Laura Aguilera-Flemming

I remember being 3 years old when my father asked me in Spanish to tell my mom something. Without thinking, I went to her and repeated exactly what he said, but in English.
Since I was a little girl, I’ve felt very connected to my Hispanic roots. My father, Polo Aguilera, was born and raised in Torreón, Mexico, and came to Yakima in 1987 to work as a Jesuit volunteer at St. Joseph’s Parish. When he arrived, he spoke very little English and mainly socialized with members of the Hispanic community.
My mother was born and raised on the south side of Chicago. Her mom was a full-blooded Irish-American, and her dad’s ancestors came from Germany and Belgium. My mom began studying Spanish in high school, but never had contact with someone Latino or of Mexican heritage until her junior year of college, when she volunteered one summer in a juvenile detention center and community center in San Antonio, Texas.
Right away, she was drawn to the warmth and festive spirit of the Mexican culture.
After graduating from college, my mom decided to join religious life as a Catholic sister. Once she had completed her novitiate year, she was sent to Brownsville, Texas, to live and work in the community.
Being back in a largely Hispanic area made her feel at home, but she also felt something was missing. By her fifth year in Brownsville, she realized her true calling was to be married and raise a family.
My mom began searching for jobs in youth and young adult ministries in cities with large Hispanic populations. Destiny led her in 1989 to Yakima, where she met my father, who was finishing up his second year as a Jesuit volunteer. Even though my mom wasn’t Hispanic, my parents shared similar priorities. They both valued faith and family above all else.
Once my mom and dad were married, my dad’s parents moved to Yakima from Torreón to be closer to their son and his new wife.
My grandfather has always had a love for music and has written more than 100 songs in Spanish. When my dad was growing up, he and other family members would get together, play guitar and sing. My grandfather’s affection for music was further evidenced by his suggestion when I was born that my middle name should be Melody.
I grew up with the influence of music all around me. When I was a baby, my dad was a part of a mariachi group called Los Trovadores, in which he played an instrument called a vihuela, a high-pitched, five-string guitar that is played by using your knuckles.
Everyone on my dad’s side of the family grew up singing or playing guitar, which is why as a little girl I learned to sing traditional Mexican songs.
Music wasn’t the only way I kept in touch with my Mexican roots. When I turned 15, I was fortunate enough to have a quinceañera, a coming-of-age ceremony held in honor of a girl’s fifteenth birthday.
The ritual begins with a church ceremony to focus on the devotion to God and moral values that come with becoming a young woman. Afterward, a reception is held with food, music and dancing.
The girl being honored usually wears a ball gown, tiara and sash to emphasize the importance of her big day.
Having my own quinceañera helped me learn a lot about my culture and my Hispanic roots. The tradition opened my eyes to realize I was growing up and that with maturity, I had additional responsibilities.
Growing up in both cultures — Mexican and American — has made me feel a deeper appreciation for both sides of myself. Many times, I’m not perceived by others as Hispanic because I have fair skin. When I speak Spanish or dance to a traditional cumbia song, people are often surprised because they don’t expect it.
Even though my Hispanic heritage isn’t always recognized by others, it is important to me because it makes me who I am. I hope to be able to build a bridge between the two cultures, in the same way my parents have.

— Laura Aguilera-Flemming is an incoming senior at Eisenhower High School and a member of the Herald-Republic’s Unleashed journalism program for high school students.

Jennifer Kerney was 17, a senior at Eisenhower High School when she learned she was expecting twins.

Kerney was afraid and didn’t know what to do. She worried about how people would react. She also worried about how to tell her parents.

Now, more than a year and a half later, she says, “You can find a lot of strength in yourself and surprise yourself with what you’re capable of doing.”

Kerney is the mother of two 1-year-olds. She lives with her parents, who are helping her raise her daughters. And she says she isn’t sure what she would do without the help.

“My mom taught me to be a mom,” says Kerney, now a student at Yakima Valley Community College.

She’s no longer dating the twins’ father, but he sees them from time to time. When she’s at school, she leaves her daughters at day care. After school, she picks them up and cares for them until her parents get home from work. She changes their diapers, makes up their bottles, feeds them.

And she’s not alone. According to The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, or NCPTP, three out of 10 Americans get pregnant before the age of 20. And eight out of 10 of the fathers of their children aren’t married to the mothers. On average they pay less than $800 a year for child support.

In Yakima County, the birth rate for teenagers is twice the state’s average, according to the state Department of Social and Health Services. Statewide, there were 31 births for every 1,000 teens aged 15 to 19, according to the latest available statistics.

“The best way to prevent teenagers from getting pregnant is education,” says Gina Popovic, director of public affairs for Planned Parenthood of Central Washington. “Parents need to understand that there are ways to learn about how to talk to their children about sex.”

According to the NCPTP, almost 50 percent of teenagers have never considered how pregnancy would affect their lives, and 47 percent of them say their parents have the most influence on their decisions about sex.

But, almost nine out of 10 parents agree that when it comes to talking about sex, they often don’t know what to say, how to say it, or when to start.

“I was shocked, scared and fearful when I found out Jennifer was pregnant,” says her mother, Cindy Kerney.

So was her daughter. Jennifer Kerney had gone to the doctor for a regular check-up, never imagining that she could be pregnant.

Then she had a choice to make: terminate the pregnancy, give up the children for adoption, or to raise the babies.

“You can’t do what other people want you to do,” she says. “You have to do what’s right for you.”

According to Yakima adoption specialist Mary Pleger, “Not to decide is to decide.

“Teenagers in general are not able to project into the future and find it difficult to look past a cute baby that will love them,” she says. “There is a fantasy about the happy ever after.

“Teenagers need to find solutions to their problems instead of letting things happen and having to go through stressful situations over and over again,” Pleger says.

Jennifer Kerney’s parents help her in many ways. She says both of them have taught her how to be a good parent. She says she feels fortunate to have parents that support her.

“Life doesn’t always happen the way you plan it, but as a family you need to support and love each other,” her mom says.

Her advice to other parents whose teenagers become pregnant is to keep in mind that “Everyone is hurt and shocked in the beginning, but they need our support more than they ever did. You need to keep loving and supporting them.”

Before she became a mother, Jennifer Kerney says she wasn’t sure about her dreams or goals. Now, they are clear; she wants to graduate from college, have a successful career, raise her girls and be happy.

“It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done. You have to put your children first and you have to sacrifice a lot,” she says. “Some days I feel like it’s too hard, but I get through it, and it’s worth it.”

• For more information about the weekend celebration, visit www.jvcnorthwest.org. Tickets for the Saturday night dinner can be purchased from Rosemary Rief by calling 509-453-4107.

• Laura Aguilera-Flemming is a member of the Yakima Herald-Republic’s Unleashed team. She attends La Salle High School.