Betina Garcia

Photojournalist

Rancheros

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School: The Danish School of Media and Journalism

Francisco Espinoza takes a sel...ere both her parents are from.

1 of 27 © 2024 Betina Garcia

Francisco Espinoza takes a selfie with his cousin Elisa Yamileth and his sister Nayda Espinoza on Saturday September 26, 2015. Yamileth is being taken to the church in a horse carriage in Bowling Green, Ky where the family will gather for a ceremony. Yamileth is having her Quinceañera, which is a Mexican tradition for celebrating a 15th birthday. In Mexico the quinceañera is considered the day where a young girl enters womanhood. Yamileth wanted a traditional party even though she has never been in Guatemala, where both her parents are from.

Nayda Espinoza, 12, poses for ...family and friends.

2 of 27 © 2024 Betina Garcia

Nayda Espinoza, 12, poses for a portrait at the ranch. She was born and raised in the US, but identifies as Hispanic. She communicates in Spanish with her parents. Her dad is from Mexico and her mom is from Guatemala. -If anyone looks at me weird, when I speak Spanish in the public, then I’ll speak even louder. I don’t wanna be embarrassed about being Hispanic. I’m proud of my roots, she said. She enjoys living at the ranch and the ranchero culture. She dreams of becoming an Interior or Fashion designer. Now she has her own small business, selling eggs to family and friends.

Nayda’s grandfather&...ucky and New Jersey.

3 of 27 © 2024 Betina Garcia

Nayda’s grandfather’s brother José Maria Barillas goes for a swim in the river that runs through the ranch. He swims every afternoon during the hot summers in Kentucky. Nayda’s grandfather has ten brothers. Six of them have left their village in Guatemala, where they lived as a middle class family working with farming. Nayda's grandfather fled his country because of local violence during the civil war in Guatemala, where a neighbour was kidnapped and killed. All of his siblings came to the US illegally and have moved on to live in Canada, California, Kentucky and New Jersey.

Nayda Espinoza and her mom Juli...ud of that," she said.

4 of 27 © 2024 Betina Garcia

Nayda Espinoza and her mom Julissa Espinoza rest by the hammocks. Julissa Espinozza was the oldest of her two brothers and only fourteen years old when her family fled Guatemala. At first she thought the US was a scary place and was constantly living in fear that they would get deported. She spent most of her teenage years in the States working as a cleaning lady in Malibu with her aunt, when she was not in school. She met Naydas father in California and they got married when she was 19 years old. "I'm happy for my life in the States, to have freedom and to be able to provide a better life for my children. Even though they are Americans they are still Hispanic. It's who their parents and grandparents are and they should be proud of that," she said.

Family pictures of the great g...xico and the States.

5 of 27 © 2024 Betina Garcia

Family pictures of the great grandfather José Maria Barillas are hanging in his bedroom in his house in Guatemala in October, 2016. He has had the ranch in his hometown of Santo Domingo in the South Western part of Guatemala for more than 50 years and has passed on the ranchero lifestyle to his children, grandchildren and now great grandchildren. -They’re not human, they are animals, President Trump said at a meeting about immigration in 2018 when speaking about the people who cross the border between Mexico and the States.

Marcos Espinoza, 24, trains his... the footsteps of his grandfath

6 of 27 © 2024 Betina Garcia

Marcos Espinoza, 24, trains his horse Maximo on the 24th of July, 2022. He uses Maximo to maintain the ranch and work with the cattle so the horse has to be well schooled. He has bought his first piece of land and is hoping to have more ranches and working full time with cattle. He works as a butcher to know more about meat. He lives at the ranch with his girlfriend and three children together with his parents. He trains and breaks in his horses himself, so they're easier to work with and identifies as a real Ranchero. Marcos is spending all his time on the ranch and wants to have many ranches following in the footsteps of his grandfath

At a surprise party on the 10t...for one and another.

