Episode Details

Hospitality, Advocacy, Education and Community (Belonging) with Latina Martha Little of Kitsap County - "Anytime we have a conversation with, with someone, it's like, um, you are part of our family. You are part of us. And so we want to impart that, that wisdom and that love, because we want to, um, we want to ensure that we're all a family and we're all, you know, um, benefiting from, from each other."

Transcripts:

Danielle (02:22):

So, I, I wanted to just hear from you because every time I talk to you, there's like a little bits of wisdom in, in all the sentences. And I think that's true of most Latinas. Like, they start talking to you and they're like, By the way, let me give you this piece of really important advice,

Martha Little  (02:37):

. Yeah. It's, it's our culture, right? Um, we are the, we are Tias to everyone. I mean, that's just, it is, is, um, anytime we have a conversation with, with someone, it's like, um, you are part of our family. You are part of us. And so we want to impart that, that wisdom and that love, because we want to, um, we want to ensure that we we're all a family and we're all, you know, um, benefiting from, from each other.

Danielle (03:08):

Right. And as a community member, I wonder if you would be willing to speak from your experience, Like, what are the aspects that make you feel belonging or maybe you, you, it's easier to speak to where you don't belong? I'm not sure .

Martha Little  (03:22):

Um, you know, I think that, I mean, I could speak to both. Um, I think that, um, as the older I get, um, the more, um, the more comfortable I am with, um, presenting myself as fully as I am. Um, and so I think that, um, throughout my life, um, I, I was trying so hard not to assimilate, but to, um, I was trying so hard to, um, to have others like me and include me and, and to, um, and to build a space where, where I could show up as myself. And, um, and I just, it seemed like it didn't matter what I did, it just wasn't going to happen. And, um, and I realized that, um, you know, when my kids are, were in high school, and I can tell you a little bit more about that, but I came to this realization that, um, I was, I was perfect just the way I am.

Like, I don't need to change. I don't need to, um, to pretend to be something. I am not just to be included. And so, um, so I started showing up as myself. I started speaking my mind. I started, um, just being more, um, more outwardly Latina than I had been before. And, um, and I realized that, um, you know, the spaces that, that I was going into that maybe did not, did not feel like it was a space where I belonged, I, I started realizing that I had to say something. I had to, um, call it out and help them create a space for my, for me and for, for kids that I support and communities that I support. And so, um, I think that one, some of the things that, that organizations can do to create spaces where, um, where I can show up and feel like I belong in other, other community members like myself, um, is to, um, welcome us into the space.

I mean, just the smile and then acknowledgement that we have entered the space, um, because that's part of our culture is Latinos. I mean, it's that instant smile, Oh, like, what was that? And then, you know, we gravitate and we wanna touch, we wanna shake hands, or we wanna hug, we want to embrace. And, um, and so I think that, you know, white culture, this embracing sometimes is a little awkward. We have our little space bubble that we don't want people to, to cross. And, and we, and I can respect that most of us can, I, I feel, but, but even just that smile, that greeting that, Hey, how are you? Good to see you. Welcome. You know, that would be, um, number one is like, create a space instantly when the person walks in, greet them, um, and let them know tha