I Bring With Me My Chatino Roots

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I am an indigenous Chatino woman from Oaxaca who speaks my native language.

I left my homeland, the land where I was born, my mother. What I bring with me is my vision: to rescue my roots, my culture, my Chatino language, my traditional customs, traditional food, medicinal plants, taking care of Mother Earth and also saving wildlife.

In 2002, I immigrated to this country. I was detained by immigration agents for a month in Colorado. It was very sad for me because I made the decision to come to this country for a better life. I was deported and re-entered in 2003. I worked in Florida picking tomatoes and then came to California picking strawberries and also in the grape industry.

Maria is currently a Chatino classroom teacher, community organizer, field worker restoring forests, prescribed burns for fuel reduction, and Chatino-Spanish interpreter.

Maria • Petaluma