S4, E4: Building Trust & Engaging Authentically with Community w/Maria Aguilar & Angelica Novoa De Cordeiro

In this episode, we are joined by Angelica Navarro de Cordero and Maria Aguilar, Adult Services Librarian and Library Director at the Cornelius Public Library. The duo discusses the importance of collective effort, authentic relationship building and establishing a foundation of trust when serving not only Spanish-speakers, but the community at large.

Whether it is offering a Zumba class or providing tailored Makerspace programs, Cornelius Public Library has seen great success engaging community members from diverse cultural backgrounds in informing on what they need and want from the library. Angelica and Maria share how the values of the library and the staff are fundamental in creating trusting spaces, collaborative partnerships, inclusive approaches, and responsive services that are welcoming to all people, regardless of their background. 

Hosts: Gene Iparraguirre & Kristen Curé 

Date of recording:  May 15, 2025

Related links:

Drake Learning Center & Makerspace

Access to Public Library Services for Spanish-Speakers | OLA Quarterly

 Libros for Oregon

Transcript

(Intro Music Playing)   

Kristen Curé (00:00)

Hello and welcome to Overdue Weeding Out Oppression in Libraries, a podcast produced by the Oregon Library Association's Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism Committee. I am Kristen Curé from the Springfield Public Library in Springfield, Oregon.

Gene Iparraguirre (00:17)

Hi, I'm Gene Iparraguirre from the Coos Bay Public Library. Today we are joined by Angelica Navarro de Cordero, an adult service librarian at the Cornelius Public Library. She has served as the co-chair for the Reforma Oregon chapter and is a founding member of Libros for Oregon. With 16 years of experience in the library field, she specializes in bilingual programming and collection development. Angelica takes a collaboration approach working closely with the community, businesses and nonprofits. As an immigrant, Angelica strongly advocates for services that support immigrants.

Kristen Curé (00:50)

We're also joined by Maria Aguilar, the Library Director at the Cornelius Public Library in Oregon. Maria has served on multiple boards and committees and was a key participant in the WCCLS pilot program that sent library staff to the Guadalajara International Book Fair, known as FIIL, representing both Cornelius and the county, Washington County, over an eight-year span. Maria is passionate about creating welcoming culturally responsive library spaces that reflect the communities that they serve. Welcome to both of you. So it's such a pleasure to be here. And before we dive right into all the wonderful work you've been doing, we have a little icebreaker question. What is your favorite classic movie or book?

Maria Aguilar (01:36)

I can go ahead and start. So thank you. It's great to be here. I come from a children's youth services background. So my favorite book is actually Bark George by Jules Pfeiffer. It's one of my favorites. Anytime I go out to a school or just as an icebreaker, it's just fun to see the different farm animals that George encounters in his ourney.

Angelica Novoa De Cordeiro (02:04)

Hi, it's very pleasurable to be here with you guys. My name is Angelica. I work here at the Cornelius Public Library as you already hear. And I have in my years of experience times that I have been doing the story times and times that I've been more formal with the tools. And I still love one of the most I think fan books that, they are there. That's of course my opinion. it's the Ines del Reves, it's a Spanish book. It was a Spanish book about like 10 years ago. And I just love that book. It's a children's book. And it's my favorite.

Kristen Curé (02:49)

Thank you both. I love that you both picked children's books as your favorite classic book and, like, as an icebreaker that you use when you're out in the community too. So welcome to both of you and thank you both for being here with us. Just taking a look at your library website and your calendar of events, it's clear that you offer a variety of Spanish language programs for adults that include both educational opportunities like citizenship classes or technology classes, and also creative cultural programs like Zumba and special craft workshops. And I would love to hear from you why you think that it's important for adult patrons to not only get educational support at libraries, which is often like the basis in the common, but why do think it's important for adults to be able to explore and create in recreational ways and in Spanish?

Angelica Novoa De Cordeiro (03:44)

Yes, I guess it doesn't matter what is the language, you know, we are humans. I think that is for me, that is the most important. We are humans, are beings, human beings, and we have basic needs. It doesn't matter the language or the place that we live or how we look like, or what is our accent or what is not our accent because it depends where on this side of the line are you, you're gonna hear the accent, don't know? So it doesn't matter who you are. The important thing is the basic needs. So we have basic needs within our human beings. And I think being creative and being able to produce something is gonna fulfill those needs and is gonna be the base core of our human values. And it doesn't matter which are your values either.

So we can come together to the same value or can have different value, but that creation part, which I think it is a value, is what make us to have an impact in the life. And I think that is one of the basic needs of human being to have an impact. So for that reason, I think that producing and creating in literary ways that is not only like learning, producing something is very important. Besides, it's how you think, er, you know, you are thinkering and you create some business. So for that reason, I think is based on health. So when I say health, is health of that transcendence or health of physical health, physical, emotional health or psychological health. doesn't matter, it's health and it's the self-constructive part of a human being. What we are producing.  

So within that, also, I think it's a great resource of being more, having more balance. We are talking about our health in the terms of emotional, so psychological, so brings you to be a more balanced life where it's gonna be able for you to act and interact in different mediums. And produce in different media. And with that, with the interaction, then I go to the side of the social behavior, the social interaction. And if we want communities that are welcoming, we need to create those interactions, those spaces where they interact. It doesn't matter who they are. And for me, it's just a joy when I'm hosting a program, when I see people with different sounds in their speech.

And they just come together and they say, hey, can I use this? Because we don't have the whole resource to provide one or each one of the supplies for all our patrons. And sometimes, even if I have it, I say, we'll use only so many. Maybe once, because I don't want to clean too much. The other part is because I need to create those interactions between them. If I provide one or each want all materials or supply for all my participants, then I'm creating an individualist program. And it's not what is my goal. My goal is come together, let's go create social behaviors, let's go create social connections where we being more healthy as a community, as a society. And the other part is sparkling, know, sparkling what you can think about, what you can produce if you have.

The idea that I maybe would like to do this or I have no idea how to do this. Then there is this space. I always try to invite them, you know, I have so much of the ideas, but you give me ideas I don't know when I and I don't know if I will put it as a program But I will do my best but thank you for sharing those ideas and then from there I can start sparkling and that is how I work. And that is why I think programs for patrons, adults specifically, are very important because even though we have left the formal education, we still being human beings, we still producing, we still having needs of social interaction. I mean, I can continue talking about health and in psychological health, but that's are my, my mottos or why.

