Immigrant Heritage Month Storyteller: Oscar Correa

Immigrant Heritage Month, held each June, gives people across the United States an opportunity to annually explore the unique story of America.

The letter below is a part of a Welcome Toledo-Lucas County (TLC) story telling series that brings to life first-hand accounts from immigrant, refugee, and diverse community members who call Toledo and Lucas County home. We celebrate their contributions, especially this Immigrant Heritage Month, an annual celebration of our nation’s shared immigrant heritage and cultural diversity.

We are glad to share stories showing the way our diverse local communities enrich our daily lives. It’s time to celebrate immigrants!

Immigrant Heritage Month Storyteller: Oscar Correa

The Old Life

On a hot, humid night in the northwestern Colombian territory, I arrived on top of a Yamaha dirt bike in a small village surrounded by rice plantations, when my local representative approached me and passed some chilling information. He said, “A group of men wearing camouflage clothing with large guns approached me and asked me to tell you to be ready. They are coming for you tonight.” I knew right away they were members of a local guerrilla group. I didn’t have any choice but to be ready for the encounter. This village was only 50 miles from safety, but it took me eight hours to cover that distance between them. The road was in poor condition and was only accessible by horse or dirt bike. My first choice was to go to the local police station, which was poorly fortified and occupied by eight policemen. The other choice was to flee by canoe, but no one would dare go out at night. Fortunately, an army patrol arrived two hours later and set up camp on the outskirts. As a former military man, I was ready to face my destiny. I realized that joining either entity would put a target on my back for retaliation later. So, I went to my hotel room, left all my stuff there, and spent the entire night walking between both locations, constantly thinking about what would happen to my wife and kids. At sunrise, my employee joined me, and we both rode on the dirt bike toward my clients in the rice fields. I saw a villager on a motor-powered canoe not too far from town. I flagged him down and traded my bike for his canoe, leaving immediately and never looking back. As soon as I rejoined my family, we packed our belongings and left for Barranquilla. A few months later, I arrived alone in Miami, Fla. for a chance at a new life. Leaving my wife and kids behind was the most challenging part of the entire ordeal. Four months later, I was able to bring them along.

A New Life

My parents, who had relocated to the United States a few years before, welcomed and helped me get situated. I soon followed in my father’s footsteps and became a bus driver for Broward County Transit. No surprise there, we had similar life experiences for some reason. We both joined the army very young and later transferred to the Air Force as pilots.

One of the lessons I learned from my father that I will always keep with me is, “Never forget where you are coming from, nor your struggles and challenges. They made you who you are. Keep your beliefs and our traditions, and pass them along to your children, but always open your heart and soul to your new home and its traditions. Always select the good and positive and ignore and discard the negative.” I carry his words with me every day.

Seeking a New Home

After 17 years in the Fort Lauderdale area, witnessing a small community become a densely populated area and seeing the two-way state road become a five-lane highway in each direction, I decided to look for a greener and quieter place to call home. This journey took me through Arkansas, California, and Oklahoma before arriving in Ohio.

COVID-19

The decision to relocate away from California was owed to the pandemic. After missing two years of birthdays and festivities with my kids (my son lives in Chicago,and my daughter lives in Milwaukee), my wife brought to my attention a job opening at TARTA in a town we had never heard of before, but it was within driving distance of both my kids.

Finding a Home in Toledo, Ohio

We looked into Toledo and did a little research, and we both were attracted immediately. While we are close enough to our kids, we would avoid the horrible winters and feