Rebecca Hernandez is our Woman of the Week, nominated for work with college students, her new role as community archivist, and her advocacy for Orthodoxy among Native Americans and for Native Americans among the Orthodox. You see her here holding an icon of St. Paraskeva with dear friends at her Slava, or Saint Day celebration; with her priest and friends; celebrating St. Peter the Aleut on his saint’s day; and modeling a dance shawl that her auntie made for her. We asked her to tell you about her journey to Orthodoxy:
“The first thing I want to write about is the fact that for all things church-related, I prefer to be referred to as Petka. Petka is short for Paraskeva, the 11th-century saint whose name I chose when I converted to Orthodoxy 27 years ago. When I hear folks call me Petka I know I am home.
“I was born Rebecca Sarah Hernandez. My mom and dad have both passed but their legacy lives on in the children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren that they left behind. My mom was Mescalero (Warm Springs) Apache and my dad was Mexican-American. I come from a large family, all Christians, all Protestant and all devout. We were all born and lived (most of my family still does) in Los Angeles. Raised in the Baptist tradition, I attended Sunday school and was blessed to learn about the importance of the Bible from an early age. Memorizing scriptures, coloring images of Jesus and friends, and singing about how much he loves us shaped my understanding of God at a young age. I attended a Catholic college and while studying there fell in love with all things Catholic. I was taught by nuns, priests, and brothers–all devoted to teaching, all beautiful examples of God’s love. After spending lots of time in prayer about it I decided to convert to Catholicism. That decision didn’t go over well with my family, but I remained close to God and loved attending church, so that provided them some comfort. What I appreciated most about the Catholic Church was the consistency of the church calendar and accessibility to services–it was possible to attend mass every day and to go to church anytime to pray. There was great consolation for me in that and I was a very happy Catholic when I first learned about Orthodoxy.
“I was a graduate student in an Exhibition Design/Museum Studies program, serving as an Intern at the Southwest Museum in Los Angeles when someone dropped off a box of slides that they found in their parents’ garage. The slides were images of Alaska and there were many of Aleut Orthodox services, clergy, and people. I was very confused by what I saw and immediately asked my boss about it. She identified the clergy as Orthodox and suggested that I look in the phone book (that’s how long ago it was!) to find an Orthodox church nearby–perhaps they could help clarify what was contained in the images. I called Saint Steven’s Serbian Orthodox Cathedral in Alhambra, California, met with the Education Director John, and the rest is history. Five years later, after many difficult conversations with my Catholic priests and other Catholic religious (the term used for nuns and others who are not priests), I made the decision to convert to Orthodoxy. To this day, that decision remains one of the most difficult I’ve ever made.
“However, because I spent so much time reflecting on, reading, learning, and studying about Orthodoxy, when I was ready to convert, I came to the church with my whole heart. And I’ve never looked back, despite missing things about both the Catholic and Protestant traditions. What I have found in Orthodoxy is the depth of Tradition that I was longing for and the certainty that time here on earth can be spent engaging in rich and timeless practices that bring me closer to the divine. I found my way to Orthodoxy in the Serbian Church and that community will always be close to my heart. Now I live in Santa Cruz and my home church is Prophet Elias Greek Orthodox Church. This is one of the most friendly churches you’ll ever visit, we are a small community with a big heart, and our priest, Father Milutin Janjic, is the one of the best–and not just because he is Serbian! I was quickly embraced by the community and began helping out whenever I could. I love working in the kitchen, and good times spent cooking. Sadly, we bid farewell to Father Milutin in February, he and his family have moved to Sweden. We were deeply saddened to say goodbye. In November 2021, Prophet Elias celebrated the feast of Saint Peter the Aleut. Saint Peter was martyred in Monterey, California, only 25 miles from where I live. I was honored to be present at that service.
“As a Native person, I feel a strong connection to the Saints of the Americas and I’m proud that the Orthodox Church honors our contributions to the faith. I traveled to Alaska for the Feast of Saint Herman and it was a profound experience for me. At that time I was a graduate student in American Indian Studies, writing about Native Christians. My visit to Kodiak Island and then to Spruce Island was life-changing. The most exceptional moments were attending services that were led by Aleut clergy and conducted in the Aleut language. Seeing all the Native people in church helped me better appreciate the exceptional work done by the Orthodox clergy who came to assist Aleut children and widows after the Russian American Company had nearly destroyed their way of life and devastated their population.”
Axia!
Our Woman of the Week is Rebecca Hernandez, nominated for work with college students, her new role as community archivist, and her advocacy for Orthodoxy among Native Americans and for Native Americans among the Orthodox. You see her here on two occasions with some of those students. We asked her to tell you about what it is like working with students born around the year 2000:
“I have earned degrees in Exhibition Design, American Indian Studies and American Studies, and I was fortunate to blend all of my interests in the things I do. My academic work has focused on the inherent complexities in the public representation of culture, including how the describing and defining of Native American objects aids in the construction of Amerindian identity. After completing my PhD at the University of New Mexico, I returned to Los Angeles and began my professional career at the UCLA American Indian Studies Center. The years I spent there were focused on working with faculty and Native graduate students, deeply satisfying work. In 2014, I accepted a position at UC Santa Cruz and served as Director of the American Indian Resource Center (AIRC) for 7 years. The AIRC is dedicated to supporting the needs of American Indian undergraduate students and increasing Native visibility on campus by advocating for student-centered programs, cultural events, and tools for academic success. Over the years, I was privileged to work with hundreds of students (not all Native) and to learn about their complex life experiences.
