Fighting Foreclosure, Building Community with Springfield No One Leaves/Nadie Se Mude

By Amelia Gonzales-Pinal

Edited by Lauren Quirici

The community organization I work for is called Springfield No One Leaves/Nadie Se Mude (SNOL/NSM). SNOL/NSM is a community-run organization that fights foreclosures and evictions by banks.  The project involves working to strengthen the Spanish-speaking community as well as to raise awareness of the connection between the foreclosure and housing crisis with health.

I began working early September and will continue to work until early May.  I am the only fellow from Mount Holyoke College working on this project, and I work alongside the organizers and many members of the community who are involved with SNOL.

My role is to conduct workshops to build community with the Spanish-speakers who are members of the Bank Tenant Association of Springfield (BTA), as well as to conduct workshops about the connection of health with the housing and foreclosure crisis, especially in Springfield.  My project is continuously being developed as I communicate with the BTA members about their needs and my role in the organization. I am carrying out my project through workshops, and am currently working on plans with regarding health awareness for the next step in my project.

I chose this project because, as a Mexican-American, I know the importance of building the Spanish community in a predominantly non-Spanish area.  Minorities who speak different languages face language barriers that make it difficult to feel included within an organization.  I felt it necessary to be a part of this community and help build the strength within the Spanish speaking community.  I am also personally interested in public health, and the environment in which one lives has a tremendous effect on the mental, emotional, and physical health of an individual.  I saw an opportunity to learn more about how foreclosures affect health, and to raise awareness within the SNOL/NSM community about the importance of their own well-being.  After having visited SNOL/NSM several times, I fell in love with the inspiring people and organizers who fight day and night to keep their homes.

My goals at the beginning of the semester were to be a part of outreach in the current SNOL/NSM campaigns, to conduct research about public health by conducting workshops and interviews, and to help strengthen the Spanish speaking community by helping plan and carry out a series of workshops called “Encuentro Comunitarios.”  I succeeded in starting work toward these goals, and I plan to continue through May to further carry out and develop them.

My project is coming along great! My goals have definitely been changing as I go, but in a very good way.  The campaign that I was supposed to help with was cancelled because of a need to focus on other things, but even without it, I have made a lot of progress.  I planned and co-facilitated a two hour “Encuentro Comunitario” with one of the group organizers, which was successful. We are currently planning the next workshop.  I also planned and co-facilitated an hour long public health workshop with another organizer, which was very successful as well.  Both workshops got positive feedback.  The public health workshop was very personal for the community, and led to a realization among members of their similar struggles, and led to increased solidarity.

Carrying out these goals has been an incredible experience in which I have learned much and grown close to the community I work with.  These goals challenged me to improve on my organizational and Spanish speaking skills, and my experiences have made me a stronger person.  I am excited to continue to work with the community members, and grateful for the support of organizers Malcolm and Roberto, who pushed me to challenge myself and who supported me when needed.

I have changed and learned so much over the course of these past few months.  In being a part of the SNOL/NSM community, I have learned so many things from the people I’ve met that it would be too much to write, and too difficult to explain.  I have grown close to many of the members within the community and have heard their stories, which has taught me the importance of listening.  I have learned that the simple act of creating awareness and a space to talk about personal issues has a tremendous effect, and I am excited to continue my work with SNOL/NSM.