Posted on 07/05/2007 9:11:05 AM PDT by Millicent_Hornswaggle
Its name is pronounced like "hola," the Spanish word for "hello," and its members want Onslow County's Hispanic immigrant and American communities to feel similarly welcome.
Since founding the Onslow Hispanic Latino Association - or OHLA - at least four years ago, members say, they have made it their mission to bridge the gap between the two communities and serve as a resource hub for Hispanic immigrants in the area.
But that doesn't mean just giving handouts, said Executive Director Joe Luna.
"We're not handing things out just to hand things out," Luna said. "We want the Hispanic community to work for what they get."
The organization, which has a core group of 12 regular members and a year ago achieved nonprofit status, offers varied resources.
The point, members say, is to teach Hispanic immigrants to be self-sufficient and to assimilate to the American way of life.
To that end, OHLA offers tax preparation for Hispanic immigrants from January to April of every year and teaches basic financial information like how to manage a bank account. In addition, the organization holds classes in Spanish at the county's emergency operations center every year to help Hispanic immigrants prepare for hurricane season.
Members also work with the Jacksonville Police Department during Christmas to educate the Hispanic community about the dangers of drunk driving during the holidays and about how to overcome cultural differences to deal with local law enforcement.
During the fall, on Oct. 7, OHLA celebrates Dia de la Raza, or Day of the Race, which is a showcase of Hispanic cultures that also includes a health information fair for Hispanic immigrants. One highlight of the event is the Amigo Award, which is given annually to a noteworthy Hispanic and "Anglo" who have done work with the Hispanic community.
But sometimes efforts are more individual, like providing a bed and dresser for a child that has been sleeping on the floor for months or guiding a family through the purchase of its first house.
"So it's just different needs," Luna said. "And it's hard to pinpoint one need."
A big part of OHLA's efforts is geared toward encouraging Hispanic immigrants how to speak English, directing immigrants to local English classes taught by Coastal Carolina Community College faculty.
During the summer, the organization helps enroll children of Hispanic immigrants in local chapters of the Boys and Girls Club at Richlands Elementary School, Richlands Primary School and Clyde Erwin Elementary School to help them keep their English skills sharpened while they are out of school.
OHLA is trying to greater expand those efforts into the Hispanic community in Onslow County, which members say is more diverse and spread out than it was 10 years ago, though they are unsure of exact figures.
Luna said members hope to raise money to go toward purchasing and renovating a school bus into a mobile classroom to take to areas where Hispanic immigrants live so they can more easily take English classes.
Members also said they hope to someday have a regular office.
Maria Brinton, president of OHLA, said the idea would be to have Hispanic immigrants who have been helped by the organization in turn donate their labor for the building.
"So there will be ownership of the building," she said.
But for now, OHLA is based out of the Onslow County location of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service and can be reached through Ana Rosa Reyes, the organization's point of contact, at (910) 989-2353.
To those who would criticize Hispanic immigrants for being foreigners or not speaking the language or, Luna says, "walk a mile in their shoes."
They are here, he said, "to live the so-called American Dream."
Tracey Brown, secretary-treasurer and founder of OHLA, said that area Hispanics will often do work that Americans don't want to do.
"And they are not afraid of work," she said.
Contact Antonio Velarde at avelarde@freedomenc.com or 353-1171, ext. 8464. To comment on this story, go to www.jdnews.com.
Americans can and will do any kind of work if the price is right. This country didn't just appear out of the Scottish Mists like Brigadoon. As always the search is on for the cheapest labor and therein lies the question..."legal or cheap?"
ping
The "right" price is whatever someone else is willing to do it for.
“And they are not afraid of work,” she said”
And the illegal aliens are not afraid of the welfare office, or the ER or any other US Govt freebie that Americans cant get...
Demand a border fence! Build it NOW!! Beef up the border patrol and close our borders!
U.S. Senate switchboard: (202) 224-3121
U.S. House switchboard: (202) 225-3121
White House comments: (202) 456-1111
Find your House Rep.: http://www.house.gov/writerep
Find your US Senators: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
Toll free to the US Senate:
1-800-882-2005. (Spanish number)
1-800-417-7666. (English number)
Courtesy of a pro-amnesty group, no less!!
Republican National Committee
310 First Street, SE Washington, D.C. 20003
phone: 202.863.8500 | fax: 202.863.8820 | e-mail: info@gop.com
Take a look at their hidden agenda: http://www.mexica-movement.org
American citizens in your area should form their own organization named “Adios,” whose main function will be to round up these illegals and deport them.
The balkanization continues............
A mericans
D eporting
I nvaders
O ne-way
S outh
??
or, in the grammatical imperative,
V acate
A ll of
Y anqui
A merica
N ow
!!!
We should have welcome wagons on the border....since we can’t seem to do anything else.
We have 45,000 plus dead Americans from illegals since 9/11 making illegal immigration far more important than the war on terror....does anyone in DC get it?
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