Before Cielo M. Gomez earned her master’s degree in political science at the University of South Florida, before she founded the non-profit Casa Chiapas which serves the community surrounding campus, and before she joined the legal services department for the Consulate of Mexico in Orlando, she lived for more than a decade as an undocumented immigrant to the U.S.
USF Professor Elizabeth ArandaShe understands the uncertainty that immigrant and migrant communities feel as state and federal policies change, and was among more than 50 nonprofit and public service providers for immigrant communities recently brought together by USF’s Im/migrant Well-Being Research Center to forge closer ties to continue serving the region’s large population of immigrants, migrants, and refugees. In an initiative led by the center’s director, USF Professor Elizabeth Aranda, the organizations say they are eager to connect and share services and insights to help communities navigate an uncertain future.
“There’s a lot of unknown in the coming months,” said Aranda, a professor of sociology who leads the center’s research programs that help inform community groups and internships that create pathways for USF students to learn by working directly with communities of newcomers. “We need to just embrace these uncertain times together.”
Florida is one of three states where half of the immigrant population in the U.S. lives. The dozens of Tampa Bay Region-based organizations serve a wide array of nationalities and people with varying legal statuses, often providing services like health care, housing and legal representation. For example, Gomez, whose Casa Chiapas serves the neighborhoods of the University Area where there are large numbers of Mexican immigrants and migrant workers, serves as a translator in multiple Mayan languages. But the groups also serve refugees from war in Syria and Ukraine, and political threats and violence in Cuba, Haiti and Venezuela.
The goal of the USF center is to enhance the socioeconomic success and well-being of immigrant communities and to help the network of service providers work across organizational silos to best serve the community. The center also works to help provide objective research and insights into immigrant lives through efforts like a popular podcast series and a recent examination of the social and economic impact of Florida’s recent law applying to undocumented immigrants.
“USF has been a major collaborative partner for many years,” Aranda said. “The siloed services make it difficult to help clients. We hope this convening is the beginning of an on-going collaboration.”
Immigrant advocates said the collaborative spirit also helps them offer a sense of hope and support for people working toward their American dream or seeking safety for a family who has fled a dangerous homeland. Gomez, who attended the event with her mother, Maria Lopez Gomez, said coming back to USF to make those connections underscored the valuable role education plays in improving the quality of life for others.
She said her mother, a school teacher, had always emphasized education. When Cielo Gomez arrived in the U.S. with a bachelor’s degree but her immigration status meant she could not be granted in-state tuition. She said she could only afford to work on her master’s degree one class at a time over a period of six years, graduating in May 2023. She’s a board member of the Tampa Bay Latin Chamber of Commerce and joined the staff of the Consulate of Mexico in 2020.
The mother of two teenage American citizens, Gomez said there are 20,000 people living around the USF Tampa campus who are working, raising families and opening small business — but don’t know what the future holds for them.
“There’s so much uncertainty and so much stress, but they get up and go to work every day,” she said.