When Jesus and Beatriz Garcia left Mexico for America decades ago their fervent wish was to give their family a better life. In that, there's no doubt they succeeded. The couple captured the American Dream by working hard, owning their own home, becoming fixtures at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church and raising six girls. The Garcias have seen their daughters, all born in Mexico, grow into accomplished women with families and careers of their own. The Garcia Girls carry on their parents' tradition of serving others. At the 2011 Latino Heritage Awards the eldest, Magdalena "Maggie" Garcia, was honored for her work as El Museo Latino founder and executive director. Baby sister Maria Vazquez, associate vice president of student affairs at Metropolitan Community College, was named Latina of the Year "I'm amazed at Maggie's and Maria's accomplishments, and at all my other sisters. They're all working hard and continuing their education, and I'm doing the same thing," says Silvia Wells, El Museo Latino managing director. The sisters have all attended college as nontraditional students. The only one without a degree, Lori Ramirez, is working on it. Some have multiple degrees. Each has a chosen profession. It all stems from strong parental guidance. Maggie recalls, "My father sat me down and said, 'My responsibility is to provide for you what you need. Your responsibility is to do the best you can.' He never said you have to do this or that, he just said, you have to do the best you can. The demands were what each one of us placed on ourselves." Education was always stressed. "They put all six of us through Catholic school. They both worked. My dad sometimes had two and three jobs," says Maggie. Jesus trained in fine woodworking and construction in Mexico and his expert craftsman's skills made him employable here. He repaired furniture for Nebraska Furniture Mart. Later, he opened his own shop, Jesse Garcia's Repair, at 13th and Vinton Streets in South Omaha, where the Garcias are an old-line Latino family. He also built custom display cabinets for daughter Maggie's museum. He closed his shop last year but still keeps his hands busy for select customers. Beatriz, who learned seamstress skills in Mexico, labored 30 years at Pendleton Woolen Mills. She started as a sewer and retired as a supervisor. A talented cook, she makes her famous enchiladas and burritos for museum and church fundraisers. She marvels at what her daughters have made of themselves. “I’m so proud of all my girls.”

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