HISTORY
The creation and development of the Latino Resource Center rests on the shoulders of Carmina Oaks - a remarkable figure in the Jackson community. From 2000 to 2010, under Carmina’s guidance, the LRC grew from an informal part-time program with a staff of one, to a well respected full-time, independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit, serving the needs of thousands of Latinos in the Jackson Community.
Before Carmina Oaks arrived in the spring of 2000, there was no Latino Resource Center. The rapidly growing Latino population was in desperate need of organized assistance. Though she was born in Mexico City, Carmina spent much of her early life in the USA. Fluent in both English and Spanish, she was quickly identified by the Latino population as an important community resource.
Latinos began to seek her out for the most basic help: understanding the words written on a parking tickets, enrolling their children in the public school system, filing for work visas. Within a year, she was working full time as an an advocate for the Victim Witness Program in partnership with the Jackson Police Department. In her spare time, she acted as the unofficial community resource coordinator for the Latino community. She was on the clock 24 hours a day. On more than one occasion, people would bang on her door at 2 AM, desperate for a translator to speak to the police waiting outside. Concerned neighbors had a sign built: “Carmina Does Not Live Here Anymore.” It didn’t work. People continued to seek out her counsel and kindness.
As the Latino population ballooned, people in the larger Jackson community began to take notice. First generation immigrants needed help. The language barrier was a major dam to the natural flow of integration. But even more problematic, the majority of Latinos were fearful to ask for help outside their immediate community. Many were illegal immigrants, terrified of being deported. Recognizing that Carmina had the social clout and specific skills to run an official program, the Catholic Church of Jackson offered to act as an umbrella organization to provide basic services. In the spring of 2000, the Latino Services Network (later to be renamed the Latino Resource Center) was established. For 10 years, Carmina acted as the director, program manager, and case secretary. She was taking on the workload of four people, and doing so admirably.
In 2005, the LRC separated from the church and filed for status as an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit. With generous donations and state funding, Carmina was able to hire employees in order to expand the LRC’s services. In these formative years, the LRC ran programs like the Free Tax Preparation Workshops, English as a Second Language and a number of popular informational forums on topics including: Visa Applications, Understanding US Laws and Customs, Navigating the Legal System in Jackson, Opening a Bank Account, cooking classes, and many others. In these early years, Carmina became the voice of the Latino Community, establishing a bridge between Latino and Anglo populations that has continued to grow to this day.
In 2010, Carmina stepped down as the executive director. While she intended to retire quietly, the lack of everyday community engagement left a tremendous vacuum. When Smokey Rhea asked Carmina to work at the Community Resource Center as a case manager, she jumped at the opportunity. Carmina turned 70 this year, but you would never know. The warmth of her smile is as radiant as ever, and she’ll be the first person to tell you about the joy she takes from her work on a daily basis. Her dedication to the healthy integration of Latinos into Jackson community has enriched many agencies at the local, state, and national level. But more importantly, Carmina has personally made a tremendous positive impact on thousands of people.
Latino Resource Center has been recognized as a model agency by a variety of local and federal agencies including the Mexican Consulate of Salt Lake City, the Internal Revenue Service and the Department of Homeland Security.
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We want to take this opportunity to thank all of our former board members and executive directors for their service to Latino Resource Center:
Carmina Oaks – Founding Director from 2001 to 2009
Estela Torres – 2009 to 2011
Bonnie Koeln, Estela Torres, Peggy Parker, Rev. Ken Asel, Jeff Noffsinger, Patti Rocha, Ruth Harrington, Ana Chapman, Florence Lemle, John Hebberger, Ann Willott, Rosslyn Read, Lauren Conrad, Caroline Jolley, Romualdo Liberato , Bruce Hawtin, Betty Andrikopoulos, Mickey Goetz, Scott Ferguson, Frank Marinaro
