Entrevista con Gigo Guerrero

Gigo Guerrero - Transcript

 

DH: Hello and thank you so much for participating in our project today is July 9th, 2020 first would you tell us your full name please.

 

GG: Yes so kind of funny story with that, my first name is Rodrigo, my last name Guerrero, but I you know growing up ever since I was like a foot and a half tall everybody called me Gigo how and why I'm not even sure I asked everybody and they're like I don't know we start calling you Gigo, so that's look with me and I really like it because I think Rodrigo just sounds way too serious just one of those names where when mom's mad at you or somebody, you know, and you're in trouble they use your full name so you know, especially being Hispanic it's one of those things. But Gigo is who I am and what it stands for, I'm not really sure, but I like it so that's my name

 

 DH: Sounds good and could you tell us where were you born and where did you grow up? 

 

GG: Yes I was born in Sioux City raised in South Sioux, so this is literally I've been here my whole life you know what's at turn 18 I kind of moved away here and there try a few different cities of the few different states but you know something's always my family's here this is my home and this is where I'm at currently so…

 

DH: And can you tell us a little bit about your childhood and growing up here in South Sioux?

 

GG: it was a lot of fun I mean, just now that I'm older you know just driving around certain places or even the other day my girlfriend and I went for a walk by my old elementary school and buy some old apartments and like you know babe this is where we used to  go swim during the summertime you know I didn't live in those apartments but we used to go swimming there all the time so it's a it was a lot of fun growing up it was always I would say a little bit different you know just being Hispanic I don't know it was different but now that I'm older I look back and you know coming home from school you know my first responsibilities you know weren't to study do my homework or get ready you know my schoolwork ready for the next day it was you know sweep the floor mop the floor do the dishes help out with this how about that around the house you know it's it's not no nothing wrong I think it's great you know I learned a lot of different skills that way too but I think that was just one of those things that were a little bit different from myself and some of my friends going up 

 

DH: And could you tell us what are some of your favorite memories of childhood and where were your favorite places to be in Sioux City? Anywhere?

 

GG: Yeah mean I would have to definitely say the soccer fields I grew up playing soccer my friends and I we would always just have a bot or feet you know back in the day we used to ride bikes and my friend would pick me up I'd hop on the back in his pegs and we just go to the soccer fields and play for hours I mean I remember my mom getting pretty pretty mad at me for you know staying up late sometimes or even be now in the driveway just juggling the ball and she'd always just like come in Center any shower up and eat something and I could skate late so definitely soccer and soccer days were were a lot of fun I feel like I learned a lot about life through soccer like we're not Dina says I learned a lot about life with the ball on my feet and it's just been a lot of funds I think that's for sure one of the childhood memories that I do cherish the most 

 

SA: Where were the soccer fields when you were a kid?

 

GG: Yeah so they're yeah they're still at by the river so I know recently it's flooded every other year kind of seems like so that's a deceit because you know sometimes even this year I think it's the flood still damaged then pretty bad and you know they recover and then it just gets flooded again so yeah that's what we used to play pretty much practice and everyday and then as I grew up I started playing in men's leagues those were always a lot of fun too so yeah they were by the river still 

 

DH: Do you have any brothers or sisters?

 

GG: Yes so I do have three brothers they're all older than me and then two sisters ones younger ones the oldest so out of the six I'm the fifth one down I'm technically the baby in the family though just because my little sister is married she has two kids you know she's got her own home already stuff like that so I'm the baby of the family now and it feels great [laugh]

 

DH: Did you go and play soccer with them when you were younger?

 

GG: Yeah you know and that's um that was really really fun too because I'm growing up I was always pretty good at soccer and I think what really made me good was always playing with my older brothers we would always be shoving each other fighting you know how it is with brother sometimes come on crying sometimes like that but playing against older kids or even my brother who's always kind of toughened me up so when I played against kids my age it was it was pretty pretty easy so yeah we played a lot so…

 

DH: So you mentioned you were the fifth child, is that correct, did you how did you take care of your siblings or your younger siblings? 

 

GG: Yeah so our growing up I mean I feel like we've always kind of been very United we've always had each other's backs you know with my little sister I think like any family we're always very overprotective well we're both of my sisters really but it was just you know we don't we just kind of walked to school together you know we'd come back from school together stuff like glad to kind of you know protect each other back then I don't feel like it was as crazy of the world that it is today maybe I was just young and there know much but now it's like men sometimes I see some of these kids walk and or something I'm just like I hope they're okay you know I hope they make it home okay so back in the day we always kind of used to stick stick stick in a group so you would see us everywhere together. 

 

DH: And what kind of things would you guys do together like in your free time?

