Program Helps Build Community for Latino Population November 4, 2024 Traditional food, song and dance filled Newport Middle School as the community gathered to celebrate Día de los Muertos on Nov. 2. The event was hosted by Arcoíris Cultural, a cultural center that supports local Latinx, Guatemalan and Indigenous Mesoamerican populations in Lincoln County. Friends and families came together to remember loved ones who have died. They watched folk and Aztec dancers dressed in colorful costumes and feathered headdresses. Some had their faces painted, and there was “Pan de Muerto,” a type of sweet bread decorated with extra dough shaped like bones. “We are very passionate about hosting free community events,” said Alex Llumiquinga, program manager for Arcoíris Cultural. “We believe that, through these events, we can open space for families to reconnect to their culture and create a sense of belonging, which is vital for better health and mental outcomes.” ‘Cultural Rainbow’ Llumiquinga first came to Oregon from Ecuador in 2001. Adjusting to life in a new country, he said there was no formal system in place to help him make the transition. Twenty years later, Llumiquinga now leads Arcoíris Cultural — meaning “Cultural Rainbow,” in Spanish — helping those like him access health care, food assistance and other important resources. The program started in January 2021 as a pilot project funded by InterCommunity Health Network (IHN-CCO) through its Delivery System Transformation (DST) Committee. Arcoíris Cultural is one of several programs for underserved groups offered through the Olalla Center, based in Toledo. Staff members work primarily with Latin and Indigenous Guatemalan families, including migrant and seasonal farmworkers. Llumiquinga said overcoming the language barrier is often one of the first and most significant challenges they face. “Even having interpreters, it can be challenging,” he said. “Of course, many of them don’t know English. It’s a challenge just making phone calls and scheduling appointments.” A Growing Need Before taking over Arcoíris Cultural, Llumiquinga began working with the federal Migrant Education Program in 2015. A few years later, he was hired by the Lincoln County School District, which from the 2012-13 to 2017-18 school years saw a 37% increase in Hispanic students, and a 27% increase in English Language Learners. Llumiquinga said the majority of families he’s met are from Mexico and Guatemala. They usually come for seasonal jobs in agriculture, fishing, tourism, and service industries. Llumiquinga later joined the Olalla Center as a community outreach worker, and was tabbed to lead Arcoíris Cultural after the program received $100,000 from IHN-CCO. In addition to connecting families with health services through the Oregon Health Plan, Arcoíris Cultural partners with the Food Share of Lincoln County to run a local food pantry. The program also started “Juntos en el Jardín,” a community garden at the Lincoln County Fairgrounds in 2021. The idea was to create a space where Latin and Indigenous Mesoamerican families could have the opportunity to grow food connected to their home countries. The garden has since moved to the Newport Public Library. Between all services the program offers, Llumiquinga estimates they typically reach anywhere from 100 to 150 people per week. “By creating places like Arcoíris Cultural or the Olalla Center, we can alleviate some barriers that people face moving to a new country, and connecting to a different place,” he said. “The benefit is that, even if it’s something small, it can change someone’s outcome.” A Sense of Belonging Alicia Bublitz, program manager for IHN-CCO and Samaritan Health Plans, said supporting healthy communities is about more than just what happens inside clinic walls. Social determinants of health account for the environment of communities where people live. She pointed to the cultural activities organized by Arcoíris Cultural as a prime example. “This program has already made such a positive impact on the Latino population in a short period of time,” Bublitz said. “Our families in Lincoln County are much more likely to be getting health care and taking part in activities that are so important for everyone’s physical and mental well-being. The results are plain to see, and we are so pleased to be a part of this incredible success story.” Arcoíris Cultural now has two locations, including one in Newport and a second cultural center in Lincoln City that opened last November. As word of mouth about Arcoíris Cultural continues to spread, Llumiquinga said he feels they have developed a strong bond to the community. “Just the connections we see on a daily basis. The people who are coming, they are often referred by other community members or other organizations,” he said. “We can be a voice for people. Overall, it creates a sense of belonging. It definitely helps to make your life easier in this part of the world.”