7 of 27 © 2024 Betina Garcia

At a surprise party on the 10th of January, 2016 for Nayda's grandmother Elisa Barillas all her grandchildren kiss and hug her before she has to blow out the candle while the rest of the family is clapping and singing in Spanish. Manuelito is the youngest grandchild at the age of 5, who at this point only knows a few words of English. His grandfathers never learned English and they take care of him during the day so his parents can work. Nayda Espinoza has a very close relationship to her grandmother and has always lived with her. In the Hispanic culture is family the most important and you have to do everything to be there for one and another.

Nayda's uncle'...erent nationalities.

8 of 27 © 2024 Betina Garcia

Nayda's uncle's son, Aidan, hangs out in the living room with two family members who are visiting the family in the summer of 2022. After Donald Trump became President, Nayda felt that the racist comments increased. At school the students call the Latinos for Beaner as a reference to that Hispanics eat alot of beans, Nayda said. Latinos make up approximately 10 percent of the population of the students in Bowling Green High School. Bowling Green has about 80.000 habitants with 42 different nationalities.

Nayda Espinoza helps her uncle...sent back, she said.

9 of 27 © 2024 Betina Garcia

Nayda Espinoza helps her uncle with his son, Aidan in November, 2016 at the ranch. They live across the hall from Nayda’s bedroom, which she currently shares with her parents. After finding out Donald Trump became president, Nayda said she was scared. In the U.S. there are more than 11 million undocumented immigrants, where the majority is Latino. -I hate when people tell me that it won’t affect me if Donald Trump becomes President and I’m not losing anything. We are losing something. We have close family and friends that can get deported. I'm scared all immigrants will be sent back, she said.

The family is very religious a...Nayda Espinoza said.

10 of 27 © 2024 Betina Garcia

The family is very religious and goes to a local church in Bowling Green, Ky called La Hermosa. The state of Kentucky is known for being conservative and a part of the bible belt in the States. It is very common that the latino population create their own small communities within a community.

- I like to hang out with other Hispanics. My mom taught me always to behave in front of other people, so I don’t give them a reason to talk negatively about Latinos," Nayda Espinoza said.

In October, 2016 the family wen...vestments and visit the family.

11 of 27 © 2024 Betina Garcia

In October, 2016 the family went back to Guatemala to visit the family and attend a wedding. Julissa Espiniza is watching her aunt Floridalma Cuevas cooking a big dinner for her great grandfather's birthday. Floridalma Cuevas was the first in the Barillas family to leave Guatemala and settled down in California where she cleans houses in Malibu. They are from the South Western part of Guatemala in Suichetepequez. Since the family became legalized in the 80's through their workplace they have been able to go back. They go to the village once every second year to do investments and visit the family.

Nayda’s uncle on her...n your home country.

12 of 27 © 2024 Betina Garcia

Nayda’s uncle on her fathers side came to the States as a cilantro worker from Mexico and now owns his own cilantro fields in California and provides work for other Mexicans. In recent year years the immigration has primarily been from countries such as Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, where it used to be Mexico. The countries in Central America are having many problems with corruption, gangrelated violence and extortion. Instability and the increasing poverty and the lack of work opportunities are the reasons why so many migrate to the US, where you can earn triple the salary and thereby provide for a family in your home country.

Floridalma Cuevas cleans a hou... Malibu, California.

13 of 27 © 2024 Betina Garcia

Floridalma Cuevas cleans a house in California for a massage therapist. She works for five hours for 20 dollars an hour to get one hour of massage as she has a lot of back pain. - I've always worked in the kitchen with my mom. In Guatemala the woman is in the kitchen and the man is out working and you serve them. That's how it is in our culture," Cuevas said. She was the first of twelve siblings who crossed the border illegally to the US in 1979. It took her nine days. Her mom gave her permission to leave for one year but she never returned as she found love and a better life in the US. She works with cleaning houses in Malibu, California.