 

GG: A lot of soccer a lot of wrestling we just always kind of we watched WWE and then we would I know they say to not try these things at home but you know that's one of the first things we would do and you know whenever we go to family parties we tag team and play fight against my cousins and stuff like that obviously never got to the point where we like hated each other but we would always kind of you know come home crying sometimes or you know something like that it would always happen that's just part of being a kid and you know that's just part of you know what we used to do back then we used to play marbles nowadays I don't think kids know what marbles are but you know easy to play marbles and stuff so we used to do a few different things and yeah it was it was fun. 

 

DH: And then when did your family first come to Siouxland?

 

GG: So I had talked to my parents about that because I'm actually when I was in school I did do a project and it was about migrating and my parents came here in the 80s they first got to Colorado that's where they were mean for for a while for a few years and from what they've told me I don't I don't know how they did it man I mean it's just one of those things where they did another language they didn't know the system I mean my dad luckily he was able to have you know like social security and everything so he could work immediately but he would always you know even still as they just pick up like labor jobs and then my mom eventually so my dad came first and then it was like the whole like little love story you know he would send her letters back when Dave in his letters and then she would sometimes get them since then she wouldn't since then she would write back or so you know sometimes they would just get lost but it was one of those kind of little love stories where they just worked it out they were just patient with each other my dad whenever he could he could go visit my mom and then he brought her to there to the u.s. eventually but they did go through some tough times again just with the whole not knowing where you're at you don't know anybody out here all you really know is what other people have told you well that's way different than when you actually arrived and then you're like okay now where do I start that's why I think we're you know I love Mary Treglia so much because we we dealt with those families every single day and it was just great being able to you know point them in the right drapes and you know help them find a job find a house fine fine benefits insurance and stuff like that so yeah it was um I don't know if I answered the question that kind of legit but yep in the 80s and then they came to Siouxland late 80s and then that's where they started a family we started you know they got the first home I remember we color our first “la casita”  I see that it's there in the same place it was a small little house and I don't know how we all lived there just cuz it's so small but as we grew up we outgrew it and then we moved to 15th in G that's where we're at today so it's a nicer home big at home and ya know we're still here. 

 

SA: And you know what the reason was for the Colorado to South Sioux  move?

 

 GG: Job opportunities yep so my parents they moved to Sioux City because my one of my uncle's was here before them and he's like hey you gotta come you gotta come  you know there's there's this plant it's called John Murrell you know they get you you know you'll start tomorrow it's a deal so again it was just one of those things where when I put myself in that situation or when I try to think about it it would be so hard for me to just drop everything and go somewhere new with no guarantees and that',s that's what they did that's why really about respect the sacrifice that they've done for myself and my brothers and everyone really but they came here to work at John Murrell and they worked there for about 17, 16, 17, 18 years and so shutdown in 2011 so they came out here for jobs.

 

DH: And where were your parents born and where do they work or who do they work for now? 

 

GG: Yep so both my parents were born in Guanajuato, in Mexico that's that's where they're from so we aren't know what one when we got here it was just there wasn't even too many people from there there so really isn't which was kind of you know it's sometimes when you have people to better where you're from it makes you easier to to kind of adjust but yeah they came here from Guanajuato, Mexico.

 

DH: And what do they do for work now?

 

GG: So ya know my dad actually he's still working Labor's the hard labor job he's actually working at Tyson Tyson food chain Dakota City he's you know and my dad just one of those people were like I feel like a lot of Hispanic parents they know nothing about hard work they don't want to just sit around at home even though we've tried to tell them you know just the home bad you're good now he doesn't want to he just wants to finish the race and I mean the pie race I just mean like you know he once that gets retirement which is like two three years away and my mom she actually wants John Murrell closed in six kids you know we're all older now we're all able to help out around the house and she's able to help out I don't have any kids if my older brothers and sisters she watches their kids here and there instead of taking a baker they taking the grandma so that's kind of like her full-time job I guess you could say yeah I think sometimes that she says that's harder than you know I'm actually down but it's obviously done with a lot of love and that's that's I think it's great for everybody because my siblings feel very comfortable dropping them off at Grandma's and grandmom you know you know sometimes it's a little hectic she really enjoys it too so that's what mom my mom does now. 

 

DH: And there seems to be like a lot of family unity within like your family so there's I'm assuming there's a lot of traditions that you grew up with in your household?

 

GG: Yeah first off I mean one thing that I'm gonna just really value and admire about my parents that no matter how hard tons I've ever been they've always done their best to celebrate our birthdays and till this day they still do even if it's just a cookie cake nowadays or something they do something another tradition I mean obviously most of the Mexican traditions like Christmas we gather up together pretty much we look for any reason to gather up and make have a lot of food we have a lot of drinks have a good time with each other you know my girlfriend she's very observant see she's like well you guys always you're so united you guys get together yeah that's we look for almost for any reason to celebrate like and it's kind of crazy now that our family so big there's literally something about every weekend which I'm okay with it gives you know gives life some some meaning and just keeps it interesting. 

