The following is this week’s I AM, YOU ARE, WE ARE Honoree by Erin Gregory
Sandra Juanita Gutierrez is not a native of Danville or Vermilion County, as she is from Loredo Texas. Her family were migrant farm workers that transitioned to the area for farming. Growing up, Sandra’s parents were very strict about sending their children to school, even when they were working on the farms, they would get to school an hour late and leave an hour early so they would still get their education.
In 1972, Sandra officially moved to the Vermilion County area after her mother convinced her to come visit after talking up the beauty of it all. After being here for four years, she moved back to Loredo for a couple of months, however, she realized that it was too hot, and she had fallen in love with Danville. She moved her husband and two kids back to Vermilion County and bought land on Route One. There was some pushback because it was the 70’s and many people had left the community, but the area was beautiful, and Sandra couldn’t find anything wrong with it.
Sandra started working at the Illinois Migrant Council in Hoopeston and began going to Danville Area Community College to restart her education. She had decided that she wanted to go to the University of Illinois, but because it was expensive, she had to find a way to pay for it. She spoke to recruiters and found that her education could be paid for if she joined the National Guard. She continued to work and go to school all while raising her kids and providing for her family.
Her husband has always been so supportive of all Sandras goals, and he has always pushed her to be great and believed in her. Once she achieved a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, she obtained her Master of Educational Administration degree from Eastern Illinois University. She has since been a translator for the county courthouse, held a Spanish radio program, held Fiesta Latina in Ellsworth Park, was a caseworker for district 118 schools, and worked at Community Action for three years. She has also been inducted into the Kenneth D. Bailey wall of honor in 2014 and is the Vice President of AFSCME for our Local Union 2971.
“I always wanted to be a part of something”, Sandra reflects. She couldn’t be a part of after-school activities or volunteer opportunities growing up because of having to work. Due to that, she decided to be a part of the community now and do as much as possible. For Sandra, it was never about the accomplishments but the goals and barriers that she broke. She went to college, entered the National Guard, and completed graduate school while raising her children. Sandra says, “I wanted to show my kids that anything is possible and that they can also accomplish anything they set their minds to.”
Sandra now owns multiple properties and even started renovating a newer property on the lake with her son. Sandra is grateful for everything that she has worked so hard for. We thank Sandra Juanita Gutierrez for the example she has set for the Latino community of Vermilion County and everyone else that has been lucky enough to know her.
If you have someone you would like to share,
visit https://forms.gle/deCPiQ1cxn1pDLhZ9
or contact Ashton Greer, City of Danville agreer@cityofdanville.org or
Nicole Van Hyfte, Vermilion Advantage nvanhyfte@vermilionadvantage.com.