On April 22nd,  2017 ...r family in English.

14 of 27 © 2024 Betina Garcia

On April 22nd, 2017 Nayda is attending her other cousin's Quinceañera at Spanish Hills Country Club in Camarillo, CA, USA. Evani is Nayda's cousin from her fathers side, who is Mexican. Evani's father also came as an illegal immigrant more than 20 years ago. He worked as a cilantro harvester but today own several cilantro fields and businesses in the Agriculture industry. She hardly knows how to speak Spanish and prefers to communicate with her family in English.

Nayda and her brother Marcos E...t here, Marcos said.

15 of 27 © 2024 Betina Garcia

Nayda and her brother Marcos Espinoza hangs out with their family at a bonfire at the ranch. Almost every Friday and Saturday the family makes a bonfire and friends of the family come to drink beer and hang out. They normally listen to Mexican music and sing along. The ranch has become a place that always gather a lot of people from Mexico and Guatemala as they all share the same values and have a understanding for their Hispanic culture. - it’s like it’s our own world out here, Marcos said.

The family is back at the ranc...on November 8, 2016.

16 of 27 © 2024 Betina Garcia

The family is back at the ranch in Kentucky. Nayda is being waken up by her cow Vicente who she feeds every morning. Nayda is in a bad mood this morning as Donald Trump was elected as president late last night. Nayda and her cousin think a third world war is coming because of Trump. The family knows a lot of illegal immigrants although her close family is legal now. - I'm scared, mom. Now all illegal immigrants are being sent back," she said on November 8, 2016.

Marcos Espinoza helps his fath...ground," Manuel said.

17 of 27 © 2024 Betina Garcia

Marcos Espinoza helps his father and grandfather slaughter a cow on the ranch in July, 2022. They sell the meat to different families in the community who can cut the meat the way they want it, which is becoming very popular. When his grandfather Manuel Barillas first came to California in 1986 as an illegal immigrant his brother-in-law got him a job with an American constructor. He started out by taking trash from the construction site. When he quit the job 20 years later he was one of the constructors and had built several houses in Malibu. "Coming to America was a hard transition especially with the language barrier. We worked 12 hours a day and it was hard work, but I am very appreciative that we could work so I could provide for my family. We were a huge group from Guatemala working there, which was nice because we all came from the same background," Manuel said.

The first couple of years Nayd...p;quot; Nayda said.

18 of 27 © 2024 Betina Garcia

The first couple of years Nayda lived on the ranch, she shared her room with her parents. Nayda’s father has plans to extend the house, so she can get her own room. Nayda dreams of being an interior or Fashion designer, but she hopes to get married early. When she doesn’t play soccer, she loves to watch Mexican shows on the phone. She’s the only Latino playing soccer at her school. "I'm happy to live here in the States and I do realize and know how much my parents sacrificed to provide a better life for us kids and I really appreciate it," Nayda said.

Nayda Espinoza enjoys her lunc...t Latinos," she said.

19 of 27 © 2024 Betina Garcia

Nayda Espinoza enjoys her lunch break with all the other Hispanics that attend Bowling Green High School on March 27, 2018 in Bowling Green, Ky. Latinos make up approximately 10 percent of the population of the students in the school. Bowling Green has about 80.000 habitants with 42 different nationalities. At school the call the Latinos for Beaner as a reference to that Hispanics eat alot of beans. - I like to hang out with the other Hispanics. My mom taught me always to behave in front of other people, so I don’t give them a reason to talk negatively about Latinos," she said.

Grandfather Manuel Barillas go... he said.

