On Oct. 9, Raíces y Cariño, a community collective for families, opened its doors Sunday with an open house at 1205 Freedom Blvd 3B, Watsonville.
Director Nora Yerena hangs carriers for the onsite baby-wearing library.
Directors Nora Yerena and Juliana Reyes are proud to connect their community to support the strength families have.
Yerena has been an activist for families her whole life, with degrees in family sciences and ethnic studies, and certification as a family life educator.
She’s seen firsthand how difficult it can be to transition in the first few months of parenting – she’s a doula and mother of six – and how much of a joy it can be when families have their village of necessary support and community.
She’s passionate about her position as a peer mental health support, is a founding member of the Monterey and Santa Cruz Maternal Mental Health Task Forces, and has worked as a parent educator for families in recovery with the Parenting Connection of Monterey County since their inception. As the co-coordinator of Santa Cruz county’s Nursing Mothers Counsel she’s seen and helped countless families in Santa Cruz, Monterey, and San Benito counties.
Directors Nora Yerena (left) and Juliana Reyes check children’s books in the small group room.
Reyes grew up among educators, became one herself, and is married to one. An immigrant, she was educated locally at Cabrillo, San Jose State, and Stanford’s summer leadership training. She has worked for Pájaro Valley Unified School District as a migrant education teacher, parent educator, and coordinator; for Head Start; and consulted with First 5. She’s volunteered as a Court Appointed Special Advocate and with Monarch Services; is on the Delaveaga School Site Council and District English Learner Advisory Committee; and leads a Spanish playgroup at Live Oak Resource Center. Pregnancy and parenting changed her life, and her son inspires her to be her best self, promoting equity for all children.
“I’m proud to bridge three counties of resources,” says Yerena.
The new center is in partnership with the Birth Network of Santa Cruz County, Santa Cruz County Public Health, Positive Discipline Community Resources, Bay Area Babywearing Network, Parenting Connection of Monterey County, Shared Adventures, We Get It, MENtors, Fit 4 Mom, Grooveavoo, and of course, Nursing Mothers Counsel.
They are also partnering with private individuals to provide classes and events ranging from grief and loss support, fatherhood wellbeing, maternal and natal mental health, lactation support, birth plan workshops, queer game nights, and tabletop roleplaying for parents.
Ezio Yerena, 9, cuts the ribbon for directors Juliana Reyes, Nora Yerena, and their families.
A large room provides space for movement classes and community connection, and serves as a hub for rooms dedicated to private mental and physical care appointments, a library of baby-wearing carriers, and small group room prepared with infant and toddler enrichment toys.
“Mothers need support and a village,” Reyes says.
Yerena says, “Empowerment is the confidence to do what you’re really wanting to do. The only way to gain that confidence is with education and support. You can know how to do something, but if you don’t have someone there supporting you it’s really difficult to succeed. If you have a village of support but no education in these topics, you will just perpetuate the traumas passed down to us. A lot of it is breaking these intergenerational trauma cycles.”
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Raíces y Cariño, or RC Fam, is open daily for events and available to be rented. The calendar and membership information can be found online at rcfam.com. Classes and events are available at membership or drop in rates, both with a sliding scale and scholarships available. Maternal mental health, fatherhood wellbeing, lactation support, and parents of special needs children support groups, as well as parenting education via Positive Discipline Community Resources always free. More information online at rcfam.com, via facebook (RC Fam), or instagram (rcfam831). For information, contact [email protected] or 831-288-3105.