Kristen Curé (08:35)

Thank you so much, Angelica. think it's just, it's so important as you say, and we don't talk about it enough, maybe in our culture, about how it is a basic need for us as humans to be able to have a creative outlet. And for adults, you know, like you said, they're out of the formal education system. Adults are working. have all of these, you know, adulting is supposed to be all the not fun, like daily chores. And it's just so important if we want to be together in a welcoming community to be able to have an outlet for creativity, to get together and share and explore and have fun. Thank you, it was great hearing that.

Maria Aguilar (09:13)

One thing that I'll add to that is, I think it goes beyond the health. As adults, don't think we take the time to really nurture our inner child. And you can see that, you Youth Services background. Your inner child, some of these activities you only do in high school, if you had the opportunity to go to high school. You know, when Angelica is putting together some of these programs and she's offering them in bilingual capacity, some of the adults in our community, they maybe went through elementary school if they had the opportunity to do that. So they didn't get an opportunity to tinker, to use their creative side of their brain to put together some of these things.

So while we do focus on having some of those educational programs for adults and children, it's just as important to have that recreational opportunity to explore something that maybe they don't have the funds to do it on their own. They don't have the tools to do it at home. Or the library is a trusted place. So they know that they can come in here and if something goes wrong, it's going to be okay, right? And Angelica has done an excellent job at building that relationship within the community, within the patrons that come in, that they can approach her and say, hey, you know, I really want to know how to do this. And so she's like, give me a few months and we'll put it together. And she follows through and she's able to carry that out. 

So then it builds a sort of, it's a community within a community because the people keep coming back. And they know, hey, how's the clock that you made? Mine's still working. Oh, did you remember we did the tofu? You have those conversations that you wouldn't otherwise. So I think it's just as important to have those educational and those recreational, non-traditional programs. And it reflects that the library is being responsive and adapting to the needs of our community. We're not just here to provide a book, something that..people are like, well, the library should be quiet. No, sometimes, but we should also be responsive and filling those gaps that ⁓ other agencies aren't able to do or complementing them so that we're able to cover more ground, if that makes sense.

Gene Iparraguirre (11:43)

Yeah, I that makes a lot of sense. I always really enjoy how libraries are constantly trying to push the boundaries of what people presume the libraries are, because it's very kind of a limited view that people sometimes have of libraries. So I love how everyone's just expanding more and more. ⁓ But do have a question? What are some barriers that your patrons and staff? Serving kind of face regarding language and what are some ways that you've worked to kind of overcome these language barriers when providing library services or just other program-based services as well because you talked about the whole inner child thing but it's sometimes your inner child needs to find a way to communicate and kind of talk through things a little bit better and sometimes speaking in your native tongue is easier for your inner child or you feel safe and comfortable so just curious how you guys have faced that.

Maria Aguilar (12:36)

Yeah, that's a great question. We are fortunate that a majority of our staff speak both in Spanish and English. The ones that don't are not afraid to just be like, hey, give me a second. Let me pull up Google Translate. Let me bring up this other program. And they have communicated that way where they're on their phone or they're on the screen and they're typing in the answers for those that are literate enough and able to do so. Right. And it's a tool. Others, it's just through miming. You're kind of working through and you're using your body and you're practicing things. And that's when there's not a person on staff that is able to communicate in the language. So those are some of the ways in terms of language that we've been able to support our community.

And even our own staff, they do ask like, hey, is there a book you recommend? Is there a class that we can take working with our city to just put it on the radar that there is interest if there's ever an opportunity to expand that continuing education to cover the expenses to learn a different language. It's not often, but we also do get people that with ASL. And so, you know, trying to figure out how to best support not just the verbal but the nonverbal communities that do come in. And we do try and have as much of our  signs in Spanish and English as a way to be responsive. 

Our flyers, especially when something is presented in a bilingual format, we do have it in Spanish and English.The other thing that we do is we have had, and I don't know how effective it has been, but we have had some of those more common phrases on like a spreadsheet so that you can say, know, if you're looking for this, and then what would be the response, at least to get you through enough of what it is that you're looking for. And we are fortunate we do have  a dual immersion program in our school system, and it's right across the street. So elementary students that are learning both Spanish and English at the same time require a little bit extra support and our staff are aware of that. 

So they take that initiative beforehand to be like, hey, I know that the school is going to come in or that season when they're asking for material is coming up, how do I best support to be able to find them the material that they're looking for? Or they're really proactive and saying, hey, Angelica, we've had requests for this. Can you bring in a program that addresses this issue so that we're responsive and so that we can fill that gap?

Angelica Novoa De Cordeiro (15:20)

In complementing a little bit what Maria has already shared with you guys, I think, our main focus, because the community where we are serving and living is mainly a heavily percentage higher than any other language, Spanish speakers. So that is our main focus. But however, we receive patrons speaking other languages too. It's the same approach as I said before. It doesn't matter what is the language that you are speaking. It's the matter of how you want to serve your community. And as many times it's like, just offer a smile. You know, I remember when, you know, I am an immigrant and when I came to this country, I spoke zero English at all. So it was like, what gives me a smile? Let me be part of your world. Welcome me. So that is what we need. Welcome people in our spaces if we want people in our spaces.

Angelica Novoa De Cordeiro (16:41)

You say Kristen more Spanish programs. I would say we have equal as much as I can programs in either in English or Spanish. I'm being so lucky of if I am working with presenters or performers and if it is feasible, say, I understand you may not speak Spanish, but this is a bilingual program, is what I'm looking for. So if you don't have the skill, I am here. Tell me how can I help you?  It's either translating, it's either interpreting, it's either just giving you some hints or whatever. But for me, it's as much as I can, programs will be. 

Of course, there are times that it is not feasible, but then I try to choose programs that will not impact as much the language, you know, because it's gonna be a demonstration, because it's gonna be a kind of way to communicate in other way that is not just he language. And there are others that as much as I can, well, it is not possible and that's okay too, you know, it's okay to just to say these programs will be just in Spanish and this is going to be just in English and we will be fine. So with that, I just think that bringing the number or bringing the language is just bringing, welcoming people. It's just saying, yes, we speak your language. Yes, this program is going to be just in English, but we are sharing with you that we are having it because maybe you have a family member, neighbor or whoever that will be interested in you will be able to help me to share this information to other people. So that's why I'm promoting it in bilingual or in Spanish or in English. So that is one of my approaches. Of course, then we can handle and we come with other programs because it's like everything is doubled. You know, we need to put the Spanish and English.

