Spanish-speaking parent support group continues its pilot program

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A parenting group for Spanish speakers will continue its pilot program in Fremont starting this week.

The group is called Nemilistli—after the Aztec Nahuatl word for life. The Latino Center of the Midlands created it as one of their Pathways to Success programs. Within that program, the Latino Center of the Midlands hosts talking circles, or círculos. Within Talking Círculos, there are three groups: Ollin, for young men, Xochikalli for young women and Nemilistli for parenting support.

"We always involve something about our culture in everything that we talk about. We found that the parents that we work with when they come to the States, there's a clear disconnect from the family, but there's also a clear disconnect from the culture,” said Mahatma Largaespada, the supervisor of Talking Círculos.

The session starting this week is the third cohort of the Fremont pilot. The first cohorts were in Omaha. The program recently expanded into Fremont due to an increased need for the resource in the area. An Omaha cohort parent from Fremont gave the Center the idea to come to the city.

"Que existen muchos servicios y la mayoría son en inglés…A veces vienen o no van a los programas o no van a las ayudas porque hay no ya con el tan solo hecho de que ah voy a hablar inglés, ya les da miedo ya entender y pierden muchas oportunidades," said Nemilistli facilitator Felipe Rincón Hernández.

["The majority of services that exist are in English…and sometimes Spanish-speakers don’t go to those programs or don’t get the help because they think 'Aw I'll have to speak English.' And they’re afraid if they don’t understand, they will miss out on opportunities.”]

He added even if someone can speak English, like himself, sometimes it is a bit easier to fully express oneself in their native language.

The support group is free to join at any time. Organizers, who are collaborating with the United Way in Fremont, said the program will become permanent if interest continues to grow.

"We want to make sure that we close the gaps that can keep any of our community members from actually receiving the good quality services that we provide," said Carmen Chagolla, senior program manager at the Center.

Within Nemilistli, participants will discuss and learn about how to support children at school, improve relationships, how to implement firm rules as well as family values, roles and resources. And most importantly, to build confidence.

Rincón Hernández added another aspect of the program is to introduce new perspectives. He said many of the parents come from different countries. And sometimes the U.S. does things a lot differently than what they were taught in their countries of origin. He said there has been a wide positive response to the classes in Fremont, since it helps Spanish-speakers connect to potentially missed opportunities and support that were previously only offered in English.

Participants do not need to be parents, they can also be grandparents, guardians or any adult interested in learning how to support their family. The Fremont group is on Tuesdays from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.