 

DH: And what memories are stories that they like to pass on to you guys?

 

GG: There's some really good stories there's some sad stories for example you know even just education one of the reasons why it's like sometimes I look at myself where even said my nephews or something I think we're so privileged to be able to go to school to get an education my mom stopped going to school at an early age for like 70 years old and the sad story behind that is that so back in the day they still have to walk together I kind of like we used to you know but they still walk to school and it was probably like a hour and a half walk and an hour and a half walk these two have to pass this creek and there's just like a wooden just a piece of wood that you would have to use to get over it well unfortunately one of my uncles I never got to me fell into the creek and you drowned it so that's a sad story that you know my mom ever since then they stopped going to school yeah and she just kind of stood around you know just look at home you know doing chores and stuff like that so again she still learned a lot of life skills and a lot of like you know just things you need in life but her education was pretty much ended pretty quickly because of that Mike my grandma just didn't want to lose anybody else it was those dangerous back then so that's one of the stories and good stories um you know just obviously sometimes one thing that I love is that my parents they recorded a lot of our little birthday parties when we were young or just like little moments we'd go to the park and they would bring a big old camera and record so now we've converted to those until like you know CDs and stuff and we've seen those just recently you were just watching some of those home videos and wow this is cool like we're all so small we're also just I don't know so innocent and everything just kind of being little kids and it's it's fun to see you know and we're all laughing about each other now and stuff but I think that's one of the memory one of the things I really like about my parents do another you know I was going out so capturing those little moments do. 

 

DH: What languages do you speak? Were you brought up like speaking Spanish with your parents? I mean do you speak any other languages besides English?

 

GG:  So I'm actually just recently started taking some French lessons on Rosetta Stone so I know Spanish in English but I'm now challenging myself because I want to learn more languages I want to at least know for maybe five that's my goal I would love to learn French is next I'm Portuguese just because when I was in college my roommates were Brazilian so and it's very similar to Spanish in it I think I can pick that up pretty pretty easily if I just put the effort in there in the last one I would like to learn would be German so I feel like those languages are pretty common languages all over the world. 

 

DH: And could you tell us like your overall experience with the Spanish language I mean it

could be good or bad like do you avoid like using Spanish like and with different people or in specific

situations where you like feel like it's uncomfortable?

 

GG: You know not at all Damian I think it's a gift that you know I have you know to be able to speak both languages you know it's crazy to think about my mom does not I know how to read or write but somehow we know how to read and write Spanish and it's I think it's one thing that we picked up from going to church CCD like the church classes in Spanish they spoke to us at home in Spanish listening to Spanish music stuff like that so it kind of just we grew up with Spanish which is great and now I think that's a gift that myself and a lot of my siblings have and we're able to use it out in the real world you know right now in my current job or even married Shelia or just anywhere I go really I'm able to communicate with most of the population pretty fluently and it makes them feel comfortable and it's just something that I can do to help them as well. 

 

SA: So can you just tell real quickly what CCD stands for and what that was like for you?

 

GG: Yeah you know I don't know what it stands for I just call like Sunday school or church school yeah so I was raised Catholic and we would do the Sundays and stuff and the classes were in Spanish so the teachers all spoke Spanish they gave us the lessons in Spanish we have to used to read the book in Spanish and everything so that's I think where we picked it up but other than that we never you know there was no lesson Spanish lessons or anything like that that I ever took if anything I don't know how but Spanish was probably one of the worst night classes but like grades I got during high school maybe because I thought it was just oh I already know it I'm not gonna try but yeah I mean some some of the Spanish like it's different you know like Spanish from Spain is different talking to Porto Ricans at work I have some co-workers from Puerto Rico that's different you know I think it's interesting I think it's cool like just the way we use different words some words have completely different meanings in different countries so. 

 

SA: Did they offer classes at  your high school that were specifically for Spanish speakers or did you have to take the regular Spanish class with everybody else?

 

GG: No there was um it was just like a mix anybody that wanted to take Spanish I know there was also like ESL that was made for them to learn English the new coming students so with the Spanish classes we're a mix I mean who ever wanted to take em could take in when there was I think like three levels so I think if you're just somewhat a Spanish speaker they start taking level 2 and until you’re done.

 

DH: What are some phrases that you remember most or use most? Do your parents use any expressions because my parents do that.

GG: Like yeah you know I mean there's a lot of advice my mom has given us over the years that just always stay with me and you know even even some funny things like I I see an element nephews and my niece you know the Cucuy you know like with little things like that even for the fourth of July my niece was afraid of the fireworks that she would call them the Cucuy you know like the monster and it's just one of those funny things but yeah I mean it's um you know except my mom always they just always poured into us we've always really just I believe they raised us really well and there's just a lot of phrases that you know I've I've stuck with me so and sometimes I hear mountain too like with at work so right now where I work at Smithfield it's one of those things where again I love it a lot just because when I see these workers work they worked really hard first of all I mean hats off.