So those are problems that I created here, but I mean, staff are being so amazing and they work with me. the sense of creating the reflecting of the soul, know, for me, language is also as a soul, you know, it's how I can express what it is inside of me and creating that reflection in our library where they see where they can read and I wish I can speak other language where I can put it in other language because as I said we serve others too. But it's just amazing you know being reflected in that space is being welcoming in this space. I have that assurance within me that I will be there and maybe they're not going to be able to talk and chat with me but I will be welcome.

And in this part of the authentic self to work with patrons. As by now you are sensing, you know, for me is a lot of self introduction and psychological part and sharing with you guys ⁓ why I do that is within my background, I have the opportunity also to do some psychotherapy. And for me, that is when I did that, that was the main thing that any person that I help and support, it was like, we want to be authentic, we want to make our mark, we want to be welcoming in any word that we want. And I think in this podcast, it's just what it is about, you know, we want to be welcome. So we want to be fostered, want to be genuine and have that feeling of, yes, I belong in here even though I do not speak the same language as you.

Maria Aguilar (20:49)

Yeah, to add to that. And I think we've seen that reflected across the board, not just in the library, right? It's if something is it can go back as far as you see an actor, you see a singer that looks like you, that sounds like you, that partially represents something culturally about yourself, you're likely to engage and participate and go back and be like, hey, did you hear? And so I think we hear that in our community. We hear, did you know the Cornelius Library is doing this? Did you, you know, I can't believe that they're putting together something like this in a positive connotation, right? It's,  we've been very fortunate that our city supports everything that we do.

And that we have nonprofit agencies in the area that we are able to collaborate and partner and build stronger programs for our community, like Children's Day, Hispanic Heritage. And so we're able to bring in and showcase to the community that we care about who is here and we care about bringing in more opportunities to learn about something other than Mexico, something other than America. Angelica has brought in Russian programming and we've had great attendance on that and we don't have a large Russian population in our area, but they hear about it and they think it's awesome that we're able to take the time and represent that and people that come in go away with feeling like, I learned something new, right? It's eye-opening and it's a grounds for how do we, where do we overlap? Do our cultures meet in the middle and you develop those conversations within the area. 

So I think it feeds into that sense of belonging that we want to make sure that the library is a place for everyone. It's as inclusive as we possibly can with the resources that we can with the knowledge that we have. And when anybody is willing to take the time to share, I have the skill, I have this language, can we work together? And Henneka right away, yes, how can we do this? How can we put this together and make it effective so that we are educating our community, so that we're breaking down those stereotypes, so that we are showcasing a piece of who we are.

 And just recently we had a Brazilian Carnaval style event here in the library, not the dancers. But we had some tradition, maybe Angelica can correct me. We had a little bit of background of, you know, where is Brazil? What is the language? What are some of the traditional foods? We had some traditional candy that we were able to bring in and do some of the activities as a family. And I think we had over 80 people come and it's just, we're a small space and  people took time to just learn more about it.

Angelica Novoa De Cordeiro (24:07)

I just want to say we did not have the answers, but we did dance. as Maria mentioned, the Russian or the Brazilian, but we have any other program with other cultural background that we have at the library. And we are not serving only Cornelius,. We are serving communities. come to our library from anywhere that they find out that we are having it, which for me that is, I mean, it's great. It doesn't matter what is your district level of service, so you are serving communities.

Gene Iparraguirre  (24:47)

I think that's wonderful, you guys were talking about the sense of belonging and the also exposure of different cultures in libraries, because it kind of leads up to how libraries can be viewed as a uniquely positioned to play a positive role in making welcoming, inclusive and vibrant communities. 

How do you guys feel about that being a perceived statement of libraries and have you experienced any challenges when doing any work with the library to try to make it feel more vibrant, inclusive, and welcoming?

Maria Aguilar (25:24)

Yeah, that's a great question. And to continue on what we were previously talking about, libraries are a neutral space, right? We welcome everybody.  We try and meet people where they are. We offer opportunities for them without asking them where they come from, how much they make, what their legal status is nothing. We see an individual, we welcome everybody and that's a rule that we have here when staff are onboarded is we greet everybody the moment they walk in even if they walk in 20 times you greet them 20 times and you you aren't just looking at your screen you look up you say hi welcome or how can I help you any one of those engaging phrases. And then when they leave, making sure that you also engage with them. thank you for coming. Have a great day. Anything like that. 

So small, small gestures that make a difference. Because even when they walk in the door, most of us were engaged on our phone, we're in a rush. The moment you hear, hi, welcome, they stop and they look up and they smile like, you saw me. And so then that's the first point in making sure that we're being as inclusive as possible through our programming, we are making sure that we're being as welcoming as possible  with the library spaces that we have in our area. We have a bit of, you can't see it in my space here, but we have like a bright, fuchsia wall and that's  representative of the Latino culture, right? We have some very bright colors in our space to make it welcoming, to making it not feel so sterile and we don't shy away from noise. Yes, libraries should have a little bit of consideration to the demographics that are coming in, but kids are kids, families are families. If they have a space where they can engage and they feel safe and we teach them those social norms when they're in here, it's like, okay, in a moment.

If you see them running, you're not like, stop running. You just let them, you let's walk for your safety. You educate them and you do it in a very welcoming way that then later they do follow those interactions. we have  the way that our spaces are built. We even have social workers coming in here and meeting with parents and modeling how appropriate play is or having some of those meetings. So I think we've been able to accommodate that through our furniture, through our staff, through the colors that we have in our space here. And like everything, it's some of the challenges financially, right? We don't have as many resources as we would ⁓ like to be able to meet a lot of the needs in our community.

 Like most places, we don't have enough staff to be able to support in the capacity that we want. So sometimes we are spread a little thin because we want to be there for everybody or as many people as we can. So we are just kind of going all over and one of the things that we've realized is through that genuine interaction that we build with our patrons, with our community, with our stakeholders, with our city manager of just letting them know, these are the needs of our community, of the patrons that are coming in through our doors. This is how much we're able to accomplish. This is what we need from you as a city official, as a budget or whatever. And we're able to be as transparent as possible, it goes a long way. And we are as transparent as possible with our community as well, of letting them know what we can do and what we cannot do. And people are open to that, even if it's an answer that they do not like, because we are taking the time to engage with them in a very sincere way. And I think that's one of the comments that we hear frequently from our patrons is that they are able to build that relationship with us. They're able to have those conversations with us, and then we're not going to brush them off.

Angelica Novoa De Cordeiro (30:03)

I would like to add to Maria in relationship, what are the challenges in our work?  I think there are many challenges, but I think the first challenge is our own self. You know, it's how much you are willing to put out there of yourself.  And I speak in this in very personal note, for example. A person came and asked me, and because you know, the mouth, the message go mouth to mouth. And then somehow this family say, someone, somehow say, go to Angelica, look for her, she's gonna help you. There for me, it wasn't already like, what? I didn't think so. But anyways, I hear what was happening and I say, I can subsidize that for my personal life.

But then I say, if I do that, what is the challenge for me? How I want to learn how I can solve that problem if I receive another family? So yes, it's taking or it takes time. It takes energy. takes time to say to whom, where I'm going to go, to where in what time. I mean, one of the resources that for me is more the challenges, the timing, besides of the self personal self to put myself there. It's like, how they gonna take it, you know, I am advocating for someone where they can't even, if they gonna judge me just by my accent, they will say, well, probably you have the same need. So it's just having that work done with yourself is yes, they are challenges in how much you are willing to. If you are willing.

Kristen Curé (32:01)

What you're saying about if you're willing, there's a way it's that creative problem solving. When you have a challenge being creative, you talked earlier about being creative for fun and how that's a human need, but then I can see that it also plays out when you're faced with challenges that you're able to use your creativity and find something, find a solution.

Angelica Novoa De Cordeiro (32:09)

Yes. Yes. Yes.

Exactly. And sometimes those needs, sorry Kristen, but yeah, sometimes those needs are even, you're not gonna be able to solve it yourself, but there is the willing also say, yes, I did it. Or the willingness to say, I cannot do it right now. I will do my best and I will try better next time.

Kristen Curé (32:43)

Back to the fun side of creativity. You've been providing Maker Labs and Maker Spaces programs for your Spanish-speaking patrons, along with your English-speaking patrons. Can you talk to us about what a Maker Lab or Maker Space is and tell us about what you're doing at Cornelius?

Angelica Novoa De Cordeiro (33:04)

I feel that I'm the less  credentialed-having person to respond to that question. I feel that I'm being learned. I told Maria I am a professional YouTuber and from there it's a place to start. And from there I'm glad that I received my education and I can find resources.

But I think inspiration, it will come from anywhere and some people will give you the entry and then it's up to you. You will pursue more. And that is happening to me when I'm trying to put programs up. It's just the same situation that is what I want to recreate with my programs. know, it's like, come learn with me. I never had that.  Epoxy clusters, but we'll figure it out. So let's go prevent as much as we can and let's go figure it out. And if they do not work, well, we learned that that way was not the way, but let's let's let's learn together. And I think that transparency that I have shared with my patrons, I don't know everything. I have the resources and I know how to use the resources for me to learn. And I invite you to come and learn with me.

So I'm not a professional. So what are make-care spaces I'm exploring? I think I can do a response based on more than anything based on my upbringing. So it was a way where it was, let's go try, know, I'm from Mexico and part of my culture or even my family culture is like, well, we don't have that.

How can you do it? So it's like, we don't have that. How can I do it? So it's that tinkering, that playing with things around. And if it is not perfect, well, it's OK. You will learn next time. Or if eventually you have the means, perfect. But anyway, getting more a little bit more within a concept that I will concept it is like, well, it's a space where we will collaborate in there.

It's very attractive in that term for me because it's a way that I work. I don't have all the resources, I collaborate. So I collaborate. For example, I can tell my director I would like to have this program, but I will need this and this and this. So how much what will be my budget for this program? Or how much you allow me to go out or do something else? And more than allowed is making sure that we are revisiting, know, bouncing ideas that is not only one side wise in reaching with other people how you will think. And that is the collaboration part because sometimes maybe you will see a program in the MakerSpace where it's, right, sure, here you have  popsicles or the molds or whatever and we will create this. Yes, but what happened before? 

So I think MakerSpace is called Beyond the Walls, is collaborations where individuals come together and engage because creative, the self-creativity, the need of the human being. And then we do DIYs. You want to call it DIYs or you want to call it a makerspace or you want to call it inventions or sharing ideas of what you come and share with me and teach me how I do something. And that is a makerspace. So yeah, sometimes it's confined with walls, but it goes beyond, beyond walls. It's that collaboration.  Many libraries in the schools have these spaces and we are lucky enough that thanks from the grants that we receive, different sources of grants that we receive, in the last year, two years by now.

We are able now to have a maker space. We did the grand opening last September. I believe it was, it wasn't a Saturday. I'm gonna say it was a Saturday. Anyways, that is irrelevant. But what we have done is, I think it's amazing. When we opened the space, I was nerve wracking. said, what we wanna do with this space? I don't want this space with all the form that we already have been putting out. I don't want for this space to be closed for the patrons or not being used. But I also talking about challenges, I also know that we cannot put this space to work because we don't have those resources. Well, a little bit of creation and  has taken us alongside. And since September, we are being able to put at least one program per month, each group age. And when I say group age, I'm talking about, within my background, I try to think about what are the skills in different stages in life and I group those people on those skills and then I say, we'll have what I will say six to 12 years old program and then 13 to 18 and then 18 to 100.

And within that, unless every month, I have had one of those programs for this group, sometimes two, because someone else wants to come and help me. And I say, OK, we can do two. ⁓ We are being open since ⁓ February, open hours once a day where people can come in and think a little bit or learn a little bit of how our 3D printers work or how a laser cutter work and we are focusing with those two within these months because it is the resource that we have. The person that is supporting the library with these open hours are the forte, those two machines. This person feels comfortable with that and that's what we are doing. So we are not putting out there all that we could because we have that challenge of staffing or other needs.

But what we are doing, I think, is amazing. People are responding to it. I've been very pleased to it. I'm very pleased also that not only they are patrons, but also our stakeholders are being pleased with the response and what we are doing. And that is creating that trust and that commitment to both sides. So I'm not an outreach librarian right now, did outreach for a while, but not right now. But I still thinking, know, outreach is not only out of the library. You need to do outreach also within the staff, within your stakeholders. You need to do outreach to the up and outreach to the bottom, or outreach to the left or to the right. So you need to bring those together.

Maria Aguilar (40:27)

The other thing that I'll add to that is that we've taken on, you know, I feel like most people when they hear, you have a makerspace, that's where they can go do their scrapbooking. That's where they can go do some more of those artsy paper crafts that they might not have at home. But we've taken a slightly different approach where we're looking at more of the equipment that they might not be able to afford to be able to do it at home.

