Latinx Flint NEWS
By Alondra Rosas Ornelas | Latinx Flint Media
“Education is a vocational career because you don’t see the material but the human part of wanting to teach … and I really love that career ” -Rosanna Calma smiling at the Latinx Center.
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FLINT, Michigan – Somos Latinx serves to highlight and connect community members in Flint & Genesee County. Recognizing the experiences of families and individuals in our community reveals the complex experience of Latinx Life in the United States and in our local community. Somos Latinx drives civic engagement and awareness, such as the 2020 Census.
The following is a conversation between Latinx Flint Media and Rossana Calma:
Did you study at a university?
“Yes I attended university and studied Education. It is a career that I thought about since I was a little kid. It was funny because when my cousins and I would play games, I would always be the teacher and it ended up being the career I studied. I really do love that career. It is a career of vocation because you do not focus on the material, rather it is the human desire to teach.”
How did you know you wanted to study education?
“I have always loved talking to people. And I don’t know why, but my friend and sisters always come to me for advice. When I was little, my cousins and I would always play the game where you pretend to be a certain profession because since I was little, my family would always tell me that I must study and become somebody. So, in my family there were a lot of professionals, but none of them were educators. Many thought that education held no value. I felt bad, but I kept moving forward. They told me that I was not going to earn a lot of money. Their words did not matter to me. I did not think about the money because it was something I was passionate about. I have always liked teaching. I was a volunteer and taught workers how to read and I enjoyed it. So in the game of professions, I would always be the teacher and my cousins would be the students.”
Bridging language & cultural barriers para una comunidad saludable!
What has been an obstacle you have gone through and overcome?
I think that in life, in every phase of your life, you will always come across obstacles. And depending on your mentality and your outlook on life, you will begin to surpass those obstacles. If you have a negative mentality then that obstacle will always remain an obstacle and you will never surpass it. But if you have a positive mentality, nothing can hold you back. If you fall, you will stand back up. Just like a kid who is learning how to walk or a person who is learning to ride a bicycle and falls. Right now, I would say I have a challenge rather than an obstacle. My challenge at this moment is the English language. For me this is a challenge and I tell myself that I will surpass it and that is what I will do. Of course, sometimes I get frustrated because I want to enter into fluid conversations, but I have learned a lot through my job and I have to surpass this challenge.
What has been the happiest moment of your life?
“One moment would be when I got married; it was something magical. It was something wonderful because it was something longed for and wanted. And we had waited many years to get married. My husband and I were dating for many years and I could not get married until I finished college, so I graduated and practically the next day we got married. It was very fast. Another wonderful moment was when my daughters were born. Seeing them for the first time and their faces was an indescribable moment. I think children are a blessing, a gift from God. And it is incredible and wonderful when you experience it.”
What was the hardest part of leaving your country? How did you overcome it?
“I never thought I would leave my country, but we should not say the word never because I am here! The most difficult part was leaving my family. Especially my mom because I was very attached to her. The physical distance of not being able to hug her or unite as a family is difficult to overcome. And I miss my friends as well because they are practically family and I loved them like sisters. We are always there for each other through thick or thin. I miss my sisters, really just my whole family.”
Did you complete the 2020 Census?
Yes, I did.
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