Published: August 29, 2022
Metropolitan Washington, D.C. has grown steadily to become more diverse, especially between 2010 and 2020. Today, more than half of the region’s residents identify as non-white. For an area ranked as one of the most diverse places to live in the U.S., it should come as a surprise that military families of color still feel isolated.
Laura, an active-duty Army spouse and first-generation Mexican-American, is ready to close the gap. “I am most passionate about starting those ‘hard’ conversations that center around racism and inclusion,” Laura shares. “I notice I’m not alone in the experiences I’ve had as a military spouse. Many share similar experiences. That drives me to take my perspective higher and begin asking hard questions such as, ‘Where is the isolation coming from and why?’ I feel that hard conversations have many solutions.”
Her passion and transparency are the driving force behind her influence within the community.
“Our family is so diverse. However, I’ve noticed that space for diverse families is limited,” Laura explains. “Representation is so important because families leave their comfort zones and are left to build their own trust circles, communities, and support systems. The lack of representation affects how willing spouses are to seek support.”
Laura isn’t wrong.
In 2021, Blue Star Families introduced a revolutionary survey: “The Diverse Experiences of Military & Veteran Families of Color.” The first of its kind, it uncovered unique experiences and areas in great need of improvement.
Among the most significant issues is access to resources. The survey found that around one in three active-duty and Veteran families of color, despite the need, weren’t accessing food, employment, caregiving, or housing assistance.
One solution Laura represents is helping spouses feel included. She shares, “It is so important that military spouses feel included because of how many sacrifices they make in order to support the military [service] member.”
Laura will further her mission as part of Blue Star Families’ 2022-2023 DEPLOY Fellows cohort, serving as the Lockheed Martin National Capital Region (NCR) DEPLOY Fellow.
“After reading the DEPLOY Fellowship Program description, I knew it was something I could see myself doing,” she shares. “Mainly because during our most recent PCS, I experienced the most isolation compared to other PCS moves. I feel strongly that I can be a bridge between communities so that other spouses like me do not have to go through the same experience I did.
For the next year, Laura will work within the NCR and alongside the other eight fellows to improve experiences and increase representation of military families of color in community settings across the country. There’s a lot of work to be done given that 16% of respondents to our survey report they feel “uncomfortable” or “very uncomfortable” in their local civilian community.
So, how exactly does Laura plan to make an impact? Through storytelling. Her story, for example, is filled with many different chapters and scenes – from her upbringing to experiences as a military spouse in a blended family.
“At the surface, I grew up unable to fit in one box,” Laura explains. “This also resurfaced as a military family because of how many times we change our living environment. By bringing my story into my work, I can demonstrate to military families that they can be themselves and be a part of the community at the same time.”
Hear more of her personal story by tuning into the Blue Star Stories podcast. And while Laura focuses on closing the gap for military families of color and expanding space for LGBTQPIA+ people as a DEPLOY Fellow, you can stay in-the-know on her work by visiting www.bluestarfam.org/campaign-for-inclusion/training.
Posted In: DEPLOY Fellow