So Angelica mentioned the 3D printers, the laser cutter. You know, people don't have $6,000 to just, oh, I'm going to buy a laser cutter and start doing this. Or we've done it more in the approach of look at the equipment that we have to see if this is something that you actually want to invest in for yourself, for your business, for whatever. Learn how to use it before you go out and you invest all of this time and realize, yeah, that's not for me. And so we have some unique tools in our space that ⁓ we allow people to use during the programs. It's not unsupervised so that they're able to learn how to use a drill so that they can make a clock. 

Angelica did a program where they laser cut it you know, a circle so that then they can burn in the numbers and then they use different tools that they may or may not have at home, depending on how big their home is. And then they put this together and they're able to utilize those skills. So it is a craft, but it's at a more manual, technical, not just gluing things together. And that's the approach that we've taken to the maker space, kicking it up a notch. You know, the sewing machines, we have some unique sewing machines in our space as well that ⁓ we allow the community to use, that we teach the community to use. And that's where some of those collaborations kick in that we had someone come in and say, hey, I would love to show people how to sew. And we're like, perfect. Every Saturday you're in here and they have like 15 people coming in on a regular basis working on their projects or getting that feedback, how do I do this? 

And it's not just adults. We have teens that are wanting to know how to do these things. And that opened up the door to  a group that they do more like Renaissance style, know, garbs. And so now they're reaching out to be like, hey, can we do a program where we teach others and we have an opportunity to work on our costumes or that might be the wrong word on their attire for any events that they may be going out later in the year. So it's just, how can we help you help me help you? That type of mentality.

Gene Iparraguirre  (43:24)

But that's just wonderful, being able to like facilitate an area that lets people ⁓ take risks without the repercussions of taking risks, of trying to learn something new. I also loved how Angelica, you were talking about learning stuff together. You don't have to always have all the answers right on the go. We're all learning together. Like you might not know how to do it, but you can figure out a way you can research and you kind of... It's inspiring to know that the person that's leading you is also learning with you. 

So it shows you like I can also take my time and learn this. It's not a automatic if you know everything and just you dive into it which as we've previously talked about our inner child's. The way you've described the makerspace, these programs, I think it's really letting your inner child kind of explore and expand their knowledge.  How do you guys feel about this exploration and this expanding of someone's inner child to allow them to dive headfirst without a fear of like a risk to learn new things happening at your library?

Maria Aguilar (44:38)

Yeah, know, Angelica, she says she's a professional YouTuber. I call her YouTube certified. You know, she's she's gone to YouTube University. And I think to some degree, all of us have either a bachelor's or a master's in YouTube. And we're able to figure out figure out enough to get in trouble, figure out enough to to be able to show someone else hold their hand and be like, hey, I'm learning with you. And and what you said, Gene is really important because that works for our community, for our space, for our patrons, for our staff, is knowing you're not the expert, so we're not intimidating, right?  I'm learning with you, you're learning with me, you teach me something, I teach you something, and I think you can tell, Angelica and I are really big on.

How can we collaborate? How can we partner? How can we benefit from each other with the knowledge and the skills that we have? And that translates in the work that we do with the adults, with the youth,  with teaching them how to safely use a piece of equipment so that they don't get hurt, so that they don't damage the equipment. And on purpose, both Angelica and I are really, really big on. I am not going to show you an example of the end product because I do not want you to copy it. I will tell you more or less of what to expect, of what may be the result, but we really want you to do it. 

Whatever comes out from you, from your heart, from your head, from wherever you get that creativity, let's figure out how to manifest that and put that out. And it might not look like what I had in mind and it's going to be amazing. It's going to be great because it's the effort that you put in, the time that you put into to make something. So it goes back to feeding that inner child of, how many times have we looked at like, ⁓ mine isn't as good as the teachers because it doesn't look exactly the same, but it's perfect in its own way. And so that's where we allow people to just figure it out. If it doesn't work, now you know how to do it, do it again at home, or we'll bring this program back again in a year or two years and we can try it again. And so that is something where we want to make sure that we are providing that safe space within the staff or the performer, whoever's leading the activity and the volunteers that are there, is that it's a judgment-free zone and that we encourage.

And if it doesn't work out, all right, let's see how we can make it work with the time that we have, with the skills that we have, all of those things. Because, know, children, how many times do they fall and get back up and try it again? You know, you're learning how to ride a bike, you fall, you get back up. It doesn't work, you try a different way. I think as adults, we forget to do that, right? It doesn't work out the first time you get frustrated, you're like, it's a waste of time, throw it in the trash, forget about it.

So it's going back to those, you know what? It's a muscle. It's something you have to learn how to relearn how to ⁓ be accepting of yourself and not be so hard on yourself. And being able to laugh it off, right? That's where ⁓ some of those, Heniko was talking about the communities that you build, those friendships that you build in the program, because then you're able to talk about it with others.

You joke about it and now you have this inside joke when you see them again or it's that conversation center. Hey, how did your whatever project, how's it doing? And you laugh it off, right? ⁓ So I think that's really important in providing that inclusive, that safe space, that judgment free zone and just being there to be like, let's see what happens. And oftentimes when I was doing youth program, I'm like,

I don't know how this is going to work. And I tell the parents also, because I want the parents to not be so hard on themselves, to be like, well, I can't do what you do. It's like, well, I can't do what I do either, but I pretend I do. And we're going to see what happens. And it's a way to model a way of how to accept, I don't want to say failures, but it is to accept when it didn't quite go the way that you wanted it to go.

Angelica Novoa De Cordeiro (49:17)

I would say breaking those expectancies. You know, now that I'm doing programming for all ages again, because there was a period that I did not, I was very focused on adults and now it's like reminding myself, yes, that is what I like to do programs. Because for example, with talking from seniors, I would say, okay, seniors, I have one senior that she comes and say, what is gonna be the craft today for the craft and own program? Not bushes directed to seniors and group homes. And I say, no, well, we will do flowers. I said, no, know. She said, no, I don't want to do flowers. I'm going to do whatever it come out. Perfect. That is what we are doing exactly. But having that in their charge in how the child is like in the book, in this reverse that I really love is exactly to go the opposite or they can try.

But at the end you come and say, yes, I love you. It's that. Yes, we are different. Yes, today I don't want to put my shoes in the right place, but still, I love you. And this senior comes and she say, no, I'm going to do whatever it comes. That is the innate child. Do whatever you can and whatever you want. And she does totally things differently. If we were doing flowers, she would do anything else but flowers. And then I have ⁓ teens now what I'm doing with teens you know that inner charge how we learn by exploration and taking that risk and it's like yes I'm happy to be here because you are teaching me you think in here that it's okay to take take risk for example with the lava lamp and you know we mix this and we I'm no specialist in chemistry but I got my cheating cheat and I told them how to say cheating cheat in Spanish and how to fold it and I say don't do that but anyways I'm having my cheating cheat because I don't know all the terms because are not the terms that I use within my day-to-day vocabulary and I told them it's okay you are learning this we are learning chemistry together let's go explore let's go mix the substances.

