Casa = Home.
Learning to live in a new place can be complicated. Learning how to make a new place into a home can be even more so. Minnesota nonprofit, C.A.S.A. (Cultura (Culture), Amigos (Friends), Salud (Health), and Ambiente (Environment)) aims to help members of the area’s ever-growing Latino community feel more at home by providing practical support and a sense of belonging.
“This [Fargo-Moorhead area] environment has a lot of ‘in your own bubble’ mentalities,” said Kory Powell-Oliver, a board member of the new nonprofit. “People kind of stay in their own lane and don’t necessarily know what is going on in other parts of the community. Combine that with culture shock and a lot of people can feel very lost. A lot of Latinos in this community have been brought here and told to figure it out.”
“It can be honestly discouraging to a lot of diverse people to come here and try to seek out resources—especially if you assume resources to be nonexistent or hard to find. What we are really all about is trying to build connections and bridge these gaps,” said Karla Hernandez, acting president of C.A.S.A. “We really just want to say, ‘We’re here for you.’”
According to the 2020 census figures, there are nearly 7,500 Latinos living in the communities of the Fargo-Moorhead area, including Clay and Cass Counties, and the data indicates that about 1/3 are dispersed throughout the counties rather than in specific population centers. C.A.S.A.’s first goal is to try to connect Latino residents to each other, which they do by trying to host a gathering at least every other month. Despite only formalizing in May of 2023, their typical events usually see an attendance rate of between 50-60 people.
“I think the more that we make these connections, the more we work toward making an equitable and inclusive community—both for Latinos who have been here for a while and newcomer Latinos in our community,” Karla said. “But part of that is building community as a whole. I’ve had a lot of people ask, ‘Oh, can only Latinos come?’ And, no, it’s very open. This community is becoming more diverse, with many different ethnic backgrounds. The entire goal is to build those community connections.”
Building on that goal C.A.S.A is seeking to connect individuals with community resources, other community organizations, and local businesses. One of the most important steps in this process is providing translation and interpreting services.
“The two big things that we want to address are awareness of resources and the language barrier,” Karla said. “For example, childcare is difficult for everybody, right? But then you add another difficulty layer to get to it when you don’t speak the same language. Then add that difficulty layer to everything like finding a grocery store, getting a driver’s license here, working with a lawyer, or getting a business set-up.”
“We’re very diverse in this community, but we aren’t always accommodating,” Kory said. “A lot of schools and jobs tend not to advocate or provide equity for the people who come out here. I’ve learned that a lot of companies, organizations, and even institutions, have an idea that diversity is gathering a whole bunch of people from all different parts of the world, putting them in one place, and telling them to figure it out— and that’s not what diversity is. It’s bringing them together, but accommodation is a powerful component. We want to be a mediator in their accommodation process. There are resources out there that are available, but there is also a lot that the community can do.”
“For instance, there is a gentleman who reached out to me the other day who is a realtor and he speaks Spanish,” Karla said. “He’s willing to come in and help people with the process of purchasing houses where language is a barrier, but businesses don’t have to speak Spanish to reach out. It’s keeping people in mind. If you’re looking to hire a carpet installer and you don’t speak Spanish, and the worker doesn’t speak English, they can still connect. A professional knows what they are doing regardless of the language they are speaking. Just remembering that we have a lot of people in the community who may not speak the language, but can still do the work, is a huge step for connecting.”
As a nonprofit with less than a year under their belts, C.A.S.A is still in an “experimental” phase, learning what the greatest needs are and trying to assist on an individual basis. The group is collecting and analyzing community feedback as they go and trying to generate solutions. With so many moving pieces, the C.A.S.A was named the December 2023 grantee of the Cass Clay chapter of the Awesome Foundation, to help enhance the capacity of their organization by providing funds for some of the startup costs associated.
While language volunteers, childcare assistance, and event sponsors are among the top wish list items for the group, C.A.S.A representatives want to stress that all are welcome.
“It’s all about providing support and working as a community,” Kory said.
Their next event will be held at First Congregational UCC (406 8th St S,. Moorhead) on March 30 at 5 p.m.
For updates about C.A.S.A’s activities and events, find them on Facebook: /casa.CulturaAmigosSaludAmbiente
The Cass-Clay chapter of the Awesome Foundation awards a $1,000 gift each month for awesome ideas of all sorts. Grant recipients do not need to be associated with a nonprofit. Applications can be made at awesomefoundation.org/ en/chapters/cassclay.
