SoulStirred: Stories of Growth And The Human Experience

Emily Garcia (00:03)
Welcome lovely listeners to SoulStirred Stories of Growth and the Human Experience. I'm Emily Garcia. And I'm Kasey Clark. We will be your guides on this journey. We are so glad you are here. Each week, we'll come together, sometimes with other incredible thinkers, creators, and adventurers, to generously share stories of self-discovery, recovery, triumph, and what it means to live a life on purpose. No matter where you are in your own journey,

connection is here for you at SoulStirred Settle in, take a deep breath in, and let's inspire each other. Welcome to SoulStirred

Emily (00:48)
Hello, SoulStirred listeners. Today we are here with Christina Garcia. Christina is a teacher. She has been teaching for 15 years and she holds a bachelor's in modern language and master's in communication. Before teaching, Christina spent many years in the nonprofit sector in the Denver area, focusing on education, policy work, women's empowerment and immigrant rights. Christina is a proud, born and raised

Denverite and her journey is what dreams are made of. A first generation daughter to Mexican immigrants. The lessons Christina has learned from her parents and family continue to guide her. Her roots are firmly planted and she continues to grow while paying it forward. Christina loves spending time with her large family. She especially looks forward to Viernes Social, which is Social Friday.

This is where she eats delicious homemade Mexican meals and fills up on family, food, and love. Welcome, Christina.

Christina (01:50)
Emily, hi Kasey. Thank you so much for having me and for that wonderful intro. I'm excited to be here with you guys today.

Emily (01:57)
Yeah, we're grateful you're here. Why don't you start us off by telling us a story or something that has come up in your life that has influenced how you have become who you are today?

Christina (02:12)
I'm just so excited to share this part of my life with you and to really make those connections that you said in the intro because it's so, you know, I think of my story, my family's story, and in so many ways, I'm sure that other people can find threads that relate to their own lives. But Emily and Kasey, I wanna start off with telling you, as a teacher, I often...

think back on my life experiences and tell stories to my students. And so this story comes to mind when I think of a moment that really transformed me and it happened with my dad and my 12 or 13 year old self. So I want to first of all have you like think of being 12 and 13 and what comes to mind.

being that age, right? You're just like in your own world. You're living in your bubble, right? You're like worried about the clothes that you're wearing, what people think of you, the way, at least this was me, right? How I look, how I dress. And I played softball. So my dad, when I was very, very young, signed me up for softball. And I'm so glad he did.

Because I really did love sports and to this day I think it taps into my competitive nature and also that physicality. And we used to have, my dad had this ugly van.

Christina (03:46)
I didn't want to be picked up in it. I wanted none of my friends to see me in this van. And so I think he knew that, but you know, it was the only van we had and, you know, like just in that moment, wanted nothing to do with it. So he would always drive me to softball practice. This was our ritual. We'd go to practice and...

You know, sometimes we would talk, but mostly we would listen to music. I really didn't want to have like deep conversations with my dad and I would mostly listen to his stories. So this one time he must've known I was having a day and he turns down the radio and he says, do you know that I'm rich? And I was like.

caught my attention because like we were not rich, right? Like we lived in a very modest, very small house in Northwest Denver. You know, we had this ugly colored van that was like 20 years old. It was not a modern car. And so when he said, do you know that I'm rich? I immediately looked over at him, kind of sat up a little bit and I was like, okay, you have my attention. And he says,

I'm rich because if a man was to walk up to me right now and say, I will give you a million dollars for your daughter. He's like, I wouldn't give you for a million dollars. And he's like, and if he was to say, I'll give you 10 million for your daughter and your son and for, you know, your wife and all of your children, you know, I wouldn't do it. And I was like,

What, what is this, what are you saying? And he's like, so yeah, I'm rich. He's like, I am the richest man in the world. And so in my mind, I didn't know what that story meant, right? Because I was like, we live in a small house. We have this horrible, ugly car. And then later on I realized, he is so right.

