Overcoming obstacles with service and sisterhood

(CORNELIUS) — Sisters Angie and Andrea Reyes Aguilar have always been able to count on each other, but when they moved to the U.S. from Chiapas, Mexico, their sisterhood became a lifeline.

“It was so helpful to me because I have someone to understand how I feel,” Angie said. “She was living the same thing as me.”

Angie, 16, and Andrea, 18, are both Forest Grove High School juniors. They were born in Portland but raised in Mexico and moved back to the area just over three years ago.

“Everything was different — like, completely different,” Angie said. “The food, the taste of everything and the people around us and the language.”

The two girls didn’t know much English when they moved and said the language barrier was a big challenge to overcome.

“People in the high schools make fun of you if you don’t speak correctly, or if you have an accent or something like that, or if you have a different culture, and then they make fun of your culture in front of you,” Andrea said.

Together, Angie and Andrea joined Forest Grove High School’s Latinos in Action class, which has about 85 students split between four classes. The class provides opportunities for community service, such as volunteering at the food pantry and tutoring local elementary school students, and teaches students to celebrate their culture.

“We have to learn who we are and (about) our culture to represent the Latino culture,” Angie said.

The students have also spent the last few weeks organizing an event at the high school called Children’s Day, which will have games, toys and activities for elementary-aged children to enjoy. By being around other students with similar stories, getting involved in the community and learning about their culture, Andrea said she feels like she’s part of something.

“It’s important because it’s who you are, and you don’t have to be embarrassed about it,” Angie added. “It’s part of you.”

Both girls tutor through the class — Angie helps students with English class assignments, and Andrea tutors in geometry.

“I love volunteering,” Andrea said. “If I was confident in what I knew, and helping other people — I really like it. It makes me feel better (about) myself.”

While they still have another year of high school left, Angie and Andrea have big — and very different — plans for after graduation.

Angie loves learning about the rest of the world and is always reading books and articles about other places, she said. She hopes to see it firsthand by one day becoming a flight attendant.

On the other hand, Andrea plans to pursue a biology degree. She’s interested in studying the environment because she’s always enjoyed learning about plants and animals.

And even though they miss living in Mexico, they both said the best part of moving to the U.S. is the new opportunities they have to accomplish their goals.

“The opportunities we have for studying, to get to become someone because we have a lot more choices,” Angie said. “I think that is the best part.”