As volunteers and children circled the middle of the Our Lady of the Elms Elementary School gymnasium, Proyecto RAICES co-director Rita Aggarwal smiled and laughed, encouraging some of the younger children not to be afraid to speak up as they introduced themselves and stated their families’ places of origin. Theirs.
The children, most of whom were in fourth grade or younger, had just finished making bracelets and other jewelry in a repurposed arts and crafts classroom, crawling through a pop-up jungle gym or conducting experiments science in other areas of the school. . Excitement beamed from their faces as the young volunteers helped them into place.
“We have such a wonderful mix of kids — who we’ve seen grow and flourish over the years — as well as volunteers from schools like Kent State, the University of Akron and NEOMED, and that combination really makes this Sabado Program something we are proud of,” said Aggarwal.
“Our Sabado program is only one aspect of our organization, but it’s a really significant aspect and one that we hope to expand in the future; we only hold this program two Saturdays a month so far and would like to increase it that number eventually,” Aggarwal said.
Proyecto RAICES, which stands for “Recognition and Integration of Cultural Education and Service,” was founded in 1998, with members of the Hispanic community first meeting at St. Bernard’s Church in downtown Akron.
“It was really an informal organization that was known throughout the community, a place where people celebrated their culture; we only recently officially registered as a nonprofit in the state of Ohio,” Aggarwal said.
Preserving traditions and valuing heritage
The organization was created to help primarily Hispanic/Latino youth ages 4-14 with things like assimilating into the local community while appreciating and preserving their heritage.
Proyecto RAICES programs “enhance academic performance, preserve and celebrate cultural roots, and promote children’s physical, social and emotional well-being,” according to the group’s website.
Children in the Sabado Program are able to practice reading and speaking Spanish, enjoy a variety of cultural presentations, participate in STEM-related activities, and enjoy healthy snacks. Caldo de res, a traditional Mexican beef soup, along with rice and salad was served Saturday during lunch period for children in the Sabado Program.
Venues for this program rotate, with some Saturday activities at Our Lady of the Elms in Highland Square and St. John’s School. Mary downtown.
“While we greatly appreciate these two schools allowing us to have our Sabado Program on their campuses, we dream of having our own facility one day for children to participate in this program,” noted Aggarwal.
Proyecto RAICES in 2021 won a $1,000 grant as part of the Akron Beacon Journal’s Health Disparities Project. Winners were selected by Akron-area judges looking for local organizations, groups or individuals involved in addressing racism in the public health arena.
The program used the award to fund a virtual nutrition class, as well as an in-person cooking education session, with the help of two Northeast Ohio Medical University students. The cooking class, held in St. Mary’s, aimed to show parents how to cook meals with healthier ingredients for their children. Ingredients for the classroom were purchased from a local Mexican grocery store, with officials wanting to support businesses in the local community.
Aggarwal and her colleagues received another $2,000 as part of a second round of winners from the Health Disparities project. This award was used to help educate the Spanish community about the importance of getting the COVID-19 vaccine, as well as helping individuals sign up for these vaccines.
“The Akron Beacon grant came at a critical time for us. We partnered with AxessPointe and Summa Health to vaccinate members of our community,” Aggarwal said. “It was just an amazing opportunity to not only get the attention of these health care agencies, but just to connect our community with those needed services.”
Mental health resources for children and parents
Mental health counseling and therapy is another program launched by Proyecto RAICES that helps not only children but also their parents. Proyecto RAICES works with a case manager, Cristina Hernandez, who travels to her clients’ homes and provides stress and anxiety reduction therapy to her clients of all ages. Hernandez also operates once a week out of North High School, where sessions range from one-on-one to group therapy.
“I’ve been working with Proyecto RAICES since May and I can see how passionate Rita is about helping the Hispanic community,” Hernandez said. “Depression, anxiety, stress – these are things that affect our community and I’m happy to help anyone who needs it and enable them to enjoy better mental health.”
“Our grant from the Ohio Commission on Latino Affairs is allowing us to reduce the stigma around mental health and help community members navigate health agencies where they can get help,” Aggarwal said. “We are building our relationships with AxessPointe, Coleman Health Services and other health agencies so they understand the needs of our customers.”
Jan Mayor, director of mental health for Proyecto RAICES, acknowledged the importance of mental health and access to services for members of the Hispanic community.
“Support, advocacy and education are the three main aspects of our mental health program; it is important to provide education and skill building for those who need parenting skills, or those children who may need grief counseling or help to fight depression.” said the mayor.
“This mental health program is part of our navigator program, which seeks to identify issues facing the Hispanic community here in Akron and provide a pathway for resources to help these Hispanic families,” Mayor said.
The RAICES project invites community involvement
The group hopes two upcoming events will help encourage broader community involvement and support for its mission.
Proyecto RAICES is holding a fundraiser from 9 a.m. to midnight Saturday at El Patron Tequileria, 54 E. Mill St. in the city center. The event will feature a rooftop party with appetizers, a DJ and a cash bar. Tickets are $35 in advance or $45 at the door.
The group is also partnering with the North Hill Community Development Center to present the second annual Latin American Festival on October 1st. Food, live music and children’s activities will be featured at this community event, which aims to promote greater unity and understanding between members of the Hispanic community and their neighbors throughout Akron.
“We really want the community to come out and experience some authentic Hispanic food and dance and just participate in something that aims to bring Akron’s Hispanic community together with other communities as well,” Aggarwal said.
This free event will run from 11am to 8pm at People’s Park, 760 Elma St. Go to //proyectoraicescla.org for more information.
Anthony Thompson can be reached at[email protected].