I was like, oh my gosh, he loves me so much to say that, you know, he has this family, my mom, my siblings, and all that comes along with that. And that's kind of who my dad is. And it is the basis for who I am in terms of just my family. And now as an adult, I appreciate that, especially when, you know, I have friends and family who say,

wow, you talk to your parents every day, you have great relationships with your siblings. You know, I think about that and it gives me and it fills me with so much gratitude to know that that is a form of wealth that is, you know, priceless. And so and it was that story that I often think about with my dad that that fills me, you know, and it just I just pause and think, look around and I think, wow, I am I really got it. You know, I am rich.

Kasey (06:51)
Wow. Tell us a little bit more about your mom and your dad and where they came from and how they came and, you know, the back, give us the background and history of, and this, and this wonderful wealthy man, Christina.

Christina (06:54)
Yah.

Yeah!

Yes, I am so excited to tell you about that. Again, growing up, I feel like there's sometimes we don't, we're, at least I was, so in my own zone and in my own thoughts and mind that I didn't really care, I guess, to understand my parents' story. I just knew that we were here and it was hard. You know, in the 80s and the 90s growing up, Denver was a different.

place to be growing up, especially with as many siblings as I have. It was constantly like, we're fighting for the last ice cream bar or something, which is like the scarcity mentality of, ah. But my parents actually came over in the early 70s. They are both from Mexico. And my mom grew up in a very poor town in Mexico.

And my dad, he comes from a line of barbers. And so my grandfather was a barber and his father was a barber. And the thing about being a barber in Mexico is that it was considered, almost considered a white collar job because you would have businessmen or politicians go out and get their hair cut, you know?

So that was something that my grandfather owned a barber shop, actually a couple of barber shops. And so what happened is that in the late 60s, a lot of things were happening. If we look historically what was going on, you know, JFK had been shot and you know, there was a military base that was in my parents, close to my parents' town, that it shut down, this military base.

So people weren't going to get their hair cut often, you know, because military, you have to have your hair a certain way. Additionally, the hippie movement happened. And so people were not getting their haircuts anymore, you know? And so that was really hard. My parents had already had six of my siblings in Mexico and they decided, you know, let's see what else is out there. My dad had a brother who lived in Denver.

And at that time, getting a visa was just like a travel visa was an option, and they did. But they came to Colorado and they came to Denver specifically in November, as I'm told, with just they didn't even have the proper jackets. They just didn't realize how cold it was going to be.

And that is how they ended up here in the 70s and took a while for them to get status. Actually, the status that they finally got was in 1986. And so I, as Emily said in the intro, I was the first in my family to be born in the United States. And so I'm coming from immigrant parents, you know, my dad, he had always worked as a barber and there wasn't,

that option for him here. He had to actually work construction. And that's what he did for his whole life, but had never picked up a shovel or any construction gear until he came and that was the only thing that was available. To this day, I don't know if you know the big white building in downtown Denver called the Republic Plaza. You can see it, it's the skyline of Denver.

one of the buildings that make that skyline. And I always believe that because my dad worked on that building and in my, you know, five -year -old self or however old I was, I always thought that my dad built it all by himself. So that was like, you know, the thing of saying, you know, my dad built that building. And so I see that my dad worked in the Republic Plaza.

My mom actually for a time in the late 80s, early 90s worked at the cash register building. She cleaned offices. And so that was what she did. And so I often think of when I look at my roots, I think of my parents, but I also think of my own roots here in Denver. And when I look at the skyline, I see that it was my parents' blood, sweat and tears that went into those very buildings.

And it does bring a smile to my face as I drive into work because I do pass by downtown Denver. I just smile and think, you know, these are my roots, not only because my parents and the choice that they made to come to Denver, but also the work that they did to make the city what it is in some way, you know? And then I get to share that with my children now.

Emily (12:02)
Wow, that's such a cool way to look at the place you live and to feel like this isn't just a, you know, where I work and where I live, but I actually, there are roots here and roots in the intangible and tangible ways. I'm curious about the experience they had when they first arrived. I'd imagine.

