I have talked with some Spaniards within our La Tienda community who tell us how they are building new lives in America. Still more tell stories about their grandparents, parents, uncles or aunts who left everything behind in Spain to take advantage of fresh opportunities for their families in America. Some of them were fishermen from Galicia, miners from Asturias and mountain people of the Basque Country. Their sense of adventure and perseverance is why their Spanish descendants prosper today in America.
A parallel drama is occurring here at La Tienda in Virginia, where our staff is composed of at least a dozen different nationalities from Latin America, Asia and Europe. Many, like the Spaniards of an earlier generation, have come from areas of civil war and poverty, and are determined to start a new life.
Through La Tienda, our family tries the best we can to support them with health benefits and a great working environment. They are welcomed as one of us in the La Tienda family. In the long run, perhaps the most valuable resource we provide them is the opportunity to learn the English language.
When Raúl, a husband and father, joined us, he could only sign his name with an “X”. He now uses English as his first written language, and is proud that he speaks his newly acquired language with growing fluency. Another worker, Evelyn, left behind her large family in El Salvador, and is working hard to support herself and her family as best she can. Her face lights up with a smile when she speaks to me in English.
Another of our employees, Lisseth, is a remarkable woman, inquisitive and full of energy. She is one who has prospered within the family of La Tienda workers. In fact, she has done so well that we have just promoted her to Line Supervisor in our warehouse.
Lisseth Borrego and her husband were happily married for fourteen years when they decided to take the risk of leaving the familiar confines of Cuba in order to improve life for themselves and their children in the United States. They knew there would be major challenges as they tried to adapt to a new culture and way of life. One cannot anticipate all the bumps in the road.
Because they spoke no English at all they knew this would be a major hurdle to climb. However, Lisseth had hoped that with a degree in elementary education from Cuba, there might be some slot for her, however humble, within the American school system. Unfortunately, it turned out that her skills were not marketable.
In an interview by Narille Living in the Williamsburg Neighbors Magazine, Lisseth said, “It was very hard the first two years I was here. I was nervous about going places because I wasn’t sure where it was safe and where it wasn’t. My husband and children were the only family I had here, so I didn’t even have anyone else to ask questions.” But Lisseth was undaunted. She was determined to learn to speak and read English, so that she would not spend her life being fearful, looking in from outside.
Then she signed up for a job at La Tienda and proceeded to work diligently. To her delight, Lisseth soon discovered that La Tienda provided free classes for any employees who wanted to learn English. The tutors came to our work site because of our partnership with a wonderful local group called Literacy for Life, associated with the College of William & Mary, staffed largely by volunteers. Neighbors from the Williamsburg area give their time to meet with those new to the area who would like to learn English.
Lisseth enthusiastically took advantage of this opportunity. Once a week for two hours she attended classes with some of her fellow employees. Wanting to progress as quickly as possible, she also signed up for sessions held after work. In September 2011, she passed her citizenship test, and a month later was sworn in as a United States citizen.
Now Lisseth is able to help fellow workers who do not understand as much English as she does. Although she does not know whether she could become a tutor herself, she encourages others to continue their efforts to learn. She has advice for those who might be struggling with learning the English language. “It’s hard, but if I can do it, you can do it,” she emphasizes.
We are proud to offer help to these hard-working immigrants, and they have become part of our La Tienda family. But we know that they deserve the most credit, for their courage and determination to start a new life and their commitment to learn a new language and learn a new way of living. Like the immigrants from Spain, current and of generations past, they are seeking out a better life for their families, while still treasuring the culture and traditions of their own countries.
Su amigo,
Don
17 Comments
Don I commend your and your companies efforts to help immigrants advance in this wonderful country of opportunities. More companies should be like yours. It takes much courage in this day and age to share this story. Especially when the media portrays immigrants as criminals. I applaud you and because of this story I will buy more from La Tienda.
Response:
As I indicated in an earlier response, providing an opportunity for literacy and language changes people’s lives, and we are glad to be a part of this. All my grandparents were immigrants to the USA, and although themselves did not have all the educational opportunities, they made sure that their children did. Of course, I of the succeeding generation, was the IRA beneficiary of their commitment and struggle. The influx of immigration is what makes our country remarkably different and strong, we need to clean up our act concerning how we help people come to achieve their dreams and enrich our culture.
Greetings! I could not avoid seeing myself reflected in the stories in your article. My experience in this beautiful country has been one of determination and achievements; however, I feel to be far from reaching higher goals. I’ve seen in your outstanding organization a great opportunity to achieve just that. I sometimes dream of working for you, and even opening a branch of your store here in Georgia…a dream that I wish you could share with me…
Sincerely,
Guillermo Arenas
Response:
Hola Guillermo, I’m glad to hear of your positive approach to life. When your eyes are open to opportunities that work for you, I think you’ll become more and more satisfied with life. Where did you come from originally? At present we have no plans of having another branch, in fact for 14 years we had no branc at all, except that which is on the web, but let’s keep in touch and if you had ever happened to come up to Williamsburg, Virginia, I would like to meet you. My best to you and your family. Don
Congratulations!! I am myself an immigrant from France/Spain. I came in 1987, married an American citizen from Iowa, he is in fact an immigration attorney and we are in the process of opening our law firm. Stories like you are uplifting in a world where immigration is being questioned. Thanks for giving them a chance to have a better life, a new beginning. I order from you guys once in a while and your products are outstanding.
Response:
Dear Maria Luz,
Thank you for your comments. I’m glad were able to give you a little taste of your early days. But what I think was greatest in your correspondence is that you and your husband are involved in being immigration lawyers. There are a lot of them out there who take advantage of the people who need their services – if only by providing no service at all. How great in your area that there will be at least the two of you who can provide the quality services they need to become healthy people and good Americans.
My parents also immigrated from the South of Spain just before the Spanish revolution. My father was a miner and we settled in West Virginia. My parents never learned to speak good English. But they both worked and provided us with a good home and moral standards and never took a penny from any charity. Even when my father died at the age of 51 and left my Mother with 2 small children, my sister 12 and me 8 years old. We moved to California so my father could get out of mining. My first language was Spanish. I am very proud of my parents and their efforts to give us a better life!
Response:
Isn’t it wonderful the kind of sacrifice our parents were willing to undergo to build a new life in America for their children? In your case, your dad came from sunny Andalucia to become a miner — a tough and often thankless job. My grandmother immigrated from Armenia and ended up as a widow with two teenage kids. So she did what she could, rented out rooms in the house and put her kids through college. And because of her sacrifice, I, a grandchild, had all the opportunities in the world. Tu amigo, Don
Don, reading this made me grow a bit misty-eyed. The United States seems lately to be a place of finger-pointing and vilification, and the nation seems to have forgotten its very origins as a country of immigrants. Thank you for sharing this story about your company’s English classes and the successes of your employees. In the future, when I’m deciding whether or not to splurge on an item, knowing I’m purchasing from a company that is truly contributing to the advancement rather than the exploitation of its employees will make me much more likely to go for it and click “buy.” Suerte a todos sus empleados en sus estudios.
Response:
Dear Jeanne, I appreciate your comments because you caught the essence of who we are at La Tienda, and find our efforts to a source of joy for you.
I just came back from Spain, and met with small artisan families who are so nourished by our purchases and support. And here in many ways, we support our employees as well. Don