And here are the correct terms that you probably will be using at the school or you're gonna be using eventually in what kind of career. And then very funny, they say, I say, do you would like to study chemistry? They, no, no, no, no. And then one tell me,  but I wanna be a pharmacist and said, well, you better start making peace with chemistry there. But anyways, this specific itinerary say, can I drink it? And I knew that everything that we were using, was edible. And I said, well, it's not going to taste good, but you can't if you want. I will not recommend you to take, to do a whole glob of it, but you want put it into talk. And you know, there it was in a child. There is how you are proposing in making those. 

With adults, it's like laughing of their messiness things that they are putting. That's so awesome. They were creating chocolate candy and they were like, my chocolate looks like this and putting names and you know making fun of it. ⁓ For example, in story times, ⁓ Maria reminds me about how I am terrible singer in either language but if you put me to sing in English I will sing you and you will learn how not to sing in English.

That is how I, that is the part that's, it's okay, children, know, this is their inner child. That taking that risk, that I don't care if you are judging me because I'm just learning.

Kristen Curé (53:12)

When both of you were talking about the inner child and how the makerspaces allow for the exploration, I just kept going back to thinking about how you both approach or how your whole library approaches making a welcoming space at the library as well. The way that you approach the makerspaces, like it cuts down that barrier, it makes it welcoming, it makes it safe to learn and explore and fail and try something new and tinker and experiment.

It's a very sweet way that you have of engaging with your community and also a very effective way to build those relationships. And I'm wondering what  both of you would recommend for libraries who are looking to engage with members of their community who don't have a habit of using the library? It might be people who are intimidated with the idea of going to an official government building, you know, or who just really don't have past experience of the library, don't know what a library has to offer them, or people who might have had a bad experience when they were a child. And if you could talk about how you reach to or work to engage that part of the community and why you think it's important to do so?

Maria Aguilar (54:26)

Yeah, I think those are all great, great points. both Angelica and I at one point in our lives have been very active in outreach. So I think we both have some unique perspectives on how to reach out to the community. And it's going to be different depending on the outcome that you want and the community that you want to reach because you do have to go to where they are and they is anyone. Are you reaching youth? Go to the schools, go to the head starts, go to any preschools that you might have, any sports game if you're wanting to get the youth and the families. Going to church, if you're able to go to the local churches or get someone within your community, your board, to go out and advocate for you at some of these places that you may not be comfortable with or may not ⁓ have a way to to get in. But just being aware of of your community and where people go and what are some trusted sources within your area that you can go out and speak to.

And that's where we've been very fortunate in Cornelius that we do have staff that are bilingual in Spanish and English. So if one of us is not able to go out to do a presentation to one of the spaces, we do have a backup and we can have some of those talking points to build that relationship and talk about the different ways that you can use the library. I know when I started with outreach, it meant going to the laundromat and kind of hanging out there or putting a basket with free books and a sticker that says, if you liked what you saw, stop by the Cornelius Public Library. We did that with our magazines in Spanish, too, where we would, once, we were weeding them, we would put a sticker on them just saying this was donated by the Cornelius Library. If you like this, you want more materials, stop by. And we had our address, our phone number, and we would give that to the local clinics here so that they could have it in their waiting room. And if it walked away, it walked away. Great. Now they have a piece of information about the library and some of the materials that they can get that is non-traditional because some people don't realize you can check out magazines. 

And so that was one way to get that word out into the community. So it is a lot of, it's very time consuming to be able to reach out to the community and build those relationships. But it's so rewarding because if you take that time to listen, listen to the people that are already coming in so that then you can go out to some of those areas, some of those spaces and share those success stories so that you can share, you know, say, what are you watching right now? great, you're watching that movie? We have it in the library. You can come check it out. ⁓ You like listening to music? We have music. You don't want to step into the building every day? That's fine. You can use your device. If you're tech savvy, let me show you. We can do some of these things. 

And it's also talking about the spaces that we have, not everybody is fortunate to have some study rooms like we are. In our previous space, we didn't have a study room. So that has been our biggest upsell to students is if you're looking for a quiet place to study, we have study rooms and they are free and you can come in and you can reserve them ahead of time. And so they are reserved, like 75 % of our open hours, all of our study rooms are being used. So it's finding those angles of what are the needs in the community? What are you hearing? How can you respond to it? But it also means taking the time to respond to the community in a very personal, thoughtful manner, because anyone can go out and be like, go to the library. 

But if you don't feel that genuine, you don't feel that welcoming, you don't feel that personal invitation, they're not going to come. And you see it when we go out intotabling events and you build that relationship and you're like,if you like this, stop by and ask for Maria, stop by and ask for Angelica. And when they do, it's that follow through of taking the time to be like, hey, and you forgot their name, hey friend, how's it going? So glad you came. And they build that and they get so excited. And then eventually you're like, me of your name. And so then  you're able to do some of those things. But our outreach library, they're like, hey, it's the bookmobile guy. They forget his name too, but they start to associate. They start to make those connections. And it's just so nice because you know, I've had it in my experience where they're like, oh, it's because you don't have any, you don't have any books on this topic. I was like, all right, give me a couple of months. We'll go and we'll find some. 

And then, yeah, sure enough, the next time they're there, they're like, hey, you found it. It was like, yep, I just needed time. And so then you start to build that trust within the community. I do it, well, I used to do it with my storytime families is I'm like, I can't have glitter on the carpet, but when the makerspace comes in,

We can have glitter, we can be messy, we can do slime. And sure enough, you the moment that came, the parents are like, all right, I don't want this in my house. Here are my kids, make it happen. We're like, all right, let's go get messy. And, you know, they have fun and you build that relationship. And so that's been kind of my approach is, ⁓ it's very time consuming, but you build those personal relationships and then they in turn do that word of mouth of saying, you know, Go to Angelica, she will help you.

Angelica Novoa De Cordeiro (1:00:41)

I think it's that looking for that angle, know, is what I would say to anyone who wants to reach ⁓ patrons that do not come to the library or don't trust, you know, looking for that angle or that need so that how I can engage you with me. ⁓ And sometimes it's like I told them, you know, try me, just try me, mention whatever you want, try me and it's that challenge and then I failed but they tried so it's okay so next time will be my revenge and so it's looking for that angle where I can't engage with you if it is because you are tick-savvy great teach me is because you've done great I will teach you if it is because we speak the same language sure what are the diverse favorite tacos in town.