Christina (12:15)
I think.

Emily (12:27)
your parents getting to the US and having six children wasn't an easy experience. What do you know about that?

Christina (12:35)
Yeah, so it was not easy. I sometimes think of what we fear as people, you know, I know I do. I fear what I don't know. And I think that seeing people who may not speak your language, my parents' language was Spanish and still primarily is to this day.

I mean, it's commendable to know that they were able to navigate the way that they did in such a way that provided opportunities for us. So there was, you know, there was a lot of racism that existed and still does, you know, because people look different, because they had many children, right? They were all so small. And so my dad and my mom experienced that firsthand.

especially my older siblings. It was really hard when they went to school, not knowing the language, not having the adequate clothing, you know, not dressing the part. They stood

Kasey (13:40)
Christina, I'm just curious if you could tell us and our listeners a little bit about who you are in the world today and what's happening in the world today and then relate it for us to who the sounds of these sturdy, wise, intelligent, strong, resilient, perseverant people who your parents

Christina (13:48)
Yeah.

I think of my family, obviously, that are the basis, the foundation for my values. And I keep going back in moments in my life when I'm paused and just like, where do I go? You know, and I look at their example. I mentioned it earlier, being of service to others because along the way, as I mentioned, they encountered so many amazing, wonderful people.

who helped, they were the teachers, they were the people at church or whatever space. And they themselves in the moments when they had nothing, they continued to give. So I feel like every moment in my life when I think of.

You know, right now the word that comes to mind is era. You know, okay, throw a little nod to Taylor Swift, right? Every era of my life, I think, who were the people that really guided me, right? So I have this foundation for my family, which is very much rooted in community, right? You learn to share, to communicate, to even argue, right? With your siblings, with your parents. And...

Emily (14:54)
Yeah.

Christina (15:18)
It's really healthy to know how to do that and to navigate. And I feel like there are moments in my life where I'd been placed in opportunities where I got to help people. And I started to find that that was a strength that I had for whatever reason that is a gift that I just feel is innate in me.

I can go back to being in third grade and if you look at Denver and the evolution of Denver and the influx of people who have come and gone and whatnot, in third grade there was a wave of students at my elementary school who were only Spanish speaking. And I am bilingual. And so I remember that my teacher was so.

you know, she would so frazzled because she didn't speak Spanish, but she knew that she needed to instruct these students. And I remember that I felt such empathy for these two young men. There were two boys, you know, my classmates, third graders. And I remember taking the initiative to just sit next to them and explain things to them. Like this is, and just translating, you know, translating the activity, the worksheets.

And I remember the look that they felt of just somebody, their classmates sitting next to them and helping them, right? So it's like one moment that stands out in my mind of, okay, I helped, I taught them, I was in this moment and I was of service, you know, like that felt really good and built my self -esteem and was like, oh, okay. And then later on, as I went through middle school and even high school,

there were always these moments where I would catch myself explaining things, taking the time to explain things to friends or just to have a conversation with mentors or teachers. But I always remember when I was going to college, I was sitting with one of my siblings and I was trying to decide, you know, there comes a time when you have to declare a major. And,

At that time, you know, we didn't have the internet catalog to go through. It was like this physical catalog that you had to look through. And I was like, I'm really horrible at math, I said. So I can't be anything that's like math related, right? The stories that we tell ourselves, because now I'm like, actually, I'm okay at math. You know, I just, like, it was, it was just so funny. But I was like, I can't do math. And so my sibling, my sister was with me and she was like, okay, what about this?

Kasey (17:44)
Yeah.

Yeah!

Christina (17:57)
And she's like, oh, no, no, no, that has math, too much math, you can't do that. And so then I was like, okay, what about a teacher? And then she looked at me and she's like, do you want to be rich or do you want to be poor? And I was like, I want to be rich. And she's like, then you can't be a teacher, you can't be a social worker, you can't be any of these things. And so, right, but my sister, I mean, she was young herself and she's advising me on like my life path.

