LIFESTYLE
Cultural connections
Las Comadres: A networking group for Latinas
By EMMA PEREZ-TREVIÑO
The Brownsville Herald
In Spanish, the word comadre represents your child's godmother, a female friend, extended family, confidant, or neighbor.
It expresses a closeness whose significance and depth only las comadres can appreciate or understand.
In the Rio Grande Valley—from Brownsville to McAllen and in other Texas cities and throughout the country—Las Comadres is a flourishing Internet-based group of professional and strong Latina women linked by their heritage.
The group provides Latinas with a means to network, share information about education, culture, employment, and resources, and to engage in discussions—from the trivial to the significant—while also giving the membership a sense of community and belonging wherever life takes them. image This sense of belonging is not what Valley native Nora de Hoyos Comstock, Ph.D., of Raymondville experienced when she moved to Austin years ago.
She always felt lonely. She felt out of place.
"It is a beautiful town and full of lovely people, but I felt no one cared if I was there or not. I worked at the University of Texas and in high tech and not many people who looked like me were around me. I felt no sense of community," Comstock recalled.
Comstock said that organizations for Latinas were limited and that she never felt a part of them.
In April 2000, she attended a gathering that Austin attorneys Elizabeth Garcia-Baird and Veronica Rivera held to meet Latinas in the community.
Since then, Comstock has taken the reins and has been unstoppable in mothering, nurturing and expanding what has become an organization called Las Comadres Para las Americas.
With its launching, Comstock was well on her way in meeting her goal of building community and linking with Latinas through the establishment of groups throughout the country ? all linked by Las Comadres e-group. The e-mail connection is known as Las Comadres News Network.
"Las Comadres has made that difference for me and for many others of us. We are now connected. We don't live in our isolated little world. And when we go to other cities, we can let our comadres there know we are coming and someone will help with whatever we need," Comstock said.
The groups hold "Comadrazos" each month in their respective cities at the home of one of the comadres to get to know each other, share information and eat good food.
Alma Guerrero Barham, Cristina Balli and Comstock hosted the first Comadrazo in Brownsville on June 21, 2003, at Barham's house and gatherings have been held each month since then at the homes of other comadres.
"In the Brownsville Comadrazos, we've had the opportunity to engage in creative discussions about our city—how far we've come along and what we still need to improve," Balli, the group's coordinator in Brownsville, said.
"Women share their thoughts on what we see around us and how we can make our contributions to the community through our professions and volunteer work. It has also served as inspiration for many of us, to see so many talented women making a difference," Balli added.
"It's been good to get a mix of women from all types of backgrounds— business women, teachers, journalists, artists, and community leaders," Balli said.
Balli said that groups in Harlingen and McAllen were established in November 2003 at the homes of Letty Lopez and Brenda Perez Brown, respectively.
Valley-wide, more than 100 women have joined Las Comadres and there are now thousands throughout the country.
Comstock noted that the goals are very informal—to make a difference in the lives of Latinas through information sharing and building of personal relationships.
"Comadre means someone who cares about you and will come to your aid, be by your side, like a sister. We take care of each other and support each other. That is the connection we are building. Not everyone will be intimate friends, but the link to each other becomes very strong. We don?t see each other every day or even once a month, but we are there for each other," Comstock said.
Bitty Truan hosted the Comadrazo in December. "This group is meaningful to me because it helps me to network with a group of different women outside of my social and professional groups," Truan said.
Priscilla Ann Rodriguez is the Las Comadres co-coordinator for the McAllen area and she noted that the opportunity to network is at the top of reasons why she joined the group.
"I can't believe the amount of information that is exchanged over the network," Rodriguez said, adding that she also has found the women to be warm, welcoming, and willing to work together.
"Too many times, one hears about the competitiveness and back-biting that occurs between women, but I've found nothing but positive reinforcement and support for everyone's professional and personal goals," Rodriguez said.
"But what I love the most: no dues, no commitments, no forced anything. The gatherings are warm, intimate and fun," she added.
Barham had started a women's group in Brownsville about a year and a half ago called the "malinchada" and with goals similar to Las Comadres. She didn't hesitate to host the first Comadrazo.
"There were many women that I know that are highly independent, assertive, intelligent, and some were at a loss since they have just moved to Brownsville," Barham said.
"We needed a networking group, and when we come together, we network, or vent, or support, or listen, or help each other. These groups are wonderful to have since we are all connected in some form or fashion," Barham said.
Celeste Guzman Mendoza joined the group for several reasons. "The name says it all—who wouldn't want another comadre!" Mendoza said, adding that she finds intellectual and emotional support and stimulation and the opportunity to meet other professional women in the Valley.
Angela G. Martin believes that Las Comadres is a great organization because it allows Latina women to share their career experiences and information of concern to women throughout the country.
"I really encourage Latina women here in the Valley to join us and find out that we are not alone and that we can help each other," Martin said.
Aide Escalante noted that the Comadrazos "are an excellent opportunity to socialize and to grow culturally and intellectually without the need for protocol."
There also are other groups in Albuquerque, Dallas, Dayton, Houston, New York City, and San Antonio. Planning is underway for groups in Boston, Chicago, Corpus Christi, Detroit, El Paso, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Orlando, Phoenix, San Diego, Santa Fe, Seattle, Tucson, Victoria and Washington, D.C. Comstock also plans a trip to Monterrey, Mexico to launch a group there.
Non-Latinas who are married to Latinos can join the group. There are no dues, no officers, no commitments.
"I call what is happening a movement because I really think that is what it is—and it is sweeping me and us along with it," Comstock said.
For more information, visit the organization's Web site at lascomadres.org or e-mail Nora de Hoyos Comstock at nora@comconn.com <mailto:nora@comconn.com>
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The Brownsville Herald
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Brownsville, TX 78520
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