“Working with students is a privilege that I tried hard to never take for granted. Most of the college students I worked with were born close to or after the year 2000. This meant that over the course of their lifetimes they knew only Obama and Trump as our Presidents, will inherit the planet we’ve nearly destroyed and they were more than likely raised in a single-parent home. When they arrive at college, these young people have seen just about everything imaginable on the internet (they’ve never known a world without cell phones or computers), and are very concerned about their futures. Unfortunately, they aren’t finding comfort in a faith practice. According to Scientific America, the number of college students with no religious affiliation has tripled in the last 30 years. Despite those facts, I was ever inspired by these young people–what they shared about their hopes and dreams for the future eased my worries. Somehow they still see the possibilities that lie ahead and long to find solutions to our consumer culture and disregard for the earth. They taught me something everyday and that is what kept my heart in the work. There were many days that I worried about the students I knew were grappling with serious life issues (and I mean serious), and then a few students would stop by my office to say hello and soon we were laughing with abandon. Year after year I watched students who entered college right out of foster care or working two jobs or dealing with health issues or trying to help parent siblings from afar get to the finish line and graduate.
“And though I never had children, I sit at graduation, marvel at that accomplishment, and I’m filled with pride when their name is read and they are handed their diploma. I am reminded of how much they have grown as people, as scholars, and gained a new perspective about the future. I don’t understand everything about the lives of these young people, for example, I’m not consumed with my cell phone, on TicToc or hook-up apps. However, I am someone who understands the value of connection and who tries my best to engage when I can. All of us are called to be active listeners: that’s what Jesus taught us, to love others. In my opinion, listening is the truest form of love. I’ve witnessed it transform lives. That’s all young people really want: someone who will stop what they are doing, sit across the table from them and listen. They may be inexperienced in life but they know pain, hardship, challenge, joy, and hope. Over the years I heard stories that broke my heart but I also heard stories of triumph and I remain forever changed by those exchanges. We should be doing all we can to ensure that our young people feel safe so that they can be free to think and learn. It benefits all of us to do so.
“Earlier this year I made a big career change, my new job is on the same campus, UC Santa Cruz. As of January 3, I became the first University Community Archivist. It was a big step for me to leave student affairs and begin a new job in the library, but God found a way to make it happen, and when he did, I knew I had to take it. This new post will allow me to seek out partnerships with community organizations and leaders to support the preservation of community history, with a particular focus on reaching out to traditionally underrepresented communities. I will partner with the campus and community to develop and facilitate public history projects using a variety of methodologies including oral histories and exhibitions. Since completing my PhD program, I have become even more passionate about how people and communities are represented in large institutions, especially in collections. I’m looking forward to working in the library where I can engage my scholarly work in new ways, and help amplify community voices.
“I am also determined to continue sharing my knowledge about Native Americans with others and do consulting work. I offer workshops and presentations about a wide range of topics, from tribal governance to Native arts. Last year I was blessed to give a presentation to a group of Greek Orthodox clergy and lay people. I had the opportunity to discuss not only some history about American Indians but to also share about our contemporary experiences. I was also able to encourage attendees to reach out to Native folks in their communities and invite them to visit their churches. I suggested they bring Native visitors to the church on weekdays or Saturday afternoons, offer tours, and explain what we do during services. Most important is that American Indians know that Orthodoxy is for everyone and that they are welcome in our churches, regardless of who built them. Everyone longs for comfort and I believe that the Orthodox tradition provides a place of solace in a complicated world–a place to light a candle, pray, listen to choirs sing and know God.”
As always, we asked our Woman of the Week, Rebecca Hernandez, about her morning routine:
“Mornings are my favorite time of day. I usually get up at 5 am and take time to relax in bed before beginning my day. I head to the kitchen, make some coffee, and then read from the Orthodox Study Bible for a bit. I always take time to pray. I have a small altar area in my apartment where I keep icons, holy water, candles, and other mementos. I stand in front of it while I pray, and before I finish I thank God for five things I’m most grateful for at that moment. There are many more than five, but it helps me remember that I’m blessed, loved and protected by God’s love. In the mornings, I like to take photographs of the sky.
“The past five years have been very difficult for me. I went through a very painful divorce that left me feeling defeated, lonely, and scared. It took time but prayer (my own and those who prayed for me) and the guidance of clergy kept me on the right path. I believe I’ve finally learned that, if there is one constant in life, it’s change. Change can be welcome, joyous and affirming. It can also be painful, arduous, and exhausting. As I begin again (each and every day), it is impossible to do so without being thankful for the faith that sustains me and keeps me grounded. There have been many days that I have felt far from God, very far. Yet in my heart I know the creator of all things is near–near in the beauty that surrounds me, in the memories I have of those who have passed, and near in the family and friends I share my life with now.”
Thank you, Rebecca!
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