Alianza Spartanburg is an organization that facilitates the inclusion of Latino communities in Spartanburg, a town in South Carolina.
Spartanburg County has the fifth largest Hispanic/Latino population in South Carolina. According to data from the most recent Census, around 26,000 people of Hispanic or Latino origin live in that town. In addition, more than 6,500 census respondents who do not speak English “very well,” making it difficult for them to be included in the community.
Dr. Laura Barbas-Rhoden, founder of Alianza Spartanburg explains that this town in South Carolina has been a destination for Latino immigrants since the 1990s, first of all because of its post-textile factory and also because of other types of jobs. related to construction, gardening, among others.
Recently, however, cultural barriers, the immigration status of Latinos, and social isolation have become a problem for the community. “In our immigrant communities, mental health issues, struggles, and illnesses go untreated, often until symptoms become chronic or severe,” explains Gia Quiñones, one of the few Spanish-speaking and Latina medical specialists. that the community has.
For this reason, groups such as Alianza Spartanburg have developed strategies for the inclusion of immigrants and children of immigrants. Founded in 2012, this initiative seeks to improve the quality of life and inclusion of Latino residents of Spartanburg.
Jordan Crosby, on the other hand, works with Hispanic and Latino students in the Spartanburg School District who experience cultural isolation, depression and anxiety about the status of their guardians, as well as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD is often experienced after family members are detained or deported.
Barbas-Rhoden explains that it is a collective trauma and that it is generally lived in silence. The lack of access to mental health services in the community makes the problem more difficult to address.
For this reason, health professionals and organizations such as Alianza Spartanburg, Spartanburg Area Mental Health, PASOs Spartanburg or El Centro provide support to facilitate the inclusion of excluded Latino communities, especially the youngest.
