David Quackenbush (Host): Hello and welcome to the Golden Voices Podcast by Golden Valley Health Centers. I'm your host, David Quackenbush, President and CEO of Golden Valley. And I am with Heydi Herrera, who is the Assistant Director of Behavioral Health here at Golden Valley, but she's so much more. And Heydi and I have talked about her journey and how she ended up at Golden Valley. And I definitely wanted to share it with a larger audience. I think her colleagues at Golden Valley understand the value she brings, but also kind of the perspective. And Heydi, I don't know if you know this or not, but I wanted to start with congratulating you on your 10-year anniversary. Are you even aware of that?

Heydi Herrera: Thank you. Yes, I know it's coming.

Host: That was a long 10 years.

Heydi Herrera: It is. It's been good. It doesn't feel like 10 years actually. I've enjoyed the advantages so much and I've grown so much that it doesn't seem like 10 years. It seems shorter.

Host: Well, that's good. Let's just start with you are a social worker. You are also in our clinical leadership for behavioral health So, you play multiple roles for us. Let's just start with your personal story. So if you don't mind, again, we've had several guests on, and Golden Valley is full of very inspiring and challenging immigrant stories. As you know, you have a lot of clinical colleagues that are providing services to the same patients you are, but they have a very, very robust background, and they have quite the journey of getting to where they are today. So, why don't you just share a little bit about your childhood and how you ended up in California Central Valley in the first place?

Heydi Herrera: Yes. My journey has been lengthy, I would say. I was born and raised in Nicaragua, during the war 1980s. So, I went through a lot of experiences that had to do with scarcity, basic scarcity, really, was part of our daily life. And that somehow built my journey to where I'm at. So during that period of the world, when you are, you know, like water, electricity outages, I remember my mom waking up very early, just to get to long lines to see if we would have access to basic needs like rice beans, oils. During that time, the government had provided ration cards per family. And so, from that, we had to make sure that whatever little we got, it would last for a period of time. The positive side of that though was seeing the community come together, neighbors helping each other, family, being able to respond in a manner that was collective.

I also learned about the struggles that vulnerable populations face, primarily children, the elderly and those individuals that didn't have connections or other resources to make ends meet. Those were the early lessons. And we didn't have much. Because of the war and the civil unrest that took place in the '80s in Nicaragua, there was a strong emphasis on being self-sufficient and really just moving forward. I remember that at one point someone in my family said, because I was very young, you can't stop and cry because if you do, you die basically. So, you know, in retrospect, it sounded something very strong to say. But looking back, uncertainty was just part of our daily life. We were kind of on survival mode to a certain extent.

Host: I was going to say, that's a very profound statement for a child to hear.

Heydi Herrera: Yes. But I didn't see it that way. Part of it was an expectation culturally. Because of the war, grief was also something that was very common with our family or neighbors. We didn't know who we were going to lose, you know, during that time. And again, one of the things that I learned was about empowerment, especially for women.

So, there was, I guess, a difference on expectations because men were out and about in a war. So, women begin to have this shift in their roles. Children, I believe, we became more independent. So, all of that built where we're at right now and the sense of responsibility that I learned growing up, responsibility for others, to be able to care. My grandmother was an influential role around that. She really led with compassion. We lived a city, but there were people from the outskirts of towns that would come to her. Maybe because they trusted her, but not necessarily because she had the skills, but they saw her as someone that would heal them. And the little we had, she would share—if it was medication, if it was home remedies, food or clothes that we no longer used. And again, we were poor. It's not like we were better off than others, but there was that collective nature in helping others.

Host: So, people just knew of her from like word of mouth reputation?

Heydi Herrera: Word of mouth. She was the second one in the block because I remember the lady at the end of the street that was like the first one that they would go to. But it also had to do with trust. So, it became part of life. And I remember that there were times when she would say, "We'll go ahead and do like a little trip." And it was fun because for us, we were young, so It was about adventure. And the trip was actually walking to the outskirts of town or to the little tiny villages to take food—she would pack us with backpacks, with food, or with clothes or things that we didn't use to take out and meet people along the way and just give them.

Host: And this was just like you and your siblings.

Heydi Herrera: So, I have an aunt and uncles that were about the same age or close in age range as I am. And so, it was a group of maybe 10 of us, cousins and just grandma, and she was the only adult, very brave. And she had the knowledge and she was very active though. She still is very active. She's in her late '80s now.

Host: Oh, wow.

Heydi Herrera: So, we grew up seeing her, not just her strength emotionally, but also physically. And then, giving us that sense of seeing people with dignity, seeing their needs, but also treating them with compassion and dignity. And that was very important. And equally, it didn't matter their background. It was based on what did they need that we could help. She showed us how to treat individuals with a level of respect regardless of their background.

Host: So, you would go on these adventures with your grandma. You saw them as adventurous, but it was really supporting the entire community, and as the country was going through its struggles. So, do you remember the conversation or the multiple conversations amongst your family that made the decision to come to the US? Do you remember when that happened?

Heydi Herrera: No. I remember when it happened, but there were no conversations around it.

Host: So, how did it happen?

Heydi Herrera: Because of the political state and certain belief systems that happened, you just didn't talk openly about political issues or even leaving the country. That was just not safe for you to do. So, I remember that my father left the country before we did. He came in the '80s and he sent for us two years after he had been here. And obviously, the trip for us because of the state of the country and how unsafe it was, my father began to worry, especially about my younger brother, because teenagers were being drafted from schools. So, the military will just show up at school, line up, especially the boys, look at their height and choose, "Okay, this one's tall enough," and they'll put them in a separate line. This one stays. This one..." And then, they would just kind of pick whoever was tall enough to take. And at the end of the school day, parents will show up or they'll find out that their children were no longer coming home.

So, my father got very concerned about my brother. He left the country. Two years later, he sent for us. So, we had to keep it in secret too, that my father was out of the country, that he had immigrated here. No one knew where my father was. And part of it had to do with my father had been in the military as well. So, he was a businessman, but he was drafted. He served in the military. And then, things got complicated, so he had to leave.

A day before we left, my mother said, "We are leaving the country. You can't tell anyone where we're going. And so, tomorrow's going to be your last day at school." And that's how it was. And we had family members take us to the capital where we took a bus. And from there, we took a bus to Guatemala. And in Guatemala, we stayed there for two or three months. And the idea of staying there was to pass as Guatemalan citizens so that we can immigrate without issues to Mexico. And then, from Mexico, we would cross the border undocumented, seeking political asylum. And so, that was in 1987 and that's what we did.

Host: So, you made it to California. And I'm assuming you went to where your father was.

Heydi Herrera: Yeah. So, my father met us. he lived in the Bay Area in Fremont. We were smuggled into the country. And then, we met with him. And we began the journey of becoming documented, basically, seeking political asylum. That went back and forth for about 10 years through court hearings. And eventually, we were denied political asylum because the previous government changed. And so, they thought that it was safe for us to go back. It wasn't safe, obviously. But at that time, thank goodness, we were able to apply for a different law at the time that you just had to prove that you had been in the country for seven years and not depended on any type of services, like medical, anything like that.

And if you could prove that, then you were given a residence basically, or the ability to become documented. And that's what we did. After 10 years, we were able to have that. And eventually, I became a citizen.

Host: So, how old were you when you arrived?

Heydi Herrera: Twelve.

Host: So, you did middle school, high school, and then college. Tell us about the education process for you and your decision to enter social work.

Heydi Herrera: So, coming to the US, I didn't know any English obviously, because I was in elementary school. When I came here, academically, I was a little bit more advanced. But the language held me back. I wasn't retaining any grade. It was just that I had the knowledge base. I started as an ESL student or English as a second language student. So, I know what it was like to be also treated differently from individuals within your same culture.

The other thing is I'm Nicaraguan, Central American. There weren't any Central Americans where I came to live here. California was mostly from Mexican heritage. And even though we're both Latinos, our culture is a little bit different. So, it's about acculturating and not just within the dominant culture, but also the Latino culture. Language was a little bit different. My dressing, obviously, was more humble And so, those differences played a role as well.

In high school, I began to get into different groups that were more leadership type of groups. Culturally sensitive in building. It was a time in high school where there was a focus on taking pride in your culture, your background, your values, and how to reinforce that. So, thank goodness I got into that. I liked it. And through those programs, I came across a mentor who really pushed me into thinking about: what are you going to be doing after high school. What are your goals? And I had an academic advisor, but it wasn't the same. This person was from another program, but it was basically working with immigrants, and how to help immigrants apply for a higher level of education.