So if it is because we do not speak the same language, sure, hold me, how do you pronounce this? How would you say this? How I can be with you in looking for that angle? It doesn't matter what it is. We are human beings. We have needs. We have a way.

Maria Aguilar (1:01:56)

The other thing that I would add is, because Kristen mentioned, what about those patrons that have had a negative experience, whether it's at your own building or at another library? ⁓ When I've encountered those, I let people know, give it another chance or go to a different library and find out or talk to someone else. If you don't bring up the problem or you don't bring up your concern of what happened to you, the library can't do anything about it. And so if we don't know what we don't know, we can't address it. We can't fix it. I'm trying to think of times that our patrons have been like, hey, you know, ⁓ this isn't working or why do you have this? And we're like, I don't know, why do we have that? And so then it takes time to evaluate, like, why do we do things the way that we do them?

And so then  it creates that dialogue. And that's something that I've always told patrons, you know, just speak up, take the time and ask us, ask us. And if we don't have an answer, we will find an answer and we'll get back to you. And that's something that ⁓ at least at Cornelius, I think we're very passionate about is just making sure that we are responsive to our community and letting people know that just because they had one bad experience or a few bad experiences at another location doesn't mean that they're going to get that at all. And it's just a matter of speaking up. And I know, especially as Latinos or an immigrant or the language, it's really hard. It's not in our culture to speak up, to say what's bothering you because you don't want to be a burden, right? You don't want to feel like an outcast. Maybe you're the only one. Maybe you misinterpreted something. And so it's again, it's just building that bridge and just saying like, no, it's not. I mean, it's a version of a complaint, but if it can help us be better, why not? Right? 

And so that's one of the things that I would go back and say, having the staff, having your board, having any of your library supporters to advocate for you and just paint that picture of what your library stands for, then people are more willing, more likely to come in and engage and you just have to make sure that you're following through on the things that you promised.

Gene Iparraguirre (1:04:29)

I enjoy the idea of collaboratively working on corrective experiences with patrons to fix if they had an issue previously, how can we help you make sure it's you don't get that again or how can we make you feel better so that's really nice and pleasant. You've already touched on some of the following topics on the next question that we had where you've had such amazing success with cultural programming by getting to know your community members and what they need or want from the library.

Do you have any tips or suggstions for those libraries that are trying to make authentic connections?

Angelica Novoa De Cordeiro (1:05:03)

Be authentic. That's exactly the answer. Be authentic. Don't put a face that is not you. Practic, active listening. And then say, be sincere. I may not be able to help you. I mean, not. But I will try. For sure I will try. but I may know I want you to know that to be aware, but I will try. Let's go try. That's my favorite way to kind of wash my hands. Let's try. And great. mean, no wash my hands, but being sincere in the sense of let me be with you. 

Let's create that empathy and let me feel, you you are having a horrible time going through making an appointment to the consulate. Well, let me try I know you did it I will do exactly the same that you or ⁓ I'm trying here it is not being successful let's go try go to the painful of Google asking for a thousand codes because you need to log in into another device. mean, go through that, be authentic. It's like, yes, it's frustrating. Yes, I get it. And yes, if we will solve it, but it just just matter of time. It's gonna take long. It's not gonna be fast. In cultivating that empathy, know, I'm going through the same process with you.

Maria Aguilar (1:06:35)

The other thing that I'll add to it, because you mentioned how the tips to give to others that might be wanting some cultural programming is it goes back to listening. Like Angelica mentioned, that active listening component of things is what is it that your community wants? What is it that your stakeholders want? What is it that your county or whatever boundaries you're working with or the school wants? And how can you respond to that?

But not doing like one program and then you have five people show up and then you're like, well, I guess I tried, it's not for us. It goes beyond that because it takes time for people to trust you. It takes time for people to know, you're willing to not a risk, but you're willing to try and do something that's outside of your comfort zone, something that's outside of the norm, that's outside of the culture of that library or that town or whatever it is, it's, let's see what happens, right? And it doesn't work. All right, let's do something. Was it the food? Do we need different food to be able to bring more people in? And then after you have that momentum, you take away the food and see if they still come, right? 

But it is, it's that trial and error. It is listening, listening to those that show up. And we ask, right? When people show up to some of these culturally responsive programs, something that's not within our norm, it's like, what did you like about the program? And then they'll tell you, what's one thing we could have improved? And sometimes they do, they'll tell you. And they're like, well, you know. The food wasn't really that great or the music was too loud. I was like, okay, yeah, those are things that are within our control. Or, I wish I'd had more, like the publicity was a little bit different so that then I could have shared it with my neighbor, with my friend, with whoever. And so then you learn from that and you respond to that and you adapt to that. 

The other thing is bringing in the people that are already in your space that you have those collaborations with. So if you have an agency on nonprofit or for-profit and they're able to fill that gap or that niche that you're looking for, like, how can we collaborate? Can you put this together for me and I help publicize it? And so then you have potentially two trusted entities that are putting together an event.

And so you're able to reach more ground and show the community that you're willing to reach out to those that have ⁓ more expertise than what you might have and just letting them know, like, hey, if you like this, let us know and we can figure out how to put this together.

Kristen Curé (1:09:38)

So much of what you've talked about is being adaptable and listening, with active listening and really developing that relationship, being a place where it's okay to ask questions, it's okay to make mistakes. We know that we're gonna get to explore and have fun and try something new.

What I'm wondering is, how recent changes that have been going on in our communities, how they affected the relationship between your Spanish-speaking patrons and library services, and has the trust that you've built with your community faced a hardship in ensuring safety within the library?

Maria Aguilar (1:10:20)

Yeah, I think many of the libraries are experiencing similar things, right? They've seen a decrease in the foot traffic in certain populations because there is that fear. And we haven't...We're also experiencing that where we have seen a decline in people coming in and it could be because of what's going on politically right now.  We're fortunate that the city is proactive and just taking a stance and saying everyone is welcome.

And working with some of these non-profits to share information of how they can protect their rights, how they can protect their families, what resources they might want to reach out to if they have concerns, having flyers within our building to just say, belong, you're welcome,  ensuring that our staff are still as compassionate and friendly as they've been even prior to everything that's been going on. But there is an increase in anxiety, right? just, within our staff, within our community, within our city officials, all of that, there is that increased anxiety of you don't know what's going to happen. 

