Building Trust Across Cultures To Prevent Fear and Other Barriers

For a family facing a medical crisis, finding help can be difficult enough. But when fear or a language barrier makes someone hesitate to open the door, answer questions or accept help, even available services can feel out of reach.

That challenge was central to a Hispanic Heritage Month discussion at a meeting of the 10:33 Initiative of Pope and Yell Counties in Arkansas. Local leaders in community services, education, child advocacy, and ministry shared how their heritage shapes their work and what community partners can do to better support Hispanic families.

Their message was practical: Build relationships, make information understandable, and prepare to welcome families before they arrive.

When fear becomes a barrier

Noemi Rubio of Hope Resource Center described working with families whose concerns about immigration status complicate already difficult circumstances, including serious illness and decisions about hospice care.

For those families, connecting with a provider can require more than a referral. It can mean having someone they already trust sit beside them, explain their options, and introduce another person who can help.

Rubio said her approach has evolved from wanting to immediately meet every need to recognizing that trust must come first.

That relationship can help a family feel more comfortable meeting a new provider. It also gives community partnerships a personal dimension. An introduction from a trusted advocate can open a conversation that an unfamiliar organization might struggle to begin.

Letty Allbright, a family advocate at the River Valley Child Advocacy Center, described similar concerns among some families coming to the center after a report of physical or sexual abuse. Alongside the distress surrounding the abuse, parents may worry about what sharing personal information could mean for their family.

She said children can carry those fears, too, worrying about what might happen to their parents if they speak about what they experienced.

Allbright emphasized the importance of explaining the center’s role, answering questions, and helping families understand the process. Those conversations can make it easier for children and caregivers to participate in services intended to support their safety and healing.

The weight of interpreting as a child

For several panelists, the discussion was rooted in childhood experiences.

Allbright recalled interpreting for parents and relatives, sometimes in situations where understanding both languages did not mean she understood the subject being discussed.

“Sometimes we would be put in situations where we’re having to try to translate something that we’re not even understanding,” she said.

Those experiences now influence how she approaches families. A child may be able to speak English fluently while still being unprepared to explain complicated information to an adult.

Pastor Tony Reyes remembered facing that responsibility at about 10 or 11 years old, including interpreting for his father in encounters involving police or court.

“I have no idea what any of this stuff means,” he recalled thinking.

Today, his church emphasizes both Spanish and English. He wants young people to have opportunities to learn and succeed while also understanding their parents’ language and cultural background.

Panelists noted that it would be helpful if community organizations serving families have a plan for interpretation, so children do not have to carry that responsibility.

Heritage shapes a commitment to serve

Caroline Rowe, who works with migrant students, said her connection to her work comes partly through her family’s history of agricultural labor.

She recalled stories about her father taking her brothers from Texas to Florida to work in the fields during the summer, earning money to help support the family throughout the year.

Those stories help her understand the circumstances of students whose families move for agricultural work. Her work includes tutoring and helping students navigate disruptions to their education.

“We are here to help them get through education,” Rowe said.

Rubio also connected her work to her experience as a daughter of immigrants and to medical challenges in her own life. Navigating unfamiliar systems taught her how much it matters to have someone explain what help exists and how to access it.

Pastor Reyes described a congregation where people who have experienced uncertainty themselves want to support others facing similar circumstances. Although the church’s budget is limited, he said, members bring understanding and a willingness to help.

Preparing a welcoming community

When asked what community partners could do differently, panelists offered specific suggestions.

Allbright encouraged organizations to make Spanish-language materials readily available and identify someone they can call for interpretation. Preparing ahead of time, she said, can remove a barrier for a family already uncertain about seeking help.

Reyes emphasized the reassurance that comes from being able to speak with another person and know that questions are understood.

Rubio urged providers to consider that some Hispanic families may be unfamiliar with the concept of a nonprofit service. An offer of assistance may prompt uncertainty about why help is being offered or what will be expected in return. Clear explanations and patient conversations can help families understand their options.

The discussion also highlighted the value of organizations knowing and trusting one another. When advocates, educators, churches, and service providers build relationships, they are better positioned to help families make those connections, too.

For Rowe, that shared purpose should guide the work across Pope and Yell counties.

“At the end of the day,” she said, “it’s all about the people that we’re out there to serve.”