PAINSEVILLE, Ohio — HOLA, a non-profit that was established to help Hispanic immigrants, helped redirect the life of one Painesville woman and her family.
While on the outside, she looks to have a happy life and a normal landscaping job, Tania Ruvalcaba has gone through many trials and tribulations as a Hispanic immigrant in the U.S.
It all started in 2008 when she came to the U.S. on a visitor's visa. Soon after she met her now-husband and had three beautiful children, but then life suddenly changed.
“Basically within 15 days they lost what they have gained in five years,” said Cidia Hernandez, a translator and helper at HOLA.
Ruvalcaba says someone set a fire in her house. Ruvalcaba fell into depression following the event.
“She really didn't have no mindset, she couldn't even think there,” said Hernandez.
Seven years later, in 2020, HOLA came into the picture.
“She says the leader of HOLA has shown her that she that she's strong, that she's very supportive,” said Hernandez.
Veronica Isabel Dahlberg is the executive director of the non-profit.
“There's very real discrimination. There's very real disparities and I guess opportunities for financial stability, employment opportunities, educational opportunities,” she said.
According to the 2020 US Census, there are now more than 76,000 Hispanic citizens living in Cuyahoga County. Lorain County has a growing population as well.
Dahlberg's passion started young, growing up in an immigrant home. Her father is from Hungary and a naturalized citizen of Venezuela, and her mom is from Mexico. She remembers what it was like going to court with her dad when an eviction notice was posted on their door.
“I saw the judge rolling his eyes when my dad was trying to speak to him because of my dad's very thick accent,” said Dahlberg.
She saw firsthand the disadvantages and disparities the community faces.
“There's just so much help that people need navigating through things,” said Dahlberg.
Now years later, she's helping families just like hers.
“I get emotional about it because when that happened to me as a child, I felt something inside of me you know, like a burning desire to that this was so unfair and unjust,” said Dahlberg.
Stories such as Ruvalcaba's give others hope as well as an equal opportunity.
“It's the immigrants that bring a lifeblood to a community and the same is true for the Hispanic immigrant community, and with them, as they come here to work and seek a better opportunity like all of our ancestors did, I want people to know that this Hispanic community is a very important part of the fabric of our country of our region of Northeast Ohio,” Dahlberg said.
As a part of Hispanic Heritage month, HOLA is holding a fundraiser on Sept. 22.
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