SGV Connect 139 Transcript : Chris Greenspon Interviews Estrella

Chris Greenspon (Chris) - I'm here at Arceo Park in El Monte with Estrella. 

Estrella  - Hello, hello. I am a community member here in El Monte.

Chris -  And we're here to talk about the ongoing, continuing impacts of ICE and immigration raids, people being taken from their homes or job sites off the street at bus stops. 

So, in a general sense, what would you say the state of affairs is right now in your neighborhood?

Estrella - Beginning in June, it did feel like things were completely dead.  I heard no music. It really felt empty. But now, we're entering August, it feels like things have picked up again a little. I mean, I still don't really hear music, but I feel like there's been a shift. I feel like people are definitely way more open to talking to their neighbors. I feel like I've definitely met more of my neighbors since the raids began, and there is still a bit of mistrust that people may have. You don't know who is an agent and who is not really, especially because a lot of these agents seem to have Hispanic last names.

Chris - So do people still seem scared? Does it seem like guards are being let down at all?

Estrella - People are less scared than they were in June, but people's guards are still up. I wouldn't say…it won't return back to how it was before, maybe even with my family members and community members. 

I'm going to places like the swap meet, which once was a place to enjoy music and dance and shopping. I think especially with the Santa Fe Swap Meet's failure to protect their vendors and the community members that attend their functions, there's been mistrust in spaces that you used to host. I don't know. It's not going to be the same as it was. but people are slowly coming out, but definitely with more information on legal resources and procedures like, what to do when, when you find ICE. 

I think that's been giving people a bit of comfort in the community.

Chris - Have you seen people missing rent or having to find other ways to make money.

Estrella - I definitely have heard of people being low on rent, especially people who are scared to go to work. But even then, when people do go to work, there isn't a lot of work. There are people that don't have as many hours and therefore aren't, aren't being paid as much. 

Even my own mother is getting her paycheck cut in half. Day laborers, especially…there isn't as much work because people aren't out here  supporting the economy in El Monte. I see the the Valley Mall seems emptier.

Chris - How does it seem like people feel about taking their kids back to school?

Estrella - I have heard people relying more on the community members, asking other people to give their kids rides. You know. I have also heard that  the school districts here in El Monte have seen a drop in attendance, especially with summer school and the last week of school. 

They may have seen it and I am definitely worried about how it's going to turn out. The kids need transportation, and if, like, the school districts here in El Monte can step up and provide bus transportation. That would be amazing as well. Yeah...

Chris - So, how are people keeping hopeful? How are people keeping their spirits up? If at all? 

Estrella - I see a bigger shift towards religion. El Monte is a very Catholic community but there's less people going to church. I think people are turning to religion in their own homes. They're praying over each other.

Undoc or immigrant parents are just like street vendors. There’s a bigger shift on relying on their children. I don't know if you've seen children of street vendors vending for them. Even with support, with rent. In my own family and my extended family, there's just been a bigger shift on children stepping up and trying to provide the rent as there's been shorter and shorter paychecks for undoc folks.

Chris Greenspon - What do you think is the federal government's intention behind causing all this fear in California and other states?

Estrella - I think they are really testing the waters. Seeing how the community will resist, if we will begin to talk to each other. Especially like in the age of social media, there's been a shift away from community. People tend to just always be on their phones. They look down when they see people. And I think the true shift is that we need unity in the community. People need to talk to their neighbors, for sure. Because when ICE comes out into our community, people who have papers and people who have white privilege, they need to come out and show solidarity, because ICE…it's proven that ICE leaves. 

They don't want to see community resistance. So I think they really are testing the waters to see how much they can wipe us out and control us.

Chris Greenspon - Estrella, thanks for meeting with us today. 

Estrella - Thank you so much.