 

SA: Just to jump back a little bit, can you tell us a little bit about your experience in high school? Do you feel like you got support to start college, or do you feel like you had any role models or mentors during that time to help you make that decision that you wanted to go to college?

 

GG: Yeah, I feel like a lot of my soccer coaches, maybe you guys know them, José Gonzalez, Lupe, Jessie Castillo, Marla Greer. A lot of them were just big influences. Their goal was to help me get to college. You know, they would do just about anything to you know help us get here and you know mainly the ticket to college for myself and all of our people was soccer. You know, but in order to be a college athlete or student athlete you got to be a good student first. They just drilled that into us all the time. And it’s one of those things where, if it wasn’t for them, I mean I probably, and there was a time in my life when I started hanging out with the wrong crowd. But because of my coaches and you know my counselors, Mr. Craig and a few other people, they just really kind of kept me in check, you know you can really either go this way or that way. This is what this way looks like, this is what this way can look like. You choose right now cuz your actions you know are speaking for themselves. And it’s one of those things where I decided to you know stick to school you know and soccer was a big thing that helped me there. So yeah, but I did feel like I had the support. A lot of the counselors, a lot of the coaches were always very helpful and like I said their goal was just to help me get a better education so I could have a better life.

 

SA: That’s great. So, we talked a little bit about your work for Family Services at Mary J. Treglia Community House in Sioux City. What led to your interest in that position and what did you learn while on the job there?

 

GG: So, I learned a lot. My interest was just at first when I applied there, I had never even heard of Mary Treglia. But when, I think one of my friends like, “Hey, I think you should apply there. You’d be great. We are looking for someone bilingual” and this and that you know. And I was like, Ok, I’ll give it a try. But I’ve never heard of Mary Treglia before so I looked them up a little bit. Some of the stuff I seen on their website was pretty great. And I was like well Ok, I’ll give it a shot, I got nothing to lose. I think at the time I was working at a call center, just a job that was very unfulfilling to me.  I was really just doing it to get the paycheck. So, then I did get an interview at Mary Treglia. That’s when Erica De Leon was the director, and it was just a great interview. And then I was like, “Yeah, I’ll take the position you know, I really want to be a part of this team.” So, since 2013 I’ve just been there. I’ve been on and off here and there because I’ve taken other jobs after that. But you know one thing that I really learned and love about Mary Treglia was you know, that every day was different. You know, there are so many different families that come, there are so many different stories you hear every day and it’s just one of those things that I loved the most. And what it made me learn the most was that I really could appreciate you know me being here in this country, to the fact that I am a citizen, to the fact that I am a citizen. To the fact that I can communicate, I can excel, I can get an education, I can move up in jobs. Because a lot of these people come, literally like my parents came here. And again, I remember telling Erica De Leon, when I see a lot of these clients walking in, I see my parents walking in. Because my parents were in the same position at one time, you know, they needed help, they needed somebody to read a letter to them or somebody to help them apply for a job or something. And it’s just one of those things that really helped me just cherish really the blessing that I have to be born here, raised here, to help others. So, I think, I like to say, I’m blessed and now I’m able to bless others. So, that was a way for me to be able do that.

 

SA: Yeah, citizenship is such a privilege for sure. Based on your experience with Mary Treglia and your own experiences, if you were to offer advice to newly arrived immigrants to our area, what would you tell them? 

 

GG: I would tell them to not take any opportunity for granted. You know I think, just that word opportunity, I think it’s one of those words that’s it’s just used so much it’s lost its meaning. I feel like my parents came here to the US for the land of the free but the land of opportunity. The way I look at it’s like, don’t take any opportunities for granted. You know, go as far as you can in your job, go as far as you can in your education. You know, if you can do more, why not? So, it’s one of those things where I would tell them to you know, to try their best to do their best. Just to go for all of the opportunities they got. 

 

SA: You talked a little bit about your current work at Smithfield Foods. But can you tell us about either that or about other jobs, and what you learned from them and which job, perhaps has been your favorite?

