Under the Sun: Karina García, aide to Supervisor Gorin

In conversation with The Sun’s Anna Pier

You were recently named Supervisor Susan Gorin’s Field Representative. Yes, at the end of January. I had been a Board Aide for her for the past year. I am more than ever feeling the responsibility to help those in need here, to give back to my community. 

What are the responsibilities of your new position? The main job is to attend meetings and events in the Supervisor’s stead. And I can run meetings in Spanish, talk with constituents, handle communication because I am fluent. But Covid has put us in a virtual world, and my duties are different. Covid has had another huge effect on my work. A couple of days after I was appointed, I myself came down with a serious case of Covid. 

Can you talk about this? Because I am young, I did not expect what has happened to me. I am not one to talk about my personal health, but in this situation of a worldwide pandemic, there is an important takeaway: age doesn’t matter. It’s something scary, and it’s not “just a couple of days.” I was very sick, and I’ve had lingering health symptoms for almost two months. You are fatigued from not sleeping well, you have energy crashes after a couple of hours. I still get chills and sweats simultaneously, digestive symptoms, congestion, headache. All of it really messes with your mental health. 

What was your career before working for the Supervisor?

I’ve been blessed with job opportunities. I worked in media for 10 years, for Azteca Channel 50. It was a hugely rewarding job, but it required me dedicating my entire life to it. I wanted to reconnect with my family, come back to my Sonoma roots. It is so positive and joyous, especially to be with my nieces and nephews.

Were you born here? My parents brought me here from Mexico when I was six. Both of them were agricultural workers. I actually picked grapes with them myself, from age six to about 14. That was how we paid for our school supplies. It began when my parents, instead of leaving us at home alone, took us to sit and watch, and we said “Let us help.” It was piece work, so we were able to contribute. It taught me invaluable work ethics. That’s what Mexican children do – you work to help your family move forward.

And you started school in English? I went to an English-speaking classroom at Flowery. There was some “pull-out” bilingual language support for a couple of years. 

How did you maintain your Spanish? I was surprised my cousins didn’t speak it much. I didn’t want to be that person who can’t speak their native language. I was largely self-taught in Spanish literacy, picking it up from books in Spanish. 

Did you study Spanish formally? Not till I was a junior at Sonoma High. My first two years I had chosen to study French, because I was already bilingual. I’ve visited France twice and enjoyed speaking it. But by chance I had an errand to an advanced Spanish classroom my junior year. It was an eye-opening moment. I took the class. The Spanish language is extraordinarily beautiful and expressive. I  hope the young generation takes away that it is really important to speak your own language well.

What did you study in college? Liberal arts for my AA at SRJC. Because I was undocumented then, I lost opportunities to continue my studies away from Sonoma. My degree is in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing, and a minor in Psychology, from Sonoma State. I was the first in my mom’s large extended family to get a degree. And I am a citizen now.

Are you interested in following a political path? Probably not.  The pressure on a supervisor is immense. I may be too passionate. But in my job I really enjoy knowing you’re part of a change for someone, you’ve made a difference in someone’s life  – getting county agencies out to help, or connecting people with the right resources. This is my community and it’s struggling. I’m here to help. 

What are the challenges for the Hispanic community here in the Valley? The lack of equity. And access to technology, and to  education to take advantage of technology. There’s a big generational gap.  There’s also the issue of access to county resources, since the Valley is out of the way. Supervisor Gorin really fights for her district, especially the Valley. 

Future plans? More travel and more education. One of the most rewarding times was connecting with nature in Costa Rica and on the Amazon.  I hope to go to Australia, Greece, and South Africa. And I would like to get a Masters degree in Psychology. 

Any last thing to tell our readers? I want to mention that it was my fifth grade teacher, Mr. Tonnery, who inspired my dream of travel. And I can’t end without acknowledging the support of my close friend Maricarmen Reyes, who has encouraged me all along, and referred me to Supervisor Gorin.