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Born and raised in Greenville, North Carolina, Abigail Cabrera is a first-generation Latina daughter of parents from Mexico. Her strong roots and pride in her culture and heritage make her a perfect fit in her role as Washington’s Latino Community Outreach Coordinator. “The city has been trying to improve efforts to be a more inclusive city,” said Cabrera. “My role is to help the city reach out to the Latino community. Being bilingual, one way of doing this is to translate any documents the Latino population may need to learn more about all of the local resources available to them. The language barrier has been a big issue in the past, and we continue to try and narrow that gap. It is hard for me to put into words just how much it means to someone to be able to say,” ‘This is in my language,’ which calls out to them we see you, hear you, and you are welcomed.”

Cabrera added that many businesses and agencies provide services for the Latino community, but the ongoing challenge is making them aware of them. “We are constantly working to have informational materials in both English and Spanish,” said Cabrera. “It is a task that never dies down.”

One of the best pieces of advice Cabrera received when she was first hired was to meet people where they are. Something she said “we all” need to remind ourselves to do on a daily basis. “In this position, you encounter people from different walks of life or different areas of life who may be struggling or having the best day of their life. Either way, you have to be able to listen to them and try to meet their needs to the best of your ability. They are a community and culture just like any other in Washington and deserve the same respect.”

Looking toward the future, Cabrera said that she is continually trying to figure out ways for the city to be even more inclusive and inviting. “Just keeping up with our current efforts is something that never ends as we have done countless projects this year with our Latino Community. Such things as translating materials, the annual Hispanic Heritage Month Festival, and the National Night Out are just a few examples. But, as we continue to grow the trust of the Latino community, more projects and opportunities will arise. I attribute my success to being able to work for a city that has been right behind me every step of the way.” 

Cabrera said her role as the Latino Community Outreach Coordinator hits home for her on many levels, and she feels fortunate to have this opportunity. “It all means the world to me,” said Cabrera. “I grew up having to be that same voice for my parents and translate for them. So being in a position where I can not only help other kids who do the same for their parents, but also help parents understand what is going on in the community and around them, has been a blessing.”