Spring Celebration through a Soldier’s Eyes
Written by Tim Buckley, May 2024
“I’m observant,” she said. “I watch people’s body language. I listen to the tone of their voice, and how they say things.” Edith Aguilar, CBEL’s Outreach Coordinator, was talking about the recent Hallman-Northgate Neighborhood Family Council’s (NFC) event - Spring Welcome - where over 350 people (including more than 200 children) enjoyed a sunny afternoon in Northgate Park.
“The mom’s looked relaxed and relieved,” she said. “For them, these events are a breather from reality. The parents can kick back and have fun, watching their kids play games, get their faces painted, hunt for Easter eggs with prizes, take part in cultural dancing, watch some videos, and have a meal together.”
Edith was hired last October to assist NFCs and CBEL put events together. She said she’s very grateful for the job because it takes her mind off the fact that she is in treatment for melanoma. “I’ve always enjoyed problem solving and thinking on my feet. So being the detail person for these events is perfect for me, while Eduardo (Angulo) is more of the ‘big picture' guy.”
She was born in Salem, the first child of Roberto Aguilar and Jacqueline Chavez. Both parents volunteer at Hallman-Northgate NFC events; in fact, the carnival atmosphere is largely due to the donation of tents, tables, inflatable movie screen and PA system owned by Roberto’s company: Arcoiris Party Rentals.
The party was not without its challenges, including a pickup getting stuck in the park’s soggy oak grove and the strong wind making a wind sock out of the 12- foot inflatable video screen. Edith and her volunteers handled it calmly, and when the hundreds of people began showing up early, she had already organized games for kids and resource tables for the adults. Eduardo showed up just in time with his SUV stuffed with 80 hot pizzas from Costco.
Edith’s family, particularly on her mom’s side, have been activists and organizers for more than a generation. “From the age of 10, I was going to events and classes organized by Eduardo and the (Salem/Keizer) Coalition for Equality,” she recalled. When her mother volunteered with PCUN (Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste, the state’s largest Latino union) Edith, then 14, walked alongside her mom, or aunt Maricela, handing out event flyers. “And I remember being the only girl to help paint the famous mural in Woodburn that depicts migrant farm life,” she said. “So, I’ve been a community activist and volunteer for more than a dozen years, and I’m only 23,” she laughed.
Edith, oldest sibling with a brother (13) and sister (5), went to three elementary schools in Salem before attending North High, where she “gained confidence and found my way” as a member of the Junior ROTC and the Lady Vikings, whom she still coaches. “’You’re empathetic,’ the ROTC officers told me. ‘You put yourself in others’ shoes and you allow them to share their opinions. You’re diplomatic, that’s part of what makes you a good leader,’ they told me.”
When she graduated in 2019, Edith enlisted in the Oregon Army National Guard. “My parents were not in favor of my joining, but the experience has been great for me,” she says.
Her National Guard job is a Supply Specialist with the 92Y Logistics division. In addition to tapping into her natural talents as an organizer, Edith said she gets to interact with lots of young people and children during the events the Guard supports. “The Guard has given me leadership roles ahead of others with more seniority,” she explained, “because I apply myself. When I asked my commanding officer, ‘Why me?’ he said, ‘Because you use your head and don’t spend a lot of time on your ass!’ My extended family call me ‘Grandma’ because I’m so engaged with younger people, guiding them and helping them to have a better life whenever I can,” she added.
Joining CBEL
“It was my aunt Maricela who told me about the job opening with the Neighborhood Family Councils,” Edith said. “I was recovering from surgery in 2023. The part time job was perfect: working with Eduardo, who’s a fantastic boss, meeting with neighborhood people I love, organizing events, and keeping my mind off my diagnosis. Plus, as I said, I don’t like to sit around. This helps me keep my head straight and my heart involved. This work gives me purpose.”
“In my role with CBEL, I look forward to helping neighborhoods be organized and effective. After each event, we gather in the office and walk through what went well and what can be improved. I want to encourage and support new volunteers. I think honesty is an important part of communication. When I commit to something, I show up and I follow through. And I am respectful of people’s time and priorities. I won’t say ‘yes’ and then let you down,” she said.