Pescadero Campesinos Build Bridge on their Road to Independence

By Manuel Ortiz, Peninsula 360 Press [P360P].
Pescadero, California. Once a week, at 6:00 in the evening, when the outdoors is cold and the darkness of night covers almost everything, a warm and joyful gathering of farm workers called "La Sala" begins.

The campesinos and their families, mostly from Oaxaca, but also from other parts of Mexico and Latin America, arrive punctually at the Community Church of Pescadero, where "La Sala" takes place.

Here, members of BridgeLa Sala, a non-profit organization run by "La Sala", welcomes them with a smile and a delicious hot dinner - on this occasion shrimp soup - as well as information about services to improve their quality of life. as well as information about services to improve their quality of life. 

"La Sala" is an innovative free program that functions as a space for social cohesion and coexistence. Here, people who do not know each other meet, lonely people accompany each other or even entire families get together to live together. 

In a warm and playful atmosphere, the members of Bridge They talk one-on-one with farmworkers to provide them with advice on taxes, medical appointments, COVID vaccinations, or even letter translation.

"Every day, we walk alongside our South Coast neighbors as they cross the bridge to independence. By advocating for health, education and community development, we lift up our communities to build self-reliance," the organization highlights in its mission statement.

Because when people have equitable access to local resources that support their dreams, they are one step closer to making them a reality.

This is well known to Rita Mancera, the executive director of Bridge, who detailed to P360P, the scope of the organization and how they have supported over 23 years of existence, when founder Wendy Taylor conceived the project.

«Bridge focuses on three areas: health, education and economic security. Many people know us for community development services, financial aid, but we also have a very strong program in education, both for adults and youth: we work with families so they also know their rights and can advocate in schools for their children," she said.

In an interview, he stressed that even in the health area they have a program for the elderly, where they visit them in their homes so they can enjoy company and have a good time together, especially in these times in which the pandemic has isolated them.

"There are many more services, but the sense of community is what matters most to us about this program and others we have," Mancera says with a huge smile as he tells of the work they do in their environment.

"We have always said that we want to be that bridge to independence, that people have economic security, that they don't depend on social service programs because they have good salaries, good housing, because they can get good jobs and permits to work. That's the long-term vision," he says.

Among the projects that attract the most attention is "La Sala", is one of the oldest programs of Bridge, that focuses on men, women and families who work in the fields.

Alejandra Ortega, director of fundraising for the organization, emphasizes that while all of these services are provided through "La Sala," the space allows immigrants who do not have family members in the area to socialize with others who speak the same language, which helps them integrate into the community.

"We are happy to be able to have this program back, during the pandemic it was on hiatus and this year in May 2021 we can bring it back to farm workers," he said.

He further noted that the programme, as well as the organization of BridgeThe San Mateo County Community Center provides services primarily to residents of Pescadero, La Honda, Loma Mar and San Gregorio on the south coast of San Mateo County, although they have reached out to people from other areas, who are referred to organizations closer to home.

A large number of Pescadero's immigrant residents are from Mexico, and they come to "La Sala" in search of a space that tucks them in and gives them a sense of identity in a foreign country.

Such is the case of Marcos Jaimes, a native of Cuernavaca, Morelos. For this Mexican who worked as a farmer in the area, the space has become something regular, every Thursday, a respite after hours of work.

"The Sala is to hang out, to get out of the daily routine that we carry, one day a week to live with everyone".

Abraham Bernardino Alonso, from San Pablo Huixtepec, Oaxaca, savors the dinner provided by the organization. Happy, he points out that he has been going to "La Sala" for 14 years, where he has made friends.

For him, the work of the organization is an opportunity. "I think it's good, because many of those who come from Mexico don't have refuge elsewhere, they help them, and it's nice too. That's why we come to support this "Sala" so that it won't be forgotten, and so that it can't be destroyed after all the work they've put in.

Alejandro Antonio López, a farmer from Villa Sola de Vega, Oaxaca, has been in the U.S. for six months, but he never stops going to the place he found in Pescadero, a place he described as peaceful and beautiful.

Housing and defence

Among the consultancy services provided BridgeIn addition, there are those dedicated to housing, a situation that is becoming increasingly difficult in the area due to the high cost of housing and the limited space available.

Kevin Feeney, director of Housing Advocacy, told us that sometimes "housing is expensive and sometimes it's not, but there are other disadvantages, for example, you have to keep working with the same employer and this can limit your opportunities to look for a better paying job or to demand better working conditions.

And because of the lack of housing, those employers who offer space to workers have a lot of power, he said.

In light of this, he added that a priority is to get housing independent of jobs, accessible spaces to give people the opportunity to choose the work they want.

"The best opportunity for this is within the town of Pescadero, where there's more infrastructure and interest from nonprofit developers to do something a little different and give us hope that there could be a change."

Feeney said that organizing people to "make change" is necessary. "I think right now there is not the will to really get this housing, to change the situation. We are working on this. Next year we're going to do a leadership program for community members, where they know that they can decide their own visions for housing and start coming together to make these changes. It's a long process, but right now it's about people coming together and asking for change because it's not going to come voluntarily.

Kevin noted that anyone who would like to join in the efforts for better housing and participate in the leadership program in January 2022, can contact the office at Bridge at (650) 879-1691, from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm.

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