Kasey (18:12)
Hmm.

Christina (18:26)
So I was like, okay, I can't be a teacher, can't be a social worker, can't be anything that helps people because I'm not gonna be rich. So I was like, okay. So I went and majored in business. And I thought I'm gonna make money. And hated every day of business college at my university. I was like, what is a T -graph? Debits, credits? Oh my God, I had no idea what that meant. And so once I graduated, I entered the nonprofit.

and found so much of the things that I was good at naturally were starting to come up in these places. And I was like, oh, I like doing this. I like doing that. I like helping people. And it really has come full circle. You know, I have been teaching now for 15 years and I feel that I...

maybe I'm not, you know, like going back to the lesson of my father, right? Like I may not have like, ooh, like I'm not like doing this all day long, you know, like I just like, you know, money, money, money, money, like just handing out the bills. But I am so fulfilled in what I do that I get to work with students, that I get to work at the school that I work at. I just feel like that is the cherry on top.

It is aligned with the values that I grew up with. And I just feel like a sense, like this sense of purpose when I think back and I'm like, of course I was meant to do this. You know, I was meant to be in this place. And it's so funny because I often tell my sister like, why did you tell me not to do this? And she's just like, why did you listen to me? Nobody told you to listen to me.

Kasey (20:14)
Yeah. Yeah.

Christina (20:15)
I don't know what I was talking about.

Kasey (20:18)
Well, and she wasn't wrong, right? We don't pay our teachers or our social workers or our helpers or healers in this country at the same level as the value of the impact that you're having and they're having on a daily basis. And back to your dad, you were already rich. You just didn't know it yet, right?

Christina (20:20)
Yeah. Yeah.

Mm -hmm.

Yeah, yeah. That is so true. I did not know that. And of course it was meant to be. I was thinking earlier, I was with my parents because it's my mom's birthday. We went out for brunch.

Kasey (20:44)
Yeah.

Christina (20:58)
And I was just having small talk with her of, you know, what do you, how did you celebrate your birthday when you were a child? And she got really teary eyed and she says, oh, they didn't, they didn't even remember. Sometimes it was my birthday. You know, she grew up so poor on a ranch and, um, just didn't have the luxury of even having a doll. You know, she said that she, all she wished for was a doll.

when she was a child. And then she says, we didn't have birthdays because they were poor and they were sad. And then I let her have her moment. And then I looked at her and my dad and I said, and to think now we're here, sitting in this restaurant, having a meal. And she's like, I never thought that this was gonna be my life. And so.

as I am sitting across from her, you know, this grown woman, you know, I'm sitting there and I'm just like, I'm a grown woman. And there's so much gratitude I feel, you know, for just their story and their journey to get to this place and what they've created and how they've done that so that we can give forward and we can keep paying for paying it forward, you know.

Emily (21:57)
Thank you.

Christina (22:20)
I just think that that is really such a gift. And I often think of that when I'm looking at people who just want a shot, you know, and all of the helpers along the way that just see that. And for some reason, you know, just it takes just this moment to provide something or to steer them in the right path. And then lo and behold, you know, generations, they will feel that for generations to come. At least that's how I feel.

Emily (22:47)
It, the visual in my mind is like a tree, like the choices and the sacrifices that your parents made were like that base of the tree that created roots and branches. And you and your siblings are branches. And each of you have created branches and not only biologically within family, but in the connections that all of you have made. And so having roots that are,

Kasey (22:48)
You

Christina (22:51)
Hmm.

Emily (23:17)
based on values and based on community and based on service, how it's really profound how far that can go. What an amazing.

Christina (23:18)
Mm.