 

GG: So, at Smithfield it’s crazy because I’ve only literally been there three months now, July 4. Since I started there, I’ve been promoted four times. I’ve gotten to the level of supervisor which, so it’s kinda crazy because my brother works there. He’s worked there 17 years and he’s a supervisor. And I just got there three months ago and I’m a supervisor already. And it’s not because I’m special or nothing like that, I think it’s just my work ethic and just way I really you know showed up to the company. I always tell people you should want to add as much value as you can and they’ll see that. Most companies will see that. And Just make connections, network as much as you can. I was talking to a lot of the supervisors, building good relationships with a lot of them. You know when I first started, I started out as a temp screener. So that with COVID happening right now, they put in a lot of new rules in place. So anytime anyone goes out the door before they come in, we have to check their temperature just to make sure they weren’t running a fever and then we give them a mask.  That was me in the entrance every single day. So That was pretty cool cuz I was in a perfect position to see everyone that walked in, all the workers, all the supervisors, all the management, the plant manager.  So, I was just courteous. I would just ask them “Hey, how is your day going?” You know Just talk to them, make connections. Hey, I like your shirt, you know stuff like that. Just little things you do to build relationships. And actually, there’s a book right here that I’ve read that I think I would recommend to anyone too and it’s How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. This book has helped me a ton and now it’s really showing just in the workforce. You know, I make relationships with a lot of people I don’t think anybody hates me out there, I hope they don’t at least. I really just respect them, you know the golden rule. Just respect others, they will respect you back. So that alone, and you know just I’ve had a lot of mentors in my lifetime. You know, I’ve been reading a lot of books. I just tell people a lot, all the time, just invest in yourself, that’s the best investment you can ever make.  I went from not reading any books at all, like throughout school I just hated reading. For awhile I thought I was kinda dumba cuz I would read a page or a chapter and I’d be like, what was that all about? But now I just learned a different way to read.  Now I read probably a book a week or a book every two weeks, something that is going to help me you know grow you know spiritually, financially, with my relationships, physically. Stuff like that, I just, I’m always trying to invest in myself and be the best version I can be. I believe that’s really helped me excel in the workforce. So, I don’t know if that answered your question. 

SA: That’s great. And what would you say have been some of the most difficult times, living here?

GG: Some of the most difficult times, I think it’s just, and I think it’s something that everybody needs to go through and not to sound negative, but failure. You know, I remember when I moved to Omaha, there was many times where I was literally, I was just eating eggs, hard boiled eggs, bananas and peanut butter. I was trying to make ends meet. You know, just trying different things. And there were times where you know, that I got evicted. You know, stuff like that. So I think part of it too, you know is just growing up sometimes, me personally at least, I feel like at least through school, we weren’t really ever really taught how to go apply for an apartment, how to have good credit. I mean I know we probably were, maybe I just didn’t catch it. But you know I feel like I had to learn the hard way in a lot of these things. You know I just remember like I said, being evicted, stuff like that. Being a young adult, sometimes you don’t want to go to your parents and tell them “Hey, you know, I’m not living at that apartment no more.” You are just kind of in a way living a lie. But then you get yourself back up, you learn from it. Once you hit rock bottom, the only thing from there is just to go up. So, I feel like it’s one of those things people need to fail forward. Then, eventually you start to grow, you know, yourself. I love that too because it humbles you. Then it teaches you to respect others in that situation. You can help others going through that situation. So, that’s one of the things that for sure has been the hardest for me, just kind of failing through life. So, I think that’s why I’ve had the success that I’ve had. 

 

SA: I love that you see it as building, you know, empathy, right? That you can help others going through those things. And what would you say has been the proudest moment of your life, so far?

 

GG: The proudest moment, that’s tough. I think there’s a lot. But I really cherish family. And this is not like an accomplishment of mine, but I think one of the things that brings the most joy to me is my niece. So, in my family there’s 12, grandkids, 11 grandkids. There’s 10 boys and 1 girl and it’s kind of sweet cuz my dad’s name is Prisciliano so they named her Priscila, you know pretty much after my dad. And she is just beautiful, she is just all over the place. She is very spoiled, but you know even before I hopped on here, I was at home and I saw here and it was just one of those things that lifts up your spirits. And I think that would probably be, it’s not really much of an accomplishment that’s mine but I think it’s one of the things that brings joy to me.

 

SA: Being a good uncle is an accomplishment for sure. 

 

GG: Yeah, they really like me, so I like that too, it’s fun.

 

SA: What changes do you feel you have witnessed happening in our area, in Siouxland? Have you seen any big changes?

 

GG: Major changes, you know it’s something that I really want to somehow contribute to change, to help out. Obviously just driving through downtown Sioux City, we see a lot of homeless people now. And there is more and more every single day, every single year. And I mean it’s just one of those things where before, you never really used to see that. And if you did, I mean it wasn’t for long, they would probably get help. But I feel like now there are just so many people and I don’t where the problem happened and I’m not blaming Hard Rock, but just visually, ever since the Hard Rock showed up and it was built, there’s been a lot more crime happening in the area. And I’m actually pretty good friends with one of the police officers in Sioux City and he’s like, we’ve talked about this and he agrees, I mean for some reason, I think it just attracted more people to the city. And obviously when you have more people there is going to be more crime, more good and more bad. So, it’s just one of those things where, it’s not a bad problem. I think Sioux City has been growing a lot, even South Sioux. But it’s just probably one of those growing pains that cities have to go through. And I think Sioux City is getting to that point now where it’s getting pretty big, there is families coming from a sorts of cities, even countries. And it’s becoming a diverse city which is great but there is lot of problems that come with it too and I think that is, again, where Mary Treglia, or people like us can kind of help people, guide people, direct people in the right direction. I think that’s one of the problems I’ve seen the most out here. And I mean that’s not even talking about COVID.