You don't know if someone is going to react negatively and vocalize that within the space. You don't know if anybody's going to be targeted. You don't know if your funding is going to be targeted just because of your stance or what historically your space has been doing. So I think the short answer to that is we have seen a change. We have seen a changejust in the frequency in which our regulars were coming in because there is that fear because they're limiting the, like, leisure for lack of a better word, because we're not always seen as an essential, right? We're not providing food. We're not providing income for them. Sorry.

So it just has made us be more aware and making sure that our staff have the resources on the computer so that they can guide those that might need them.

Angelica Novoa De Cordeiro (1:13:04)

Yeah, I think it's part of  helping  staff to be resourceful, to say, yeah, maybe we will not be able to protect you, but this is how you can protect yourself, being informative and providing staff to be resourceful. you work, I was saying before, you work within your in offices but also within your staff and with the public and you can say I understand to the public you don't may don't want to be here but still you can call me still you can reach out to me via email. Do whatever and be sincere within the sense that you know that is my limit I cannot go beyond there but I can do this and with this for sure is what I can. So creating that sense of what it is expected from you and in what manner. And part of that, that they will expect from you is respect and protection and caring and nurturing and empathy. And so that is still, maybe you don't see them every day, but you will see them eventually. They will come back.

And yes, the situation that we are living right now, it is very impactful within the food traffic within the library, but also that situation also brings other people and say, I am aware that this is going on. How I can help? I want to help. I mean, it's amazing how I just receive a phone call and say, I can help with this. Tell me a person that I know this person does not go to the library  and I got the pleasure to meet her in a personal note. I'll help her but she met me, or I met her because the library,  you know, she does not come to the library but whatever we met because the library and now she comes and say how I can help the patrons of the library, I can help with this, how we can help and like others is like you know I was paid to do this, to support this community.

 Now I know that the current budget is not going to be paid. I am here. How I can continue? Tell me what you need from me. it's building that and that trust where, yeah, being sincere, probably will not be able to give you this or support you with this. But this is the other way that we can support you. And with that, as I say, they will come

Maria Aguilar (1:16:00)

So with that,  I think we just stay proactive in confirming with our community that we are making this space as safe as it's within our control, within our means.  But also it's rebuilding those partnerships like Angelica mentioned, we have had as a result of what's going on politically, some of the agencies that support some of the issues that have been going on, they've kind of bumped us up at the top because and Helyka has been trying for years to get some programming in the library that just it we just hadn't been able to and because of what's going on it's like okay yes we will prioritize you we will make sure that that we're there and we have  amazing partnership with a local university that they have students and they're like, one of the classes is  they have to practice Spanish out in the community and we have that relationship with the professor. And so now her students are like, okay, can we translate? How can we support? 

So it's this, you get to see this other side of things where people who may not have been involved or have participated in any specific way. Now all of a sudden they're showing up and they are our advocates, they are our supporters, and they are filling in the gaps that we have. 

And it goes back to all of those relationships that we've built, the trust that we've built within our community, within our community partners, within our patrons, within our staff, that they feel confident enough to be able to speak up and say, these are our needs, or just share whatever knowledge it is that they have. So there's been a lot of pros and cons to everything that's been going on politically. We have more people all of a sudden wanting to learn more about the library. And by people, it's more of like our stakeholders, our city officials. It's like, okay, how is it that the library is funded? How is it that this works? How is it that that works? And really wanting to understand those structural components, those funding lines, so that then they know what to advocate when they're talking to others. 

And so that when they hear, this funding is cut, they're like, okay, how is it going to impact the library? And how can we fill that gap? Because we have been fortunate that our city council is very supportive of the library and they don't want it to go away because we are, we've been told frequently, we are the hub of the community. And so they don't want that to go away. And how can we continue to support that? And how can we continue to make this a safe space for everyone?

Gene (1:19:00)

That's a lot to take in, but it's always, it's been a journey of a conversation. We got to the very obvious  conversation topic that we'd get to at some point, but I'm glad that there was still a very positive spin near the end of it, that we were able to come out of it. There's a bit, not a benefit, but there's still good coming out of this. We're still kind of. What's the word? Pardon me, I'm gonna redo this, failing. That's the word. It's very nice to know that despite everything that's going on that we are still prevailing, that we're still moving forward and we're still actively able to help out our community and libraries are still the hub for a lot of people. So it's kind of, thank you. It's been, it's great to hear that.

Kristen Curé (1:19:57)

Well, I just want to add that I really appreciate how, you know, we began talking about how you have developed relationships with your patrons and with your partners and with folks in the community who may not have used the library before. But at the end, I mean, you've developed these really resilient, strong relationships with everyone when, you know, when your city council gives you so much support and wants to, you know, see you as a hub in the community and sees your importance. It's something that I think so many can learn from, that really it's that active listening and that relationship building that you've been doing in every single part of what your library does.

Maria Aguilar (1:20:42)

Yeah, and I think, and I know we are in a unique situation in that we have a lot of support. Not all libraries have that. So we are very thankful for those that value the libraries and what they have to offer and that they value and have those conversations with the library staff so that they can understand and better advocate and so  I guess I want to say like, am thankful for that, for the position that we're in, regardless of what the situation is nationally.

Angelica Novoa De Cordeiro (1:21:24)

And I will add to that, don't despair. Don't despair. Just have that willingness within you. Things will get better. I don't know when, but don't despair.

Kristen Curé (1:21:37)

Thank you so much.

Maria Aguilar (1:21:38)

Thank you.

Angelica Novoa De Cordeiro (1:21:39)

Thank you, it has been a pleasure to be here sharing with you guys our everyday life in Cornelius.

(Voiceover)

This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Library Services and Technology Act, administered by the State Library of Oregon. 

Este proyecto ha sido posible en parte por el Instituto de Servicios de Museos y Bibliotecas a través de la Ley de Servicios de Biblioteca y Tecnológia (LSTA), administrada por la Biblioteca Estado de Oregón.

(Voiceover)

We would like to take time to acknowledge historical injustices. We recognize Oregon was established as a white sanctuary state with the intent to exclude African American and Black people on ancestral lands stolen from dispossessed indigenous peoples. We recognize and honor the members of federally recognized tribes and unrecognized tribes of Oregon. We honor Native American ancestors, past, present, and future whose land we still occupy.

This acknowledgement aims to deconstruct false histories, correct the historical record and disrupt genocidal practices by refocusing attention to the original people of the land we inhabit the slave trade and forced labor that built this country, and to the oppressive social systems interwoven into the fabric of our national and regional heritage. We ask that you take a moment to acknowledge and reflect as well.

(Outro Music Playing)