Today we’d like to introduce you to Karla Cativo.
Karla, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I was born in El Salvador a year after the civil war erupted. Like many Salvadorans during the time, my parents and I fled the country in 1982 as a result of growing political persecution and violence. I was four months when we arrived in the United States. My parents and I crossed the Tijuana-San Ysidro border by foot undocumented, since we, like many Central Americans during the eighties, were not granted political asylum by the U.S.
I grew up in Los Angeles, more specifically the San Fernando Valley. Because the community I grew up in lacked Central American representation, at least throughout my childhood, at home my parents always made it a point to educate me about Salvadoran culture. From a very young age, my Salvadoran roots became vital to my identity. In 1987, my mother and I traveled to El Salvador for the very first time since our forced exile five years earlier. I will never forget that trip; I became enamored of my country – the vibrant colors, the lively cumbias, the late nights playing with other children in my hometown of Jayaque. I was able to visit three more times before my 18th birthday, which further fomented my love for the culture and my interest in learning more about my place of birth.
In the Fall of 2000, I began my undergraduate work at the University of California, San Diego. I entered as a Structural Engineer Major, yet graduated in 2005 with Bachelor of Arts Degrees in Urban Studies and Planning (USP) and Latin American Studies (LAS). As an LAS major I had the opportunity to further examine the literature, history, and politics of Central America. I became quickly engaged, especially because this exposure led me to understand the root causes of the civil war in El Salvador, and hence the reasons why my parents and I migrated two decades prior. This new knowledge impulsed me to become involved in a variety of campus/community groups including Students for Economic Justice (SEJ), which sought to fight for worker rights and social justice in the Greater San Diego region, and thereafter with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) 1877 – the Justice for Janitors Union, which helped me to become even more connected with the Salvadoran diaspora, since a vast number of the janitors I worked with were of Salvadoran descent.
Over time, I have remained involved with organizations and groups that have allowed me to immerse myself in grassroots efforts, because I feel that through this work I am essentially combating the social injustice that caused my parents and I to forcibly abandon El Salvador, as well as people from other parts of Latin America and the world to migrate to the U.S.
My continuous community work sparked an interest in pursuing graduate work, first via a Master of Arts Degree in Latin American Studies, and later through PhD work in Latin American and Latino Studies, because I imagined that following this path would grant me access to spaces where I too could educate individuals about migration and social injustice as it pertains to us locally and internationally.
Currently, I am fortunate to serve as the Community Outreach and Organizing Manager with the Salvadoran American Leadership and Educational Fund (SALEF), and as a Part-Time Faculty Instructor in the Central American Studies Department at California State University, Northridge. Through these positions I am able to engage in some of the issues I am most passionate about, including the defense of the rights of my community, as well as engaging second, third and fourth generation youth in the exploration of their Central American identities. I feel like for the time being, I am exactly where I need to be – serving, educating, and continuously learning from my community.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It has not been a smooth ride, and it certainly continues to be a challenging one for many reasons, primarily due to the social and structural injustices I am constantly faced with as a migrant and woman of color in this country. College was especially vexing for me. I was placed on academic probation for two quarters in my first year of college after earning poor grades in math and writing courses. Due to lack of preparation and a sense of community, there were times when I wanted to give up, but felt promptly motivated to continue pushing forward when I remembered the challenges my parents faced trying to make it to and in this country. I knew I could not quit because my parents had sacrificed so much to come to this country. I felt fortunate to eventually find my social niche in college because, in fact, this is what helped me improve academically and seek the guidance and support I needed to succeed.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Salvadoran American Leadership and Educational Fund story. Tell us more about the business.
The Salvadoran American Leadership and Educational Fund (SALEF) was founded by Carlos Vaquerano to promote the civic participation and representation of the Salvadoran and other Latino communities in the U.S. In addition, it seeks to promote economic development and democracy in El Salvador, as well as to advocate for its economic, educational, and political advancement and growth. Our core values are rooted in social justice, seek to advance democracy, promote leadership development, impulse education amongst local youth, and aspires to build trust within our communities.
Currently, we provide a variety of services to our communities including naturalization services, classes to prepare for the citizenship exam, courses to engage local youth in Central American culture and history, and more recently we have partnered with a variety of community organizations and structures to provide humanitarian support and stand in solidarity with migrant families in Tijuana, Baja California.
I am privileged to belong to a team that is all heart and soul. Our Interim Executive Director Jocelyn Duarte and Jasmin Tobar, Manager of Educational Program also serve as Faculty members in the Central American Studies Department at CSUN; Paralegal Leonor Guzman and Efrain Villa, Manager of Immigration Services Program, together head our Civic Engagement Services Department; Brenda Mejia and Fatima Vanegas collaborate to manage accounting and payroll; Anais Gonzalez oversees social media; while Briana Rodriguez coordinates our Dream Scholarship Fund. We are a small, but hard-working staff that strives to best serve the needs of the community, and that despite the challenges that arise, we never give up and continue to move forward. In addition, we are fortunate enough to have a Board of Directors that is highly involved and supportive of the work we aspire to do for our community.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I don’t necessarily believe in good or bad luck, but rather in working hard and having an amazing support network. I have always put my best effort into the things I pursue, and I believe this is one of the major reasons I have succeeded in the things I have done so far. On top of that, I have an incredible social network – friends, family, colleagues, advisors, etc…that have provided me with so much guidance and advice throughout the years that I can without a doubt say that I would not be where I am now had it not been for their mentorship and advocacy. It truly does take a village to thrive, and I am entirely grateful for mine.
Contact Info:
- Address: 421 S. Bixel Street Suite A Los Angeles, CA 90017
- Website: www.salef.org
- Phone: (213) 480-1052
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @_salef
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/salefonline
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/_salef
Image Credit:
Salvadoran American Leadership and Educational Fund (SALEF)
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