 

SA: That’s the next question, you knew it was coming, didn’t you? You mentioned it earlier but how has the coronavirus affected you and how do you think it has affected the entire Latinx community in Siouxland?

 

GG: Yeah So the way it affected me first of all. Obviously Mary Treglia was closed for an amount of time. And It’s open now but it’s more virtual services that they’re doing, which is very hard to do. But Mary Treglia was closed and obviously, it’s one of the things that we were talking about, and talking about and then out of nowhere the governor announced that schools were closing down and we go by the school district so we had to shut down. It was closed from one week to another, and it was like wow, for me it was just a shock because This is something that is real now, this is something that is happening here now. It’s not just something that is happening in New York, and San Francisco and big cities. But the way it’s affected me is, you know, I lost my job. And yeah, I could have probably done unemployment and stuff. It’s just one of those things where me personally, if I know I can do something, I’m going to do it. So, I started looking around and that’s when I landed that job at Smithfield.   I heard this in a podcast, and I believe 100% that you know, that crisis creates opportunity. I think there is a lot of crisis happening right now. I think what you focus on expands. But if you focus on the crisis, you know are just going to get the negative you know flow that comes with that. But if you focus on the opportunity and everything else that is happening, the positives, you are going to find more of that. So, you know, with COVID I think a lot of people had to kind of reevaluate what they were doing for a living. I mean, I never, honestly, I never thought I would be working at a plant. Again, I always kind of looked at plants like, oh well I don’t want to work at Tyson. I don’t want to do this or do that. But now that COVID has happened it’s opened my eyes to like wow, one, with this whole COVID thing that happened, they were frontline too, you know? I mean, respect to the doctors and nurses and everybody that’s contributed to this, but a lot of you know, the plant workers were frontline. And obviously we saw the outbreaks that were happening at Tyson and the Smithfield in Sioux calls and a bunch of other places. And it only makes sense because they work so close to each other and it was just a matter of time. How the plant dealt with it, I really admire that too. I feel, and this is not one of those like times to talk about the media but there is was one thing that was happening like all over the news but me, that I was there, I was like, that’s not really happening here. So, I don’t know how everyone is talking about this so bad because it gets everybody’s emotions stirred up. But one thing that I love that Smithfield did, and Tyson did it eventually too, but they, anyone 60 and older was placed on quarantine meaning that they were sent home. A lot of people they started May 1st so May 1st even until now people are quarantined. They are still getting paid their 40 hours a week, they get a $500 like it’s a responsibility bonus and then they get at $5 additional pay because they are frontline workers. So, they’ve been doing a lot, they’ve changed. I mean, the whole plant since I’ve been there, there are sanitation stations everywhere. Everybody is wearing a mask. It’s one of those things that’s uncomfortable, but it’s something we have to do. We’re checking everybody’s temperatures. We have face shields, so if anybody coughs or sneezes, it doesn’t get on the food or the person next to you. Now where they are working, I mean 6 feet apart, the social distancing they have, like see-through plastics, so they can’t really work next to each other and rub up on each other or nothing like they used to before. So, they’ve been doing a lot to kind of adjust, it’s one of those things, you know my respect for everybody in the food industry you know, in the plants. It just went from like way over the roof for me now. And that’s just talking about the plants. I mean, I can’t even imagine teachers, you know everybody. I mean my girlfriend too, she works at St. Lukes. And it was one of those things where, I think obviously nobody has ever been through COVID. Nobody has ever dealt with anything like this and it’s just one of those things that shocked the world. So, it didn’t just affect just a few people or one industry or two industries, it affected the whole world. And it’s one of those things where I think from now on forward though, I believe we’re, it’s going to get better. And believe this has taught us a lot maybe just about I don’t know humanity, sanitary, just being cleaner. So, a lot of good is going to come out of these tough times. So, that’s what I believe. 

 

SA: And do you feel that it’s affected the Latino community in Siouxland any differently?

