As we conclude Hispanic Heritage Month and celebrate National Immigrants Day on Oct. 28, we find ourselves with an opportunity to reflect on the national conversation about immigration and the local experience of immigrants in our state.
Utah has a long history of being a compassionate and welcoming place for immigrants, from the 2010 Utah Compact on Immigration to this year’s designation of Salt Lake City as a “welcoming place” for immigrants by nonprofit Welcoming America.
Yet immigrant families in our communities too often face a lack of economic and social support as they work to build their own American dream.
At Guadalupe Center, recently rebranded from Guadalupe School, we are privileged to work with immigrant families each day. For nearly six decades, our mission has been to transform lives through education, and we do this by offering academic education, life-skills training and wraparound services for children, parents and adult learners in one place, at no cost to them.
What started as English classes for adult immigrants in the 1960s has evolved into a multigenerational learning community with centers focused on early learning, elementary and adult education, catering to the whole person and the whole family.
From our campus in the heart of Rose Park on Salt Lake City’s west side we have a unique window into the vibrant and complex lives of the families we serve. Of the more than 1,000 people we serve each year, 96% live at or below the federal poverty line, living off a median income of less than $26,000 for a family of five. Despite facing economic barriers, they come to class every day with resilience and hope, eager to learn and build better lives for themselves and their children — families like the Soledads, who emigrated from Mexico while pregnant with their first child and now have three children enrolled in our programs. They, like so many others, are living examples of what it means to persist in the face of adversity and to dream big.
“I was six months pregnant when I left my home,” Silvia Soledad told us. “I wanted a better life for myself and my baby. My friend told me about Guadalupe, which has brought me an excellent education and opportunities. Now, I can’t even imagine my family without Guadalupe.”
Our team’s commitment to serving immigrant families is deeply intertwined with our community’s broader story, which shows the robust contributions of immigrants in our state. In Utah, immigrants make up nearly 9% of the population and more than 11% of the labor force, adding significantly to our economy and culture. They are entrepreneurs, essential workers and future leaders. They are also our neighbors, friends and fellow humans. Utah immigrant families contribute $2.5 billion annually in taxes, but their contributions go far beyond the economy — they bring a diversity of perspectives, innovative solutions and a strong sense of community.
Yet it has become increasingly clear that we have more work to do in Utah to ensure our values of compassion and welcome match the experiences of new Utahns. During our recent rebrand process, more than 200 students, families and other stakeholders shared what Guadalupe means to them. We found that families value Guadalupe as a safe haven and a community where they can belong as much as they do for our educational offerings. One student shared that “every community should have a place where children are taught with compassion and inclusivity,” while another emphasized belonging, saying that “integrating people from diverse cultures enriches life and broadens the vision of the world … [Guadalupe] dignifies the lives of excluded or scorned minorities.”
These perspectives suggest that, right now, too many people and places are not matching Utah’s historical legacy of inclusion.
Guadalupe Center began as Utah’s first true community school, and our work remains deeply rooted in the belief that education is the foundation for opportunity, but not the only piece. Supporting the whole student goes beyond academics, which is why we offer three meals a day, transportation to and from school, medical attention, school supplies, winter clothing and other wraparound services. And perhaps what matters most is something we all can give: a smile, a kind word and an enthusiastic welcome.
We know that when families are strong, communities flourish — and we are proud to be part of that equation in Salt Lake City. We salute the numerous organizations here that are working to ensure that Utah lives up to its legacy as a welcoming place and the individuals who put those values into practice. Join us at GuadalupeUtah.org.
(Richard Pater) Richard Pater is the executive director at Guadalupe Center.
Richard Pater is the executive director at Guadalupe Center.
(Lourdes Johnson) Lourdes Johnson is the chair of the board of directors at Guadalupe Center.
Lourdes Johnson is the chair of the board of directors at Guadalupe Center.
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