Ā«English version belowĀ»
SAN DIEGO.- Camerino Fierro es un inmigrante mexicano que llegĆ³ a San Diego procedente de Cuautla, Morelos, MĆ©xico, en 1982. A su arribo comenzĆ³ a trabajar en un restaurante de Point Loma de lavaplatos.
Siendo un hombre de campo, don Camerino naciĆ³ arraigado a la tierra que extraƱaba profundamente, pero gracias a una seƱora que sĆ³lo recuerda se llamaba Hermelinda, supo del programa comunitario conocido como Seguridad Alimenticia, de āNew Roots Farmā (Granja Nuevas RaĆces).
Este programa que surge en la comunidad de City Heights en la dĆ©cada de lOs 70ās, se crea para ayudar a los refugiados, en su mayorĆa, quienes huĆan de las guerras en Cambodia y Vietnam, del hambre y abusos de los gobiernos somalĆes en Africa.
Es aquĆ āa un costado de la calle 54 y la avenida University- donde estos refugiados inician sus nuevas raĆces, advierte Prya Reddy, responsable de este programa. La organizaciĆ³n humanista con nombre de Internacional Rescue Committee, IRC, (ComitĆ© Internacional de Rescate), surgiĆ³ en el aƱo 1933, a iniciativa del cĆ©lebre cientĆfico Albert Einstein, en oposiciĆ³n a las polĆticas racistas de Adolf Hitler, y cuya finalidad es ayudar a las personas que son perseguidas por motivos raciales, polĆticos o religiosos.
La entrevistada recuerda que San Diego, y en especial City Heights, es una de las comunidades mĆ”s grandes y diversas en los Estados Unidos, pues aquĆ viven familias pertenecientes a todos los grupos sociales del mundo, y el principal requisito para ser candidato al programa comunitario āNew Roots Farmā (Granja Nuevas RaĆces) es que resida de esa comunidad.
Prya, descendiente de una familia originaria de la India pero nativa del estado de Texas, recuerda que este programa tiene alrededor de cinco aƱos. Dio inicio cuando llegaron los primeros refugiados de Somalia-BantĆŗ a San Diego, un grupo que forma parte de una minorĆa Ć©tnica. Los SomalĆes BantĆŗ nos dijeron āmira nosotros necesitamos un lugar para sembrarā pero a cabo de pocos aƱos fueron afectados por las enfermedades urbanas como la diabetes, hipertensiĆ³n, obesidad, sobrepeso y colesterol, indicĆ³ Prya del ComitĆ©.
La granja se encuentra en un predio de 2.3 acres propiedad del gobierno de la ciudad, a escasos metros de donde corre el arroyo llamado Chollas Creek, y el programa agrupa a 85 familias inmigrantes. A simple vista se observa en la granja Nuevas RaĆces la amalgama de culturas de las familias que la integran: tienen ahĆ su pequeƱo espacio (parcela) con su nombre y tipo de cultivo: desde maĆz, caƱas, calabazas, frijol, plĆ”tanos, coliflor, nopales, acelgas, y demĆ”s productos agrĆcolas tĆpicos de Cambodia como el Pok Choy; los cuales son vendidos por las propias familias los sĆ”bados en el llamado Farmers Market (Mercado de la Granja).
EjemplificĆ³ que despuĆ©s de los somalĆes, acudieron a la oficina los inmigrantes latinos, y precisĆ³ que āaunque nosotros apoyamos primariamente a las personas refugiadas, sabemos que no se puede dar asistencia a ellos si no intentamos trabajar con toda la comunidad y el entorno donde viven, pues trabajamos para la justicia social y eso no es para refugiados solamenteā.
Un indicador del grado de interĆ©s que ha despertado la granja referida es la visita que a la misma hizo la primera dama, Michelle Obama, el 15 de abril del 2010 en su promociĆ³n del programa nacional alimenticio, denominado āComunidades Saludablesā.
Horacio RenterĆa
Ellatinoonline.com
Planting new roots
SAN DIEGO. ā A native of Mexico, Camerino Fierro, migrated to the United States in 1982, from the City of Cuautla, Morelos. Subsequent to his arrival in the City of San Diego, Fierro started working on a restaurant in Point Loma as a dishwasher.
With a background in agriculture, Don Camerino grew up attached to the land that he farmed and deeply missed. It was thanks to a lady, that he only remembers by the name of Hermelinda, that he learned about the program, known as Food Security and Community Health (FSCH), of the New Roots Community Farm.
The Food Security and Community Health program (FSCH), was introduced to the City Heights community in the 1970ās, with the purpose of assisting refugees, who fled the Cambodian and Vietnam wars, from abuse inflicted by their superiors, and citizens of Africa in the risk of starvation. Is here, in this City Heights farm, where these refugees start their new roots, next to 54th Street and University Avenue.
Priya Reddy, member of IRC, International Rescue Committee (whose purpose is to help those who are persecuted for racial, political, or religious, believes), is also the director of the FSCH program.
In the interview, Priya recalls how San Diego, and in particular City Heights, is one of the largest and most diverse communities in the United States, with families whoās origins come from all over the world, and with variable household incomes. To be part of the New Roots Community Farm, one of the requirements is that applicants must reside within this multicultural community.
The program began 5 years ago, when the first Somalia-Bantu refugees arrived.
āLook, we need a placed to sowā said the Somalis-Bantu during their first visit to San Diego. Sadly, within a few years, they began to suffer from symptoms of what they would refer to as āurbanā illnesses. Although they are familiar to our country, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, overweight, and cholesterol are less common among their homeland. The program director distinctly recalls this event, because she was able to relate to those struggles, as she comes from an Indian family, although a Texas native.
The farm is located on government land that measures 2.3 acres, just a few meters from Chollas Creek. Approximately 85 immigrant families reside in this site as a result of the programās success. At a glance you observed New Roots Community Farm and the amalgam of cultures.
Small parcels with a wide variety of agriculture products, including corn, pumpkins, beans, bananas, cauliflower, cactus, beets, etc. And crops from Cambodia, such as Pok Choy. The same families sell the produce, every Saturday in the popular Farmers Market.
After the Somalis approached the IRC office seeking assistance, more Hispanic immigrants came forward. āEven tough we primarily support refugees trough the program, we know, we can not assist them if we donāt help the community and their surrounding areas, because we work for the social justice and that is not only for refugeesā director, Priya Reddy, prĆ©cised.
An indicator of the level of significance and interest that this farm has awakened was the visit of first lady, Michelle Obama, on April 15th, 2010, while promoting the national food initiative called āBuilding Healthy Communitiesā.
Horacio RenterĆa
Ellatinoonline.com
