They teamed up to help build each other’s homes—now they’ve teamed up to score some goals. Brenkle Court FC poses for a photo during the 28th Annual Holiday Cup at Epicenter Sports City in Santa Rosa. Homeowners at Brenkle Court, the first project developed by local affordable housing non-profit Our Read more…
She graduated from Sonoma State in 2010, lived in Atlanta short-term and did her fair share of traveling, but she came back in 2015 to be closer to the family and community she had missed so much.
“Renting at low-income facilities can be tricky,” said Delia López. “I am looking forward to not having to renew yearly leases and I am also the most excited about being able to have as many nails on these walls as I want.”
The Rodríguez family has seen incredible support from close friends, coworkers, and family members, but they would like to give some special thanks to the Methodist Church, the Catholic Church, and Grace Episcopal Church as they have either provided food during days of hard work or have sent volunteers to help with construction.
Twenty-two years ago, right after getting married in Oaxaca, Mexico, Julio Olguín Olivera and Alma Martínez de Olguín settled in St. Helena. Since then, they’ve formed a family and raised their kids: Mary, 22; Brandon, 20; and 15-year-old twins Camila and Julio. Julio Olguín Olivera has worked in the wine industry Read more…
Salomon works as a foreman at Grgich Hills Estate in Rutherford, so commuting from his current address in Middletown to his full-time job in addition to the commitment of this project intimidated him at first.
“It was nerve-wracking,” Salomon said. “I am required to put in 32 hours a week and it is just me.”
Martha Rodríguez, now the head of the household, can say with pride that all of her daughters are attending school and that she sees a bright future ahead of them. Veronica Salto Rodríguez is studying to become a teacher. Marylu Aviña Rodríguez is currently studying at USC, Cristy Aviña Rodríguez is at UC Berkeley, and Araceli Aviña Rodríguez is a senior at St. Helena High School.
Victor’s parents immigrated to St. Helena from Mexico, like so many before them, seeking better opportunities for their children. They stressed the importance of education from a very early age. They wanted to make sure their children took advantage of opportunities to go to college.
Marisol was on Cuba’s national swim team. (pay attention: this is important). They never let her attend the international swim meets outside of Cuba because they were afraid she would defect due to her family and friends in the US. Nevertheless, Marisol made friends with her competitors from several countries when they came to the island, and those relationships would provide critical in her long journey to find a better life that didn’t include living under a dictator.
Martha Rodriguez is from Michoacan, Mexico. Her daughter Christy was just two when they joined Martha’s husband in St. Helena in 1995. Marta left her extended family, friends and community behind and came to Napa Valley for the same reason every immigrant comes to this country—the chance for a better Read more…