Standing Together
Members of Sacred Heart’s Leadership Council pose for a pic after the Community Gathering
Friday, September 19, 2005Sacred Heart’s Learning Center was alive with light, laughter, and the sweet aroma of café de olla as members and community leaders gathered for a Community Gathering. The event, organized by Sacred Heart’s Leadership Council, sought to provide clear and reliable information about dual citizenship and changes to the healthcare system.
The Leadership Council, a “committee of committees” that brings together leaders from across Sacred Heart, had identified a pressing need for trustworthy information. Community members were struggling to navigate confusing and often frightening political changes. For many, the lack of clarity about their rights and options created fear and isolation.
Claudia, a member of the Leadership Council, spoke passionately about why events like this are essential. When she talks about her community, her voice carries a mixture of love, worry, and frustration. She has seen firsthand how confusion can upend lives, particularly for families living without documentation.
“There’s so much we don’t know,” Claudia said. “And because of that, people are scared to ask questions. They just try to stay invisible.”
In her neighborhood, many residents are immigrants navigating complicated systems, including healthcare, education, and legal status. Rumors spread quickly, often filling the gap where reliable information should be. “People will hear something from a friend or on social media, and suddenly it becomes the truth even if it’s not,” Claudia explained. “Then they make big decisions based on that.”
To address this need, the Community Gathering featured a plenary session where participants shared their hopes and fears about the future. Workshops provided practical resources, including guidance on becoming dual citizens with Mexico and updates on Medi-Cal and Medicaid.
Sacred Heart Associate Director Dr. Dalenna Hughes, who supported the Leadership Council in bringing this event to life, emphasized the importance of creating such spaces. “It was important because it’s essential that we come together as a community on a regular basis to keep people informed, to keep them active, to keep them hopeful, and to allow them space to release the fears and anxieties being placed on them. We give our community a space to come together in solidarity so they know they are not alone.”
The gathering closed with a moment of unity. Attendees formed a large circle and performed the “Unity Clap,” a tradition made famous by the United Farm Workers movement. This act of solidarity captured the spirit of the day, reminding everyone present that collective strength is one of the most powerful tools communities have.
For Dr. Hughes, the event was as much a learning experience as it was an organizing effort. “Today I learned that the community wants a path forward on how to support one another and they are willing to do the work to ensure their liberties are upheld,” she reflected.
The Community Gathering was more than an exchange of information. It was a reminder that when communities come together, fear gives way to empowerment, misinformation loses its hold, and a clearer path forward becomes possible.
