Today we’d like to introduce you to Maria Banos Jordan.
Hi Maria, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Caring for families has always been my professional priority, but the past decade has really stretched me to focus on the barriers to progress. My career in social services shifted to leadership development, public policy support, and community building after watching the growth in the Greater Houston region ten years ago. I invested heavily in developing relationships among diverse sectors and groups of people over many years. I founded the Texas Familias Council from these networks and needs. Natural disasters, political instability, and a historic pandemic all affirmed the need to care for vulnerable families. The level of loss has been tremendous, and it’s clear that community-building is the way to recover. Texas is a weathervane for the nation, and today we are struggling to find unity in our diversity. I have always viewed diversity as a teacher, and now public health is revealing the urgency in understanding our unique situations and experiences in responding to a crisis. Our Latino families have suffered disproportionately high rates of illness and loss during the Covid 19 pandemic, and cultural perceptions certainly play a role in our responses. I’ve been extremely concerned with the impact of distrust and misinformation on already vulnerable families. I, and many others, are trying to provide clear and ethical voices of leadership that recognizes our potential to heal old wounds and unite in community. This is what will pull us forward.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It hasn’t been smooth at all. Calling on people’s divided attention has been quite difficult over the years. In community work, there are always difficult human environments, but divisiveness in recent years has really hurt the momentum to build stronger communities. Our young, immigrant communities are in special need of nurturing. This shouldn’t be distorted into a competition for the minds of people who are struggling to connect. There is a growing need for mental health support, and other basic needs resources during this Covid 19 pandemic. The pandemic has become a priority as we race to keep families healthy and educated.. Pulling resources together, and igniting hope, is a struggle today in working with families through hardship. Still, responding to the basic needs of public health is only the beginning. I know true progress means we all keep working to overcome barriers, and biases that keep us from developing a common vision.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
This is my Council’s tenth anniversary. It’s been a volunteer-driven community endeavor that has supported the journey of families, and hopefully has inspired the ideal of community inclusivity. Working across diverse communities is my arena, and I believe this needs to be the modus operandi to uplift communities that most people don’t see, or don’t wish to see. I’m in the boardroom, fields of disaster, sharing folktales, working with small businesses, helping vaccinate families, and nurturing young women to find their voices. The pandemic has changed us, and we’re processing information quickly, and making life choices quickly to keep moving forward. It’s hard enough to trust, but especially when we are juggling so much. This is why strong leadership is so vital, and why my council’s work to guide with love is a personal priority. I’m proud of how our work responds quickly to changing needs, and how it helps our young see their beautiful cultures as assets. My hope is that they will be inspired to work through hardship by using their unique voices to serve and build their communities.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
My organization is named the Texas Familias Council, because it is a mixture of our languages, ideas, and diverse creativity given by countless good people. That is what Texas means to me, and I will continue to serve with the values of inclusion and equality. Texas has been through many painful struggles, and our young diverse population deserves our love and guidance to create connected communities that spur innovation. Beyond ugly noise, we must keep building community with much love- and that means believing that we can create solutions from our diversity.
Contact Info:
- Email: texasfamilias@outlook.
com - Website: www.
Texasfamiliascouncil.org - Facebook: @
texasfamiliascouncil