 

GG: You know, yes. I think it’s just one of those things where, I feel like the Latino community always, not that we’ve been misinformed, but I think we’re just very skeptical to things. And I think that is normal, that is just human nature. Even at the plant, you know we offered free testing for everybody that works at Smithfield and a lot of people didn’t want to do it. You know there’s rumors going around all over the plant. It’s almost crazy to even mention, but people thought, if I go to this testing site, ICE is going to be there. Or, if I go to this testing site and I get tested, then I’m going to get the virus. So, there is a lot of misinformation going around everywhere and it’s up to people like us to I feel like, to educate people and give them the education and the comfort to move forward with this. It’s one of those things where I feel, you know, and obviously it’s different for everybody. You know I had a sibling that had it, he made it, it was OK. I had an aunt that had it in Chicago, and she passed away.  So, it hits everybody differently. But it’s just one of those things where, I think the Latino community, and that’s with everything I believe, not just COVID, with voting, with the laws, with everything, I feel like we could just be more educated and more open to the changes cuz I feel like we are so used to just one thing, one thing, one thing, it’s always been this way. Well the world goes round, you know, it changes every single day. There is so much that changes, and especially you know, not trying to get into the politics, but this year is an important year for a lot of reasons. It’s going to come down to voting again and it’s going to come down to you know, are the Latinos going to vote for change, or are we just going to, you know, wish for change? So, I think it’s really up to all of us to step up and do something about it. At least do our part.

 

SA: I’m so sorry to hear about your aunt, I’m sorry about her passing. 

 

GG: That’s OK, thank you.

 

SA: I can understand the fear that ICE could show up because we’ve had a history of..

 

GG: Raids. 

 

SA: Raids, yeah. The last official question is, what does Siouxland mean to you?

 

GG: Diversity, I really love how it’s so diverse now. I mean there’s, and I’ve seen it, just as much as, everytime I go out somewhere there are people from different countries. And I’m the type of person that just really enjoys learning about different cultures, different languages, different backgrounds. And it’s one of those things where Siouxland is growing so much and so fast, that it’s really, I see, it’s almost kind of like a mini New York, a mini San Francisco, just no one really knows about us. But there is so many people from different languages, I mean rom different backgrounds, different countries. And that’s kind of why that’s why too, it’s important, at least for myself, I really want to learn more languages. So, like French, there’s a few people at the plant that know French. Anytime they need to communicate with them, no one knows how to communicate with them so because no one knows how to speak French. Which is normal, we’re in Iowa, Nebraska, but we always have to do the language lines and stuff like that and it’s just a different process. So, I think if there was someone there or someone in the community that just spoke French and was fluent, and could interpret or translate, it would be just be another problem solved right there. That’s the way I see Siouxland.

 

SA: As a language teacher, I’m just like, I just think that’s amazing that you’re going to learn French for the people that you work with, that’s really amazing, and inspiring. And also, my husband speaks French, so when you’re ready, you’re going to come over and we’ll have dinner in French, OK?

 

GG: I love to travel, so I want to be able to communicate with people in their language you know when I travel. Because you know, I feel like a lot of people know English, cuz it’s the world language and stuff like this, you know people say it. But how cool would it be if you show up and just speak French, or speak German, or Portuguese.

 

SA: Yeah, not like your typical American.

 

GG: Yeah, not your typical American. You’re just able to communicate with them you know and stuff like that. Like I said, my college roommates. It was funny because my second year of college. Me, I’m Mexican American, my French roommate, he was from Leon, France, and my two other roommates were Brazilians, they were from Sao Paolo and Rio de Janeiro. So, it was like, it was such a diverse room, it was crazy. But you know somehow, we all, obviously we all spoke English, but when we all showed up I remember the first week, we were like you’re, oh actually it’s Olivier, kind of close to Oliver. Oh, you’re Marcelo, so you’re Renato, and so it’s like, there was a lot of sign language, and very little English because they didn’t know much English either coming to the states. So, I remember that, and now we’re like best friends and we keep in touch. You know I just visited two of my roommates, the Brazilian ones and they are living in Florida now and I just visited them last year in February. So it’s one of those cool things where again you just build connections with people and I think it’s lifelong connections you get to build and create so it’s fun. 

 

SA: Wonderful. Well is there anything else you would like to share with us? Any topic we haven’t talked about yet?

 

GG: I’m not sure, nothing I can really kind of come up myself. I don’t know, Damian do you have any other questions, or any other topics maybe? This is good, I like this, this is fun.

 

SA: We are so thankful for your time.

 

GG: No, thank you guys. Yeah, anything else, any other questions Damian?

 

SA: You think about it, I’m going to bring Oliver out here.

 

DH: Your counselor was Mr. Craig, right? He was my counselor too. He was really great.

 

GG: Yeah, he was awesome man. I mean, he helped me through a lot, when I was kind of getting in trouble and stuff like that. He was just that cool counselor who just kept it real, he was just blunt about things. But he was very respectful, you know, he never disrespected me. 

 

DH: Yeah, I thought he was a really good counselor too, he helped me a lot too. Did you play for like the Diablos?