I knew that I wanted to serve, to help others, but I didn't really know how I would get there. I also knew that financial resources was going to be a barrier. In high school, I attended classes, they call it ROP classes. I don't know if that's still the name right now, which was basically kind of vocational training. So, I thought, "Okay, I'm going to go ahead and become a cosmetologist" so that I can work part-time around that and pay for school. That was my plan. I did that for a couple of years during high school, and I was 200 hours short from taking the exam to become a cosmetologist.

What happened during that time was there was this mentor from the immigrants program, helped me apply for a scholarship to get into law school. That was my major to get into school. So, I applied. She was a role model for me because she would spend hours during the weekends with a group of students that she had selected to help us move into college. So, I know that that was taking time away from her family.

I did get the scholarship. I got into Hayward State—I think right now they call it East Bay—in Hayward as a pre-law student. And then, my parents, because of the cost of living in the Bay Area, my parents decided to move to Fresno because they could afford housing over there. But I was at East Bay, so I had no choice. I had to live with my parents. So, I finished one semester and I moved to Fresno. Doing that though caused me to lose this scholarship. So, I didn't finish the cosmetology during high school and I couldn't continue at a university. So, I went ahead and I re-enrolled at Fresno City College, and I thought, "Well, law is still one of my passions." I really want to help others navigate the system in ways that it reduces their suffering. That was my main concern, my main goal.

So I thought, "Okay, well I can't afford law school, so I'm going to go ahead and become a paralegal so that I can pay for school as a paralegal and, at the same time, gather the level of knowledge or foundation in law. I got my associates of science in paralegal studies. And then, I did an internship with the Public Defender's Office in criminal law. And also, I did some volunteer in personal injuries. And that was a pivotal point for me because I realized this is not what I want.

Host: What about it that you didn't like?

Heydi Herrera: A lot of things actually that I should probably not talk about. But I realized this is not aligning with the passion that I had. It wasn't the direct level of service and care that focus on lowering the suffering of others. It was not what I expected. I was deeply disappointed. but in doing the internship at the Public Defender's office in Fresno, I came across social workers and I was able to see all of these documents that they wrote for the defendants. And I really like that. And so, I went back home. And I told my parents, "I'm not doing law anymore."

Host: What did they say to that?

Heydi Herrera: Oh, they did not like it at all. It was like, "What?" Because I said, "I'm no longer going to be an attorney, that's not what I want anymore. I have found what I really want, and it's social work." And they flipped. I mean, it was a lot of concerns. And I think part of it was the social status around that.

Host: Did your lawyer dream become their lawyer dream?

Heydi Herrera: Yeah, possibly, yeah. Probably the pride around that. But it was something that, thank goodness I'd follow that inner voice that really said, "Do something that you want, that you really like, and that you are going to be happy."

Host: So, it was really about you were really trying to find a way to serve people.

Heydi Herrera: More directly. Yeah. Yeah.

Host: And so, you ended up with your social work degree.

Heydi Herrera: I did.

Host: And how did that evolve into a career at Golden Valley?

Heydi Herrera: So with the social work degree, I got my bachelor's. And then, one of my mentors said, you should get your master's degree. And I did. And I really wanted to go into CPS. I don't know what I was thinking, because in retrospect—

Host: Just the most difficult way to be a social worker.

Heydi Herrera: Yes. And again, for me it was that dream of helping, of not having people go through situations that are very painful. And I thought, "Okay, CPS would be perfect." And then, during my childhood as well, you know, I went through things that children shouldn't go through.

So, I ended up doing an internship with Sierra Vista Child and Family Services, the ADHD clinic in Turlock. That was interesting. But I loved it. I loved it. And that's how I realized that psychotherapy, clinical, social work was actually my calling. And not the other macro systems of social work. And within that, I could become a psychotherapist, but also help people navigate the system and also incorporate that passion of advocacy that I had at a different level.

So, I went ahead and got into clinical social work. I started at Center for Human Services and state mental health clinicians, school-based. So, I went through different areas in Stan County providing school-based services. I really love that. But I also wanted to do the leadership component because it allowed me to be a voice at a leadership role where decisions were being made. But at the same time, it pulled me away from that direct services because I became a clinical coordinator for CHS. And so, It was a lot of administrative work, a lot of leadership with programs, beginning new programs, things of that nature.

And I began to miss the direct service with patients. And when I saw the opening, here at Golden Valley when the assistant director position opened, I know that Golden Valley has this vision of being providers, but also having a leadership position. So for me, it was a perfect fit. it would give me the ability to continue to provide that direct service with patients, come to learn about what the community is experiencing and, at the same time, allow me to bring into my leadership role that voice. Being able to hear their concerns and, again, put it at a leadership table where we can make changes that benefit the community. So, that's how I ended up at Golden Valley, because I felt that I get the best of both sides into one position that I can do.

