A cartoon of Neighborhood Leader Stephanie Flores depicts her holding diapers, groceries, and school supplies. Food insecurity rose in Athens during the COVID-19 pandemic, and Stephanie Flores helped manage food distribution within Clarke County. “The (undocumented) immigrant community was hit really hard by the coronavirus because there’s no stimulus package. There’s no applying for unemployment,” Flores said. “There’s just this country saying we acknowledge that you’re here and that you work and that you stimulate the economy but we’re not going to affirm you the rights to be sustained during a global pandemic. So it came to the community to address those needs.” Illustration by Lillian Sams
The ODYSSEY Media Group will provide viewers with stylized profiles that center on people in the Athens community telling their own stories.
Stephanie Flores has made her life about showing up for others.
Daughter of a Mexican mother and Puerto Rican father, Flores grew up helping her parents run a bakery in Chicago, Illinois. There is pride in her voice when she talks about her family.
“I’ve always been really, really close to my family. I’ve always appreciated strength and togetherness, and I’ve always held those values with them,” Flores said.
The University of Georgia drew her to Athens for an undergraduate degree, but it was the impact she felt she could have within the community that kept her there.
Flores’ passion for Athens is unmistakable, speaking quickly and dynamically with words often bubbling over with enthusiasm.
“What kept me (in Athens) was organizations like Dignidad Immigrante en Athens, like the Athens Immigrant Rights Coalition, and Economic Justice Coalition,” Flores said. “It’s a hub for progressive movements.”
In 2020, Flores got the chance to channel her passion for community mobilization professionally as a Neighborhood Leader, a position created by Family Connection to address the roots of poverty in Athens-Clarke County.
On a typical day, Flores could be dropping off diapers and school supplies, helping with past-due bills, organizing people to register to vote, or assisting people with applications for unemployment.
When faced with the magnitude of need in Clarke County, however, it’s clear that the challenges of the job take their toll — she knows she can’t fix it all, but she has faith in people.
“One thing I’ve learned is that, what people call vulnerable, actually is just resiliency, strength, and endurance,” Flores said. “What I’ve seen a lot in the community that I’ve been working with, is this resiliency, this interconnectedness.”
As the year draws to a close, Flores continues her tireless advocacy for her community and will continue striving for a more equitable and resilient future for all of Athens.