I think that that's right. It's so the visual that I use, Emily, when I think of, you know, the conversations that I have with my children. I have two girls and they often will be in a moment when we're in the car or maybe just.

you know, when we're alone and they'll say things about, oh, I love our family, you know, and it's just not this, you know, my husband and the, you know, my girls and I, like the four of us, it's the whole, to your point, I'm like the whole tree, all of the branches. And so I think when I look at myself going back to Kasey, like who I've become and how I've evolved is,

You know, we all have these moments and the people who have helped those moments where the path could have been this or that. And I go back and it's kind of funny that you mentioned that, Em, about the tree, because look, I have a tree right here. Like, this is my visual of just, I have this notebook that I sometimes, you know, just journal in or write in. And it is this tree analogy. Those roots.

Emily (24:30)
Oh.

Christina (24:46)
are so deep and I look at my parents and the fortitude and the insight that they had to, and not only the insight, but like the foresight, right? To look ahead and to say, we have to stay grounded. We have to stay grounded because then you stay the course, you plant those seeds, and then you do see the fruits of that labor. And I'm living proof of that.

My children are living proof of that. I was just recently talking to one of my nieces who is 34 and she works for a construction company and she's pretty high up in the company. And she recently wrote a little bio and cited my dad's story about working at the Republic Plaza. And she managed this huge project of a building.

that was off of 15th and California downtown. And in her little bio, she says, but to be fair, my grandfather, my grandpa has still got one up on me because his building is still taller than mine.

Kasey (25:55)
Nice. Wow.

Christina (25:57)
So I think that's just so sweet to know that we all do come back to that, our roots, yeah, our roots.

Kasey (26:05)
our roots.

I imagine for your mom and dad, you and your siblings and your nieces and nephews are their dream come true. You are there why? Why they made the hard journey from Mexico to America? Why they persevered and forged ahead to make a better life and give opportunity to their children? I want to shout out happy birthday to your mom too. In case she listens later. Yeah.

Christina (26:17)
Bye.

Yeah. Yeah.

Emily (26:34)
Yeah, yeah, happy birthday!

Christina (26:34)
Aw, thank you. She's so sweet. She's so sweet. She is so sweet. The phone was just ringing nonstop this morning and just a testament to what a rock she has been, is this partnership and also the example of their life, of just always giving, giving, giving. And I think, Kasey, I was listening to...

one of the podcasts where you mentioned like you always had people in your house, you know, it was like people who were transitioning whatever their journey was. And I think of that too. I think, you know, the connection that I thought of when I listened to that is my parents have been that nexus, right? That brick house that is just, withstood the test of time.

It stands there and people, every time that they've needed something, they've come through and my parents are that root system. And that is so incredible and such an example for me and the work that I do as an educator and that I continue to do to give back to communities that I'm a part of is the example of my dad always saying or my mom always saying like,

Oh yeah, you have nothing to do? Well, you know, there's always something to do. I'm like, oh my gosh, which I'm like, it's a blessing and a curse because I'm just like, I take it back. I'm good. I'm good. But it's this idea that has been in me of I'm paused or I need a moment. And then I'm like, oh no, but there's still more to do, you know, and I've...

Emily (28:05)
I'm going to go ahead and close the video.

Kasey (28:07)
Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah.

Emily (28:11)
Yeah, when you want to go, never mind, I take it back. I'm busy.

Kasey (28:26)
Yeah.

Christina (28:27)
learned obviously through tools and whatnot like you can take and I can take breaks and it's okay to take care of myself and to do all of that but I look at their example and I just think oh but they've said always be of service you know like help keep helping keep moving forward um so there is that that piece of of just the work is never done.

Kasey (28:51)
Yeah, it's like you're bored and think you need to be entertained. Find a person to serve. You think we have nothing? Find something to be grateful for and something to give away to someone else who needs it even more than we do. I can hear the threads as you're highlighting them of the kind of high character people your parents are.

Christina (28:55)
Exactly. Yeah.

