ROSIE VASQUEZ

Administrator, Community Service Organization, East Los Angeles

I was born in downtown Los Angeles, near the flower mart. My mother was born in Arizona and my grandmother was born in Arizona when it was still a territory. When Anglos first started coming there and taking things over, she felt they should learn her language--Spanish.

I’ve worked 27 years with the Mexican and Mexican-American communities. I guess there are three basic responsibilities that are apropos for people coming into any new place.

First, learning some basic laws, like about taxes and traffic, so you don’t get into trouble. Second, being aware of the customs of the country you go to, so as not to offend people or put your foot in it. And third, if you’re going to live in the new place permanently, you should make an effort to be able to communicate. If you’re planning to live in Mexico, for example, you should learn Spanish.

And if you really care, you have to work toward developing relations with other groups--not take the attitude that “I’m here already, so everybody else should learn my way.”