20 of 27 © 2024 Betina Garcia

Grandfather Manuel Barillas goes for a walk on the ranch with his grandson in November, 2016. He bought the ranch with his sons Juan and Manuel Barillas in 2014 as the market for a farm was very cheap in Kentucky compared to California, where the prices are increasing rapidly. Grandfather Manuel was born in Guatemala and was raised on a farm. In 1986 he had to flee his country as local guerrillas were kidnapping and killing people who came from the Middle class and higher, which was the reason he brought his wife and three sons to America.The situation has become more stable, but local extortion and kidnappings is still on the agenda. His cousin got killed, because he didn't wanted to pay the local gangs extortion money. -You could never feel safe and that is very stressful, because you're constantly worrying about you and your family's safety. I feel so lucky that I can live a life in peace and quiet here, he said.

Nayda Espinoza, 18, hangs out ...come from the same background.

21 of 27 © 2024 Betina Garcia

Nayda Espinoza, 18, hangs out with her boyfriend and fiancé Ricardo Rocha, 19 at the ranch in July, 2022. The couple met and started dating in August, 2021. -I love everything about Ricardo. He has such a good heart. The first time we hung out he put on Vicente Fernandez (Mexican singer-songwriter) and I thought okay, he’s different, she said. Ricardo Rocha is Mexican. His parents own a Mexican restaurant an hour away from Bowling Green. Nayda believes her and Ricardo come from the same background.

Nayda is getting ready for her...a princess wedding.

22 of 27 © 2024 Betina Garcia

Nayda is getting ready for her bachelorette party on the 21st of July, 2022 which her family is throwing at the ranch. Ricardo didn’t wanted to get married before he was thirty years old. -I wanted to get married in my early twenties, and if he wouldn't, I would have to find somebody else. Then he proposed on Christmas eve. It caught me by surprise, as I was not expecting him to do it that fast, she said laughing. Nayda has always dreamed about a princess wedding.

Nayda Espinoza’s gra...g her to the doctor.

23 of 27 © 2024 Betina Garcia

Nayda Espinoza’s grandmother struggles to place a kiss at the right place at Nayda’s bachelorette party in July, 2022. Nayda is still very close to her grandmother and works part-time assisting her with cleaning, laundry and taking her to the doctor.

Nayda Espinoza plays Beer pong ... a princess wedding.

24 of 27 © 2024 Betina Garcia

Nayda Espinoza plays Beer pong at her bachelorette party at the ranch on 21st of July, 2022. Ricardo Rocha didn’t want to get married before he was thirty years old. Nayda wanted to get married in her early twenties. - I told him that early on and if he wouldn't get married then, I would have to find somebody else. Then he proposed on Christmas eve. It caught me by surprise, as I was not expecting him to do it that fast, she said laughing. Nayda has always dreamed about a princess wedding.

Nayda’s weddingday h...out fine, she said.

25 of 27 © 2024 Betina Garcia

Nayda’s weddingday has finally arrived and her mom is helping her get ready. Nayda is a bit nervous. In the beginning Nayda’s mom was sad that Nayda will get married so early. She wanted her to go to college and get a degree, but she likes Ricardo, so she is happy. Nayda doesn’t want to go to college. -I’m “old school”. I want to be a stay at home mom and have a family early in life. That’s how all the women in my family has done. My mom, my aunts and my grandmother, so it will all work out fine, she said.

The wedding was everything that...though she had a return flight.

26 of 27 © 2024 Betina Garcia

The wedding was everything that Nayda Espinoza had hoped for and was filled with Mexican traditions as pictured. More than 250 guests attended from all over the world. - Having a big wedding was my dream, Nayda said· Unfortunately her favorite cousin from Guatemala couldn’t come as she was denied access in the airport in the States, as the authorities were worried that she would stay after the wedding even though she had a return flight.

Nayda's niece, Mia, is...yda said.

27 of 27 © 2024 Betina Garcia

Nayda's niece, Mia, is looking at the horses in the living room at the ranch in July, 2022. Nayda’s two older brothers each have three children. Nayda Espinoza and Ricardo are pregnant and expecting a baby boy in the summer of 2023. The couple is very excited. They now live in Franklin, Ky, where Ricardo and his parents just started a Mexican restaurant that Ricky is in charge of. -I think motherhood is beautiful and I just wanna be with my kids. Ricky is working so hard to make a good living for us. When I look at my mom, I think she has a great life where she doesn't need to work and can spend time with her children and grandchildren because of my dad's hard work, Nayda said.

