MONROE – It’s not easy for Lupita Petersen to be alone in downtown Monroe.
Petersen, a real estate agent in a gray suit, entered a restaurant on Main Street on Thursday afternoon. A waitress greeted her in Spanish. They know each other.
As Petersen sipped hot tea, a cop on the street spotted her. They smiled and waved at each other. The cop came in. They chatted like longtime friends in English for a few minutes.
As she answered her cell phone in Spanish and English, Petersen spoke of her dream:
“I want to be the bridge so that there’s no separation,” said Petersen, who was born and raised in Mexico. “We are all one community.”
During her 17 years in Monroe, Petersen said she has seen the city grow fast with Latino immigrants. Now, about one out of 10 people in the city has a Latino background, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
“In my many years of helping the Latino community, there’s still the need” to improve communication among different ethnic groups, she said.
People will have a chance to learn about different cultures next week, Petersen said.
The Monroe Diversity Council, a group of city and school officials, business people and other volunteers, is sponsoring Monroe World Family Week.
Events include a free movie showing and a cultural awareness workshop.
Communities sometimes promote cultural and ethnic diversity after an incident happens, said Martha Dankers, a member of the diversity council.
But that’s not the way to go, she said.
“We are working together on this event without having a crisis on hand,” she said. “We want to have a healthy, vibrant community where everyone gets along. We do that by being proactive rather than by being reactive.”
Monroe has come a long way to celebrate its diverse heritage, Petersen said.
She experienced her share of discrimination after moving to Monroe with her husband in 1990, Petersen said. People looked at her differently. Store clerks always asked for her ID when she was shopping alone.
“So I made my husband go with me all the time,” she said.
She worked her way up from a housekeeper to an apartment complex manager to a real estate agent, she said, while raising two children and earning an associate degree from Shoreline Community College.
Many in the community also helped her succeed, Petersen, 40, said. Now she calls Monroe her home and wants to help others, she said.
“I’m here for a long ride. I’m a permanent tourist now,” she said.
Reporter Yoshiaki Nohara: 425-339-3029 or ynohara@heraldnet.com.
The Monroe Diversity Council is sponsoring Monroe World Family Week next week.
A series of free events are scheduled to take place in Monroe to celebrate the diverse heritage of the community’s members.
Events include:
Monday, 7 p.m., free showing of the movie “Osama” at the Galaxy Theatre.
Tuesday, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., free luncheon of Mexican food at the East County Senior Center. Call 360-794-6359 for reservations.
Wednesday, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., free cultural awareness workshop at Valley General Hospital. Call 360-794-5488 to register.
May 5, noon to 4 p.m., YMCA Diversity Day Celebration of Music and Dance at Park Place Middle School.
For more information, call Martha Dankers at 425-870-4597.
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