Oh, yeah, absolutely. Yeah, and yeah, it's so funny. When my mom, in her broken English, the lessons also, and this is just observing, right? I think my childhood and just who I am, I like to observe people. And I think of Emily when I think of this too.

the empathy, like the empath, right? That comes out, you're just observing and looking and right. But my mom, the connections that she makes, even in her broken English with like the people at the grocery store. And this idea of just sparking up a conversation and trying to connect somehow and to see people's humanity. And so I just by observing them and observing

my siblings, it really does fuel me in the sense of, okay, how am I acknowledging somebody else's humanity? What connection am I trying to make? Even if it's just for a moment, because we don't know what anybody is going through. And I often think of my parents and the hardship that they had,

I didn't know how poor we were. Just because they would make it a point to take us to the mountains or do all of this. And I keep coming back to monetarily poor, like money -wise, because going back, we've always been rich. And I just think though that having those moments of connection, of community, of nature,

we were primed in Denver, Colorado or Colorado to have those moments for sure.

Emily (30:54)
Yeah. Well, and it goes back to your mom wanting the house that you grew up in because there was a park across the street because she wanted her children to be outside, to be in nature and to be able to play. So I think that is the one other piece that I'm hearing in all of this is the playfulness that you were brought up in is, you know, your parents and your siblings and you to get to be playful, that it isn't all serious serving.

Kasey (30:55)
Mm.

Christina (31:07)
Mm -hmm.

Mm.

Emily (31:23)
but being playful in the process.

Christina (31:26)
Absolutely. We are a funny bunch. And sometimes I think in my mind that I am really just, of course I teach middle school because I really am just a middle schooler at heart. I will hear things or say things to my siblings and we're just laughing. We're a bunch of comedians. They are probably even more so than I am.

but sometimes even in our family texts, I'm like, oh my gosh, can we not be serious for a moment? you have to find the lightness and the comedy in all of it. It's so wild because my siblings, they're so funny and they crack jokes and I keep going even to like moments of grief.

Emily (32:04)
Mm -hmm.

Christina (32:17)
when we've been at funerals or just anything like this and there is this funny moment of just levity and we're laughing and we bring it back because that's human too. And if nothing else, my dad, he is a big jokester. And so he is a funny, funny guy. And he will just, with a look or with a look or a joke, he'll just break the tension.

Emily (32:30)
Thank you.

Christina (32:45)
And that's what's needed. So I feel like, thank you for pointing that out, Emily, because I think that that is something that for sure runs in me and in my family is this idea of we have to be light because things can get heavy.

Emily (33:05)
Is there anything that we haven't asked you about that you want to make sure you share?

Kasey (33:05)
Yeah.

Christina (33:11)
Well, first of all, again, thank you guys so much for having me on and allowing me to talk about my family. I do feel like that is my grounding place. As we've said, the roots go deep. I think that as I've grown and matured and am at the age of...

you know, what I want to leave with my children. And, you know, my husband and I, we talk about this too, what the legacy that we want to leave. And in my culture, in Mexican culture, you know, we celebrate Day of the Dead. all of the customs and all of the traditions that we have.

They are so beautiful because they're rooted in this mix of everything that is Mexican -ness. So it's the indigenous, it's the European, it's the, you know, all of this mix of culture. Because when you go to Mexico, there is like everything, right? It really is like, I feel like Mexico is really the melting pot of a lot of cultures. So.

I think for me, and when I look at my own children, is leaving.

those roots firmly planted and making sure that they know where they come from, not only in the family, but also our heritage, because everything has an origin story. Like our origin story is my mom and dad and the journey that they took to get to Denver, Colorado, the roots that they planted. But beyond that, there's a whole culture that has followed us.

And it's a really hard place to be sometimes, you know, when you have these different identities, but also different cultures, right? And I've learned to embrace that as I've grown up and I owe it to my family and to my parents specifically, because they're like, be proud, you know, yes, we're gonna do this thing because it's part of our culture and

They made it a point for us to practice these traditions. And now I feel so grateful that I get to pass that along to my children. Even the language. You know, I am bilingual, my girls are bilingual, and the fact that they can communicate with their grandparents in their language, the fact that we have these really interesting traditions based in our...

