Claudia Gonzalez Astorga, student programs coordinator with Latin American Programs at NMSU, talks with KC Counts about her work and how students and the community at large can mark Latin Heritage Month.
KC Counts:
Why don't you start by telling me what your job is as student program coordinator?
Claudia Gonzalez Astorga:
I always say that the fiesta is with us; the party is with us. I tell the students all the time, it is not only the party, but it is also - we have resources for the students. What I do inside the Latin American Programs, because we are five programs inside Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity. All five programs do the same. We're bringing resources for the students.
KC Counts:
And we have here at NMSU, I'm sure, students from every country across Latin America almost at any given time.
Claudia Gonzalez Astorga:
Yes, and we serve 2,000 students. And guess what? We have students for all the countries almost, even Nigeria. We have students, of course, from the States, and we have students from Latin American backgrounds also.
KC Counts:
How long ago did you attend NMSU?
Claudia Gonzalez Astorga:
I finished my master’s and my education here because I only had elementary school. I am from the outskirts of Juarez.
KC Counts:
Okay.
Claudia Gonzalez Astorga:
And I had only elementary school. And then when I arrived here, I did my GED in the DACC and they asked me, do you want to continue, and I agreed. And then I did my associates. Then, I went to the graduation because I said, well, maybe that's the only thing that I'm going to get from the university. But they offered me to go further. And then I came here to NMSU. I finished my bachelors, and then I went again to the graduation, and then they offered me the masters. So I went for the master’s, and everything was in English.
KC Counts:
What master's program did you complete?
Claudia Gonzalez Astorga:
The master’s was in Spanish, the only one, but all the bachelors was in English, and I didn't know any English. So, I entered into the classroom, I heard the professors, and I didn't know what they were talking about. But because I love that, I love to be atschool0, to finish my education - because that was my dream. I was also a first gen. I have 14 siblings plus myself, and I was, I am first gen. The first to attend the college. And because of that, I hear a lot of people and people from my family, they are entering into education because they saw me graduating at 50 years oldwithout knowing English; because I just started speaking English two years ago.
KC Counts:
Okay, first of all, I wouldn't have guessed you were 50 years old, but also that gives you such a unique perspective on the barriers that young students are facing.
Claudia Gonzalez Astorga:
That's why I'm here, like a student program coordinator, because I always talk with the students. Students like to be with me and to talk with me about our program. They just arrive to our program because they feel overwhelmed sometimes. They need some guidance. And because I was in their shoes, I am able to do that; and also because of the staff that is there with us.
KC Counts:
What kind of help did the program offer to you as a student?
Claudia Gonzalez Astorga:
At that time, it was named the Chicano, the Chicano Programs. And then I didn't know that much about it, but because I was a student in the Arts and Sciences Building and it was near to there, somebody told me that you can go there and study and use the computer and et cetera, and I printed some things and they helped me when I was in my master’s program, but not in the others.
KC Counts:
So, you were pretty much on your own right from the time you started school at the community college to get your GED?
Claudia Gonzalez Astorga:
But that was because, not because nobody offered me anything, but because of my barrier language, my language barrier, that I didn't know where to go, who to ask, because I couldn't speak - just in Spanish.
KC Counts:
I can't imagine. And you powered through it. despite not speaking the language, because you loved school so much.
Claudia Gonzalez Astorga:
Oh, I love it. And then that's why I'm here, because this one is my alma mater. And I will, as I say there to the students, we would like to offer just ourselves. I told the students this one all the time, just to go smoothly through the university, because I was in their shoes.
KC Counts:
What does it mean to you to be able to help those students with that process?
Claudia Gonzalez Astorga:
Since I was a kid, my mother was an activist in Mexico, helping. We didn't have anything, but still we tried to help the people over there in our little, small, little village. And I saw that when I was growing with my mom, of course. And I feel joy. My heart is just blooming because I have the students over there.
You can listen to the second portion of their conversation below and find more information on Latin American Programs at NMSU right here.