 

GG: Yep, so I played two years for the Diablos growing up. Before the Diablos merged into the South Sioux Club it was South Sioux City Soccer Club with Marla. We were like the South Sioux City Hornets or South Sioux City Stingers or something like that. Which we were really, really good man but one thing I noticed, growing up playing soccer, maybe Stacey can hear in on this one, but you know growing up playing soccer, you know especially with a group of Hispanic kids, by the age of 15 and 16, a lot of our team started to disappear, you know a lot of our team started working, a lot of our team just started not showing up to practice, maybe just doing other things. And it was one of those things where, at least for me, at 16 I was just very driven. I knew I could do more in soccer, and it was, that’s when I transferred and started playing for OLC and NLC and playing for other clubs and it was just really, hey Oliver. Can’t see you buddy, you gotta duck. Oh, he’s coming down.  But I started playing for the Omaha clubs. And you know we, Stacey I was actually just telling Damian how growing up playing soccer, you know at the age of like, we were always really, really good, our team was always pretty good, but at the age of 15, 16, once we’re legal to work, a lot of our teams started to disappear, a lot of them started working right away. Some of them started doing just other stuff. But our team slowly started kind of falling apart with commitments. So that’s kind of when I had to start exploring my options. I was playing for, Damian, I don’t’ know if you are familiar with ODP, the Nebraska ODP team? That’s like the state team you try out for it. I tried out for it and I made the team. So then when I started playing on the Nebraska state team, I started playing with kids from Lincoln, from Omaha from all of these different places in Nebraska. And they’re like, you know you should come start playing for us. So that’s when I took the opportunity and I started playing for OFC and NFC which are some clubs from Omaha.  And it was just, I went from playing with South Sioux, playing in tournaments like in Norfork, Yankton, Omaha, Sioux Falls, to then playing with the Omaha clubs, playing like in San Antonio, Orlandom Florida, Las Vegas. So, there was a lot more exposure there and that was a really good experience as a kid. Kind of, at the time I was just pursuing soccer. So, it was a lot of fun getting to have that experience. But also going back to finances, going back to my parents. They couldn’t afford to keep me on those teams. I mean nobody, I couldn’t even get to Omaha for practice. I would only go once a week. Sometimes Lupe would take me. Sometimes one of my other teammates from South Sioux, we used to carpool together. And it was just one of those situations where, growing up especially with so many siblings, sometimes we would have soccer tournaments, and it would cost like $50, $60 for the weekend and I would talk with my parents and they would give me like $15. And it was just one of those things where now it’s like, wow, they were really giving me all they had. Most times, Marla or Lupe they were like, you know just keep the money, you’re ok, just come play.  So that’s again, a lot of the things they’ve done for myself and I know a lot of the other players in the community. But yeah, when I started playing with the Omaha clubs and traveling to other states, some of the bigger tournaments, and they were expensive. Some of these tournaments would be like $400, $500 including your hotel, tournament fee, food, stuff like that and my parents look at it like, and I look at it too, you know now that I’m older that’s like a week’s worth pay for some people and that’s for my son to go play soccer. It’s like, we can’t do that. That’s where I feel a lot of our Latino community sometimes, I’m not saying it ends their dreams, but it’s just one of those things that makes their kids kind of think differently because you don’t want to keep asking your parents for money when you know they don’t really have much. Luckily, the clubs, they had scholarships and they covered most of my fees. Most times, I just had to pay for my food, but they would pay for everything else, like the flights, the hotels, and all that stuff.  But yeah, it’s just one of those things, that was another hardship kind of growing up. It was one of those things I remember thinking, “Oh man, I really want to go on this tournament, but I really don’t want to ask my parents for money again.” It was just one of those situations where it made me think. For the future, if I have kids, if I’m blessed to have kids, I just don’t want that to be the same situation. I want to be able to provide and give them all the tools and resources for them to be able to pursue their dreams. That was just a little extra talk right there. 

 

SA: That’s great. And as an educator it’s really important to me that we be think about issues of accesss because all students should have those opportunities to be able to have those extracurricular activities. 

 

GG: Even with college, it’s great that there are a lot of scholarships out there, but you know one of my goals and dreams, and I mean down the road hopefully it all comes into play but I would like to have something like the Gigo scholarship, or something where I can really just help somebody, even if it’s just one person every year, go to college, or you know something like that, or just pursue their dream, pursue their passion, whether that’s starting up a business, or going to school, or even starting a non-profit. I mean, I told Becky, the current director, like I want to get to a point where I don’t have to work here, I can just volunteer here and help out because that’s what I want to do. So, I think eventually I’ll get there, and it’s just that’s one of the goals that I have, to really just really give back to the community and to others.

 

SA:  Well that’s really nice to know that you’re not going anywhere. We’ll still have you around.

 

GG: Yep, this is home, even if I get away, I’m sure I’m always going to have connections and just ties here.

 

SA: Well Gigo, thank you so much for your time, we really appreciate it.

 

GG: Yeah, no thank you, I appreciate it.