Mexicaness, you know, that sometimes may not make sense, but it's like, be proud, you know, and I love that they have that and I love that I have that. And that's what I like to share with even my students, you know, is I'll say, this is my culture, this is who I am, I am sharing this with you. And to circle back, you know, day of the dead, when all is said and done and we are no longer here.

physically, it's the stories that are told and what we know about each other and the legacy that we left and the impact that keeps us living on, you know? And so that is something that I value. I am so lucky and blessed, rich, whatever you want to call it, that I have the roots, that they are strong, that they are grounded, that there are times when...

this tree may give out lots of fruits. Other times it may be bare, but it is there and it'll keep coming back.

Kasey (36:55)
Obviously, right now in America and the state of our union, immigration is a hot button topic. And as I'm sitting here listening to you,

Christina (37:03)
Mm.

Kasey (37:06)
And with my eyes watering up, as I hear you talk to me about wanting to share the roots of who your parents are with who your daughters are becoming as women and people, I think to myself, what a huge miss for all of your seventh graders, for your daughters, for me, for our SoulStirred audience, if we had missed out on knowing you and having you. And if we had kept your parents blocked behind some sort of wall,

Christina (37:16)
Mm.

Mmm. Mmm.

Mm.

Kasey (37:37)
You wouldn't be here. And so I just wonder, what do you make of that? And what would you like to say about any of that?

Christina (37:45)
Yeah, absolutely. Immigration and immigration issues are a big part of what I do in my life and personal life. Done border trips because I really feel that sometimes the stories that we hear, you know, we have to go in and research and, you know, my story and my parents' story is just one thread and it happened decades ago, right?

And so I see people, newcomers, you know, immigrants who are on this journey of just wanting an opportunity, you know, and I've talked to people who have recounted and shared firsthand their trek and how long and hard and, it stirs me up and it stirs my soul.

Because I think as humans and going back to acknowledging our humanity, if we do just hear the story of why and make that connection, we would maybe be open to it. We would open our mind, yeah, more welcoming and going back to what I said earlier about we fear what we don't know.

Kasey (39:01)
Thank you.

Christina (39:08)
and that's when injustice happens, right? It's one of the main causes of injustice is fear, along with all of the other things, but fear is primarily like that first stop of why injustice happens. And so we fear and we're coming, sometimes maybe we feel like we're coming at things because we're gonna lose out on something. But to your point, Kasey, what we gain.

by acknowledging somebody's humanity, giving people a shot, going back to my own parent's story and the people who helped my parents and my siblings were people who were just open -minded and listened and were able to provide something, right? And it didn't cost a lot of money. It didn't take, it just, the time to acknowledge, to acknowledge a person's humanity, to offer that dignity.

And to give my dad a shot, he had never worked construction a day in his life. You know, that wasn't his trained profession. He was a barber. Came from a long line of barbers, you know, that's like the running joke. Dad came from a long line of, he still cuts hair to this day, by the way. He...

Emily (40:17)
Okay.

Kasey (40:19)
Still his hands contributed to building the tallest building in the different skyline.

Christina (40:21)
Yeah, Tuzibilli, the tall building, yeah, yeah. So it's just like all of these contributions that I feel that, you know, we don't know people's stories. We all come to the table with all of our stories. it's a very treacherous journey to come through a lot of the ways that people are coming through.

to get to just this place and specifically Denver. So if you're willing to risk it all, there's a reason, you know, there's a reason and my heart is open to that, you know, and I welcome the conversation and most of all to understand and to have that empathy, but most of all, again, to just acknowledge our humanity. At the end of the day, that's what we want. We want to connect, we want a community.

Kasey (41:08)
Yeah.

Christina (41:12)
and we want the next best thing for our kids, you know, and I think that that's what my parents did. And that's what they're doing to this day, you know, by just existing and being in. My parents, they are faithful people, so they constantly are praying for the newcomers and immigrants And I'll say what my dad says. He's like,

I just feel like there's enough place for all of the humans in this world to just have a chance. And so that's my take on it. You can keep this or not, but that's my personal take.

Kasey (41:42)
Yes.

Your dad sounds like a very wise man, and I affirm there is more than enough room here for us all.

