of people started to notice that like, especially in Florida, when there's that, that bill passed, where basically all immigrants had to leave, where Florida shut down, like, they didn't have any workers, they didn't have any truck drivers like, nothing was coming in, nothing was coming out. Because a lot of these a lot of immigrants take on the harder jobs, which has also become a stereotype but it's also very common, that we, we came here to work, like, that's been what we grew up with what our parents did, like, well, what's been instilled in us.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  44:19

That's really, that's really interesting. And how do you feel? How do you think the general public sees it?

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  44:24

I mean, we always hear like the stereotypes of like the oh lazy Mexican things like that, which I think is just another way to just negatively stereotype immigrants when a lot of the times immigrants are either like, coming for newer opportunities, better opportunities, we see a lot of refugees, things like that. Which I feel like politicians just often try to bring the negative out of everything.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  44:52

Have you ever felt, what has been your relationship with say white, white or non Latinos, white Americans? Or even African Americans or any any other non Hispanic people? Who has been like your either what's been your experiences with being within these groups of people?

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  45:15

Um, I mean, I don't think I've ever been able to build a close relationship with a, like a white person, honestly. I feel like with black communities and black people like very pretty similar cultures. I work with a lot of black people and we always mesh really well.But then just yeah, like well, why people there's always just a little bit of a disconnect like there's never really going to be a way to click at least just in my own experience

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  45:51

So let me ask you, what would you like the public to know about your life story?

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  45:56

Um, I mean, I haven't completely shared the full life story. I feel like just everybody's life is different. Everybody has different backgrounds, different opportunities, different setbacks, we all you know we all have a goal for ourselves and we all are going to try and get there somehow. Yeah, we're just everyone's doing what they think is best for them so.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  46:34

What would you like students to know to take away from this interview?

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  46:43

Don't be afraid to be yourself don't hide your identities. They I mean, they formed you they're a part of you in every single way whether you see it or not, just be proud of those identities whatever they may be.

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  47:00

Understand that. So is there anything that you want to add that we may not have talked about? It can be really anything.

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  47:14

I don't know,I don't so

 

Jason Tejeda Molina  47:20

Well that is all the questions that I have for you today. Once again, thank you so much for meeting with me and giving me this opportunity. I'm going to stop recording.

 

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo  47:32

Alright.