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Thumbnail of Francisco Espinoza takes a self_here both her parents are from.

Thumbnail of Nayda Espinoza, 12, poses for a_ family and friends.

Thumbnail of Nayda’s grandfather&a_tucky and New Jersey.

Thumbnail of Nayda Espinoza and her mom Julis_oud of that," she said.

Thumbnail of Family pictures of the great gr_exico and the States.

Thumbnail of Marcos Espinoza, 24, trains his _n the footsteps of his grandfath

Thumbnail of At a surprise party on the 10th_ for one and another.

Thumbnail of Nayda's uncle's_ferent nationalities.

Thumbnail of Nayda Espinoza helps her uncle _ sent back, she said.

Thumbnail of The family is very religious an_ Nayda Espinoza said.

Thumbnail of In October, 2016 the family went_nvestments and visit the family.

Thumbnail of Nayda’s uncle on her _in your home country.

Thumbnail of Floridalma Cuevas cleans a hous_n Malibu, California.

Thumbnail of On April 22nd,  2017 N_er family in English.

Thumbnail of Nayda and her brother Marcos Es_ut here, Marcos said.

Thumbnail of The family is back at the ranch_ on November 8, 2016.

Thumbnail of Marcos Espinoza helps his fathe_kground," Manuel said.

Thumbnail of The first couple of years Nayda_mp;quot; Nayda said.

Thumbnail of Nayda Espinoza enjoys her lunch_ut Latinos," she said.

Thumbnail of Grandfather Manuel Barillas goe_, he said.

Thumbnail of Nayda Espinoza, 18, hangs out w_ come from the same background.

Thumbnail of Nayda is getting ready for her _ a princess wedding.

Thumbnail of Nayda Espinoza’s gran_ng her to the doctor.

Thumbnail of Nayda Espinoza plays Beer pong a_t a princess wedding.

Thumbnail of Nayda’s weddingday ha_ out fine, she said.

Thumbnail of The wedding was everything that _ though she had a return flight.

Thumbnail of Nayda's niece, Mia, is _ayda said.

Public Project

Rancheros

Copyright Betina Garcia 2024

Date of Work Aug 2015 - Aug 2023

Updated Sep 2016

Location Bowling Green, Kentucky, USA

Topics Aging, Agriculture, Animals, Borders, Children, Community, Documentary, Dreams, Emotion, Environment, Family, Freedom, Happiness, Hope, Immigration, Joy, Latin America, Love, Migration, Minority, Photography, Photojournalism, Racing

Summary

Rancheros is a coming of age story about Nayda Espinoza and her family who stay true to their latino roots. The story celebrates the everyday life of a latino community spanning four generations living on a ranch in Kentucky shining a light on what it is like to be Latino in the US today.

Nayda Espinoza and her brothers are half Guatemalan and Mexican and born and raised in the US.

They are children of illegal immigrants. They represent a generation of Hispanics, the biggest and youngest minority group in the States currently counting 62 million people. Never before in the history of America has a minority ethnic group made up such a large share of the youth. One-in-five schoolchildren are Hispanic and every fourth child born is Hispanic according to Pew Research Center. They account for more of the nation’s demographic changes than any other group, which will result in America becoming a “minority majority” country by the middle of this century.

The Barillas family fled Guatemala more than 30 years ago escaping local violence and built a life on the West Coast. After 20 years in California the Barillas and Espinoza family bought a ranch and now reside in Bowling Green, Ky, USA. This is a story of four generations that have built a life on American soil, but are staying true to their Latin American roots. They are a family of Rancheros, the Latino version of an American cowboy.

The story follows the family before, during and after Donald Trump became president.

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