Christina (41:53)
Yes.

I think we get kind of lazy with our ideas. I think we need to be creative with our ideas and what we can do to make it all work. I sometimes think of when I'm trying to work at something and I'm like, oh, what's the easy route because it's been done before? But let's think outside the box and let's get creative with some ideas.

Emily (42:24)
Get creative to help each other.

Kasey (42:24)
Yeah, well, and it goes to what you're saying. Creativity is a really hard thing when you're filled with fear, right? And so question the fear. Is the fear based in some made up thing that you're telling yourself, or is it based on anything real? And where can you get some data and turn the unknowns into knowns and put your stories to the test? Right?

Christina (42:26)
Yeah, yeah.

Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. Mm -hmm. Yeah. Yeah.

Exactly. Absolutely. Just have a conversation, you know? And I think that that makes, you know, I've learned so much in my life that I know that this is such a cliche term, but you know, judging a book by its cover, it's usually never wise to do that. You know, you'd be surprised you open that up and you're like, whoa, this is awesome. Or, you know, that took a turn, plot twist.

So it's just really important to do the work. And I think that this is why you all have this podcast. It's why I'm in the field that I'm in, this career of education and being of service to others. And all of the hats and roles that we play, I think it's just, and definitely like the lesson that I learned from my parents.

So there is, yeah, let's get creative and not come from a place of fear.

Emily (43:45)
Yeah. And even if you are feeling scared, know that you can be creative and you can get curious and you'll feel better. Yeah.

Kasey (43:45)
Yeah, amen, and so it is.

Christina (43:51)
Mm -hmm. Yeah.

Kasey (43:56)
We're hearing some themes. The future belongs to the curious. We never know the story that brought this person to this moment, but we can get curious about it.

Christina (43:59)
Ugh, really.

Emily (44:00)
Hehehehe

Christina (44:07)
Haven't you been just so shocked in those moments where you have a totally different perspective or idea of what something might be and then your mind is blown and you're like, why? Why did I do that? I've had those moments where I was like, why didn't I just give this a shot sooner?

Emily (44:22)
Yeah.

Christina (44:29)
You know, we are where we need to be and hopefully we can just keep that conversation going and keep evolving. Keep getting creative.

Emily (44:37)
Yes. Yeah. Thank you for being here with us today, Christina. Your family's tree and the roots. It is such a beautiful story. And we are so grateful that you've shared it with us and that we can share it with our little sliver of the world.

Kasey (44:37)
Yeah.

Christina (44:54)
Well, thank you so much. I really appreciate the time that you gave for me to share this story. It really is so important and is the foundation of who I am. And I carry those values with me on a daily basis. And I am just so proud of what we've been able to accomplish. And I would not be if it was not for them. So.

Thank you so much, Kasey and Emily, for your time. And I just really enjoyed my time. Thank you.

Kasey (45:29)
You have inspired me. My heart is full. I am so glad to know you and to share your family story with our SoulStirred audience. Please tell your parents we said thank you.

Emily (45:40)
Yes.

Christina (45:40)
I will absolutely thank you.

Kasey (45:43)
Yeah.

Emily (45:43)
All right, SoulStirred listeners, thank you for joining us. Remember, please share this episode or any episode on the show if you feel that it would be helpful to someone you know and subscribe and download. Have a great day.

Kasey (45:59)
Thanks so much. Take good care of yourselves and each other.

Emily Garcia (46:10)
Thanks so much for joining us on this episode of SoulStirred, Stories of Growth and the Human Experience. We hope our stories have touched your heart and sparked reflections in your own journey.

Therapist, we are not your therapist and this podcast is not a substitute for therapy. If you find yourself in need of professional support, please don't hesitate to seek it. Your well-being is important and there are professionals out there who are ready to help. We encourage you to carry the spirit of growth and connection with you. Life is a continuous journey and we're honored to be part of yours. Stay tuned for more captivating stories in the episodes to come.

Until then, take care of yourselves and each other.