In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, we’re spotlighting our Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA), Sylvia de la Garza, for her commitment to LIFTING UP our Hispanic foster youth by providing culturally responsive advocacy.
CASA Volunteer: Sylvia de la Garza (SIL-vee-uh day lah GAR-zuh) She/her/hers
Years of Service with Child Advocates of Silicon Valley: 4
Number of Children Served: 4
THE CALL TO ADVOCACY
During the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Sylvia began searching for a place where she could give back to the community. Initially she did not have an agency or type of service in mind, but upon stumbling on information about Child Advocates of Silicon Valley, she decided to give it a chance. Throughout her training, Sylvia constantly thought, “I’m only going to volunteer for a year.” This thought began to fade when she saw the impact her advocacy had on our youth.
“CASAs add so much value to the youth’s lives and that is something I initially didn’t expect.”
Throughout her formative and adolescent years, Sylvia had lived back and forth between Mexico and the U.S.
“I lived between the US and Monterey, Mexico. At 11 I moved in with my aunt in Mexico for four years and then came back to the U.S. to finish high school.”
Being a native Spanish speaker with deep Hispanic roots is something Sylvia didn’t expect would play a significant role in her advocacy work, but it has been an invaluable asset in connecting with the youth and families she serves.
CONNECTIONS THROUGH SHARED CULTURE
Out of the four children Sylvia has worked with, three of them have come from Spanish-speaking households. Sylvia explains that speaking Spanish with the caregivers has supported her efforts in forming connections with the families.
“Being a native Spanish speaker makes me more relatable to the families and helps them open up quicker. Understanding the language and their culture makes them feel less judged.”
In her second case, Sylvia worked on connecting with Marco’s* caregiver, his grandmother. In some cases, caregivers and the child tend to be more reserved because of the amount of new people introduced into their home life. Part of a CASA’s responsibilities is to create bridges of trust between themselves, the child and caregivers. This trust supports CASA Volunteers’ efforts in advocating for the child accurately and in their best interest. Having an understanding of the family’s cultural background can support a CASA’s efforts in creating these connections.
“The families I work with, like that I’m able to speak Spanish. There is, at times, a stigma against Hispanic families, which creates a lot of distrust. When they realize that I speak their language and understand their culture, they are relieved. It is easier for them to share their experiences, worries and goals.”
Because of this shared culture, Sylvia was able to better understand Marco and advocate for his best interests.
“In the beginning, with Marco’s grandmother, there was a little distrust but over time this changed. At first, the grandma was suspicious as to why there was another person involved in the case. The social worker was already visiting the home and so having another person in their space was overwhelming. Through time, I was able to become close to the family. They were always warm and I knew that staying with grandma was in Marcho’s best interest. In the end, I was able to advocate in support of grandma adopting Marco.”
Having a CASA who truly understands the youth and can build a strong connection with their caregiver plays a vital role in supporting the court’s ability to make the best decisions for the child. Sylvia’s ability to relate to Marco’s family and communicate in their language fostered a meaningful connection, enabling her to advocate more effectively for Marco.
A NEED FOR MORE HISPANIC CASA VOLUNTEERS
With more than 60% of our youth identifying as Hispanic, it’s important that we continue to connect them to CASAs who understand their culture and language, like Sylvia.
“Youth act more like themselves when I speak Spanish. They also see that their caregiver is comfortable with me and so they’re more likely to feel the same about me. They see me interact with the caregiver and think ‘Oh I’m safe!’”
Even if a CASA does not come from the same culture as their youth, it’s important that the CASA learns about their youth’s culture and language.
“You need to try to connect to the whole family. Try to connect with the caregivers and be sincere about that connection. It’s going to be an easier process if you’re relatable. In most cases, it is the youth’s biological family who is involved as the child’s caregiver. It is important to connect with everyone. “
Oftentimes, people question whether they should commit to becoming a CASA due to time constraints or worries about their abilities to make a positive impact. Sylvia has the following to say:
“Commit to being a CASA because you’re going to love it. You’re going to see how much of a difference you make in that child’s life. But when you join, commit because you’ll be going into the child’s life. Initially, I thought I wouldn’t have time, you will find the time because you’ll see how important it is.”
*An alias was used to preserve the privacy of the child.
FUN FACTS:
TV Show Recommendation(s): Bones
Favorite Movie: Freaky Friday
Book Recommendation(s): Books from Cassandra Claire
Favorite Music Artist: My Chemical Romance
Favorite Type of Food: Queso Fresco, Oaxacan Mole and Enchiladas
Favorite Place: The beach
Favorite Hobbies: Creating art, especially painting.
Support Foster Youth Today
Here are just a few of the ways you can SHOW UP for foster youth this month:
- Take the first step to advocating for foster youth. Attend an informational session to learn more about becoming a CASA Volunteer.
- Support our CASA Program and invest in our foster youth with a financial contribution. You can also check with your company to see if they match employee donations.
- Become a Corporate Champion by sponsoring an activity or one of our fundraising events. Email us at development@childadvocatessv.org to learn how your company can be a part of the solution for foster kids.
- Follow us on social media on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.