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What
is this site?
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Changes in beliefs: the capacity of the
individual
The development of voice, of self-esteem, and of efficacy all come about
as individuals participate in the relationship building, the workshops,
and the actions of Valley Interfaith. As they name, they question, and
they act, leaders have a greater sense of agency and a greater awareness
of their socio-economic context. If "power" is the ability "to be able"
these individuals possess a new sense of power as they are able to act
on their own behalf.
| "... Before I didn't know
how to talk to people. How do you talk to a senator, How do you talk
to a congressman?" |
"Because you wake up, you're more alive,
you're more involved in things and you understand more, you ask,
you ask, you go and you look0, you go and you ask for, you go and
you give . . . this is what I mean when I say I feel more alive
because it's not like it was before where it was just 'you there
and me here.'"
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"They tell me: You speak more,
you have other ideas, you arenıt like you were before, quieter. They
used to tell you something and you accepted it." |
| "I really got some confidence
through this organization because I never thought I could do anything.
You stay home because you think, people think the city knows what
theyıre doing. Engineers know. Teachers know what they're doing. We
all stay home and do what weıre supposed to be doing. Because that's
what my attitude was. I really thought that was the way that it was.
But no. It is not and that's what we're all learning through the process
of this." |
click here to watch Joe Hinojosa speak |
"And I had no problem with doing
a homily on Sunday -- several on Sunday, but to speak in Sidney Hall
was a totally new experience for me. And so I grew a lot by doing
these things." |
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"I went to Houston with one of my sisters
and I saw the injustices against the immigrants, and in a city where
there are many Anglos. But they are also abusive in terms of salaries.
I went to church and there was a ranch, where they work cutting
down trees and they pay very little to the people that work there,
they pay them minimum wage and it's hard work. So in the church
I met many of them and I asked "Why do you let them pay you so little
if this work is good work?" My sister told me "Be quiet, don't even
start, be quiet." I told her, 'No, they need to come together, with
the Hispanics and the Anglos, there are also Anglos working there.'
She said, Don't even start."
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