Salud/New Routes Leader Judith Landeros

Judith Landeros is a student at Northwestern University, with a double major in Social Policy and Latina/o Studies. Her parents are Mexican immigrants whom she looks up to and respects for their hard work and support in everything she wants to achieve in life. Judith’s long-term goals are to help improve the education system at Morton East High School in Cicero, teach English to the children of Nicaragua after she graduates from college, and attain a Ph.D. in the future.  She began collaborating with SALUD in 2008.

Picture: (left to right) Judith Landeros and Adriana Velazquez conducting an ice breaker during a SALUD workshop.

I feel that SALUD had a great impact in the classrooms that we visited to give workshops. I specifically remember the classroom were the students began to talk about their gay friends, boyfriends, and lack of communication with their parents at home. The fact that they were participating and were really into the discussion is proof that SALUD created a space for them to talk about topics that are usually not discussed. That lack of space was shown when one of the teachers questioned SALUD youth if we were preaching that having sex at an early age and questioning your sexuality was right. That demonstrated that when students don't have the parents at home to talk to and then in school their teacher only has one way of viewing things they do not have a space to talk about their feelings, questions, and what they are confused about.

Giving the workshop to the parents had a great impact on us as well as them. Our parents opened up more than what we expected, participated, and it felt like a safe environment. On a personal level I know that I can now talk more openly to my parents about sex. I'm not sure if others can, but for sure their parents started thinking about the lack of communication and the workshop will most likely impact their future decisions and advice.

SALUD has been a great experience were I have not only learned more about health issues that affect immigrants but also worked with extremely talented individuals whom I learned a lot from on a working and personal level. I would have to say that the thing that I love the most about SALUD are the stories and how real they are; they are related to the lives of us as well as our audience.

I first became interested in SALUD because of it's focus on immigration and health. I knew that it involved creating radio novelas and doing things I had never done in the past, but my commitment to learn and help about immigrant rights led me to apply. I would have to say that I soon realized that I got myself into something that would require me to be creative, imaginative, open minded, and leave behind my shyness. At first it was a challenge but then with the support from everyone I felt comfortable and not afraid of being judged for my points of views, ideas, acting, and everything that required recording and creating the radio novelas.

I see SALUD as an experience that challenged me and at the same time helped me grow by reinforcing my passions as well as introduced me to dedicated and hard working individuals.

I would definitely have to say that I learned a lot about gender and sexuality rights within SALUD and have applied that knowledge them to my daily life. Before SALUD I knew about the existence of the LGBTQ community but not as much as I do now. After SALUD when I would hear anyone say "that's so gay" or other insults I would tell them to think over what they said and how they were being disrespectful to others. I also participated in planning events on campus that was related to LGBTQ issues and brought Awilda Rodriguez a Latina lesbian feminist to campus sponsored by my sorority to bring awareness about spoken word and LGBTQ rights.

Another example would have to be being able to talk about sex openly with others and bringing awareness about protection and STI's. I learned a lot about condoms (male and female), STI's, sexuality and relationship rights. I have been able to talk to friends about how the female condoms are used, helped them search online places were they can get help on getting tested, as well as shown them the relationship bill of rights if I notice they are having problems with their partner.

There are three ways in which I see the work that we do with SALUD affect my community:

(1) I feel that SALUD had a great impact in the classrooms that we visited to give workshops. I specifically remember the classroom were the students began to talk about their gay friends, boyfriends, and lack of communication with their parents at home. The fact that they were participating and were really into the discussion is proof that SALUD created a space for them to talk about topics that are usually not discussed. That lack of space was shown when one of the teachers questioned SALUD youth if we were preaching that having sex at an early age and questioning your sexuality was right. That demonstrated that when students don't have the parents at home to talk to and then in school their teacher only has one way of viewing things they do not have a space to talk about their feelings, questions, and what they are confused about.

(2) Giving the workshop to the parents had a great impact on us as well as them. Our parents opened up more than what we expected, participated, and it felt like a safe environment. On a personal level I know that I can now talk more openly to my parents about sex. I'm not sure if others can, but for sure their parents started thinking about the lack of communication and the workshop will most likely impact their future decisions and advice.

(3) I think that SALUD really impacted students at Northwestern University who are studying to be doctors because it gave them more of a realistic view of what the needs and backgrounds of Latina/o immigrants are. It gave them a different way of thinking about the relationship between science, health, and immigrant rights.

Read more about Judith Landeros.

1. If you are an immigrant, tell us what it means to be an immigrant in America. If you are not an immigrant, tell us how the immigrant issue touches you on personal level.

I am not an immigrant but my parents are immigrants from Mexico. The immigration issue is a very important issue in my family because my parents where once undocumented and I understand their struggles. Anything that has to do with immigration affects me because most of my family members are immigrants.

2. For better or for worse how can or how does media (TV, movies, radio, news stories) make a difference in immigrants' lives?

I feel that the media many times stereotypes and puts down immigrants. I always hear people blaming immigrants for the lack of jobs in the U.S. Others say that they do not pay taxes or that they take advantage of medicaid. Or that Latina/o immigrants do not want to learn English. I have also noticed that when someone says that they are an immigrant, right away it is assumed that they are undocumented. Most of the time the media portrays stereotypes that affect immigrants in a negative way. Supervisors, someone walking down the street, a doctor, or a landlord might treat immigrants differently because of the negative facts the media portrays about immigrants. This means that there are less opportunities for immigrants in the U.S., worst conditions, and less American Citizens who support an Immigration Reform that benefits everyone.

3. Tell us about an interesting or wise practice from another culture that you wish Americans would adopt.

This question is very difficult to answer because I do not know what the American culture exactly is. Basically, I do not have a clear definition of what American culture consists of. I myself was born in the U.S., therefore I am considered "American." However, my parents are Mexican Immigrants and I grew up surrounded by Mexican Culture.

4. How could immigrant health and well-being be improved in your city or in the United States?

Health and well being can be improved in my community if those in charge would make it a priority instead of leaving it to someone else. I feel that my community should have more health fairs regularly instead of once every six months. There should be clinics that offer reduced priced vaccinations, physicals, exams, etc. In my community there are many families that do not have medical insurance. Therefore they do not go to the doctor because it is too expensive. Others do not trust doctors because of different stories they have heard from relatives or friends. That is why I feel that SALUD is an excellent program because youth who have personally experienced the negative effects of health issues will educate the community. By educating the community SALUD will transmit the messages that being healthy and visiting the doctor regularly is important. If parents start living a healthy life style, their children will do so as well. There just needs to be dialogue and questions answered so that immigrants do not fear that by visiting the doctor they will be scammed, or if they are undocumented that they will be deported.

5. Tell us something about your background that led you to become the person you are today. What is your greatest motivation/motivator?

My greatest motivation are my parents. I have seen their dedication and hard work to provide my brother and I with everything that they did not have in their childhood. My parents where once undocumented and if it was not because of the amnesty, they would still be undocumented . I try to put myself in other people's shoes and I cannot imagine how it feels to know that my parents could be deported at any time. I am privileged because my parents migrated to the U.S. to provide their future family with a better future and becuase of them I am an American Citizen. I feel that I have a responsibility to do something and make others lives better. Immigrants, documented or undocumented are human; they deserve the opportunities that I and so many American Citizens have because we are all the same. All of that motivates me to finish college, set an example to other youth, and prove stereotypes wrong.

Tags: health workshops, sexuality
Topics: Arts, Family, Health Care Access, Immigrants, Leadership, New Routes Leaders, Youth