Fairfield woman to be inducted into Latino Hall of Fame

FAIRFIELD — Fairfield resident Edith Cabrera-Tello couldn’t believe the call she received this summer from the Iowa Commission of Latino Affairs.

A member of the organization informed her that she would be inducted into the Iowa Latino Hall of Fame this fall, in recognition of her outreach with English-language learners and for her volunteerism on behalf of children in the court system.

“When I found out, I was speechless,” Cabrera-Tello said. “I didn’t expect this. Everything that I do, I do it because I like it, and it’s not just for me, but for the community.”

Cabrera-Tello is the English Language Learner Center coordinator for Indian Hills Community College in Ottumwa. She’s a member of the League of United Latin American Citizens, and she volunteers with a group called CASA, Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children.

She said her work and volunteerism have grown out of a desire to “pay it forward” to people who find themselves in a situation similar to the one she found herself when she immigrated to the United States partway through her college career.

Cabrera-Tello was born in Guatemala City, Guatemala. She was in her third year of college in the country, studying biology to become a marine biologist. But Guatemala was going through a rough time, and she realized it was no longer safe to remain in the country. Before completing her degree, she pulled up roots and moved to New Jersey.

“It was a difficult move, because I didn’t know the language, and the culture was different,” she recalled. “I had to start from scratch.”

Cabrera-Tello said she that, because she was in a new country, she assumed she would have to start college all over, and didn’t realize that her college credits in Guatemala might have transferred. She enrolled at a community college and began working in a factory. She was promoted to an office position where she worked in accounting. It was a completely different field from her dream of becoming a marine biologist, but she knew that she had to seize whatever opportunity came along.

“It was difficult because I’m a more outdoor person and I like nature, but I knew that when I moved to the U.S., I would have to be flexible,” she said.

Cabrera-Tello completed her associate degree in New Jersey, where she met her husband, and the two had a son together. When her boy was 5, the couple moved to Fairfield, because a friend of Cabrera-Tello’s from elementary school had moved there, too. Cabrera-Tello said it was a big change, and there are things about New Jersey the couple miss, but they like living in a safe community with little traffic.

Cabrera-Tello said she started volunteering with CASA because she understands how difficult it is to navigate an unfamiliar system, just like she had to do when she came to America.

“I have a child, and I would like to help others who need that support,” she said. “Being an immigrant and not knowing the language, sometimes we’re afraid to ask questions.”

Through her job at Indian Hills, Cabrera-Tello serves both international students and the local population. She said that people feel comfortable approaching her because she knows what it’s like to be in a new place for the first time.

Cabrera-Tello also published a book called “Vida de Sueños” (Life of Dreams), which is a combination of family stories and information about Guatemalan culture and history. It’s written in Spanish, but she’s translating it into English, and hopes to have that version ready by the end of the year.

Call Andy Hallman at 641-575-0135 or email him at andy.hallman@southeastiowaunion.com