Resource Fair Creates Access to Community Services for Spanish Speakers

by John McNamara

Access to community and social services in a city as diverse as New Britain increases when language and cultural barriers decrease and awareness of those services spreads by word of mouth among residents who may need them most.

Last winter first-term Alderwoman Jessica Vargas (D-1) hosted a constituent meeting in her ward and got the idea for a community engagement that would bring awareness of a wide range of services to the Spanish-speaking community. “During the event, three women quietly left in the middle of the presentations because they only spoke and understood Spanish,” wrote Vargas. “In that moment, it became clear that I needed to do something different to better engage and support our Spanish-speaking community. I began thinking about how to create a more inclusive and welcoming space and that’s when the idea for a Spanish speaking resource fair was born.”

On April 13, Vargas, joined by first-term Alderwoman Jadira Maldanado (D-2), organized a well-attended Spanish speaking resource fair at Saint Joachim Parish (Saint Mary’s Church) on Main Street

Alderwomen Jessica Vargas and Jadira Maldanado organized the April 13 Resource Fair for Spanish speakers .

The resource fair drew “over 30 tables staffed with Spanish speaking representatives. The room was filled with meaningful conversations, connections, and access to valuable resources,” said Vargas. “This event showed us all what’s possible when we listen, adapt, and center the needs of our community.”

Vargas, a network representative for Connecticut Foodshare, envisions organizing similar language- and culturally appropriate resource fairs for the Polish community and other groups whose primary language is not English.