Host: I think I'm obligated to ask a social worker—now, as you know, it's very difficult to be a clinician healthcare provider of any kind. And when you work in an organization like Golden Valley, which we take pride in taking care of low income, underserved communities, it's what we do.

But you know, a lot of our patients, there's not a lot of necessarily preventive health. Most of our patients have multiple comorbidities. As we know, just kind of as a society, more and more patients have mental health challenges. Being a social worker is probably one of the most difficult types of clinicians there is. Because you are taking on other people's burdens and stresses and trying to work through them. So, how do you take care of yourself?

Heydi Herrera: I think through experience, we've learned through that. But also looking back, I have been where a lot of my patients are. You know, I have that level of resiliency. That's one way. The other way is having a mindset, I believe, of gratitude acknowledge that I can go home. I have my two sons, my husband, my parents with me, recognizing their sacrifices, that grounds me and it gives me a level of self-care. Also, aside from work, one of my passions is to travel. I don't like to fly. I hate to fly. It scares me.

Host: You like to travel, but you don't like to fly.

Heydi Herrera: And unfortunately, my travel limit is outside the country usually. And the reason that I like to travel, it's because I love learning about different cultures, religions. I like hearing from the locals when I travel. I don't do the resorts because I feel it stays in one place. I like venturing out and learning.

 So after I came here, it took us about 10 years for me to be able to go back to Nicaragua. But once we could, I made it a point to go back to Nicaragua every single year. And the reason that I did that, well, my grandparents are still over there. My grandfather is going to be 99 years old this year. And they're very active. And the reason that I go back though, every time I go back, it grounds me. It reminds me of everything that I have been through and how I see human nature in the sense of their adaptability, their resiliency, and family.

Those values are very important to me And so, that's part of my self-care. I may not do it every weekend, but I set enough time to be able to take care of myself in that manner and to try to pass on these values to my sons.

Host: Thanks for sharing that. Because as we know, healthcare provider burnout is real, as we all know, and for social workers, it's very intense. So, I appreciate you sharing that. What I try to accomplish with this podcast is to have people share their journeys. And obviously, you've, you've done a great job of that.

And what I always find too, the immigrant story, it really resonates, but it's really all the whys, right? Your experience as a child, your experience establishing yourself here is really kind of all the reasons and all the whys you continue to do what you do. But I also want to give guests the opportunity to provide some advice.

And, you know, you being in a leadership position at Golden Valley, you oversee social workers. You mentor and supervise folks. But knowing what you know, having gone through what you've gone through, what would be your advice for people to consider in their own journey, in their careers?

Heydi Herrera: Honor their own experiences. Honor them with a lot of gratitude and to utilize our suffering, past suffering as points of reference for wisdom, resiliency, and commitment to our own values. Not to give up despite the difficult situations we may go through, because those could be foundations of strength and insight, And also, to make a commitment to their own personal growth, whatever that may be. Staying connected to your values makes it easier and happier. Happier, you know, because you're doing something that you love. So, not giving up as well.

I have had people that I work with here, and it's interesting because when we are able to build certain connections with them. And I have someone who works here as a float PSR, and she wants to go into social work or the therapeutic world. And so, we have had conversations. And she wants to explore another position here at Golden Valley Health Center. She wants to move into another department, but she became discouraged and said, "But I don't have any experience around that, Heydi. And the job description is asking for this level of experience. I don't have it." And I asked her, "What did you do before? You know, where do you come from?" And she told me and I said, "That is plenty and more experience than you're giving yourself credit for. That is valuable, because you would be working with community members in this position that may be going through things that you have been through. And so, that's the level of resiliency. And it's something that you like and it's going to pave the way in your path towards social work," or clinical social work if that's where she wants to go into. So again, honoring that.

Host: You know, it's very interesting. I mean, thanks for sharing that. You probably know this already, but you're very insightful, and it's obvious that you have reflected on your journey throughout your career, And that really, really comes through. So, thank you for sharing. Thank you for your time. I appreciate you joining the Golden Voices Podcast today. And I know you will, but keep inspiring folks. I appreciate it.

Heydi Herrera: Thank you, David. I appreciate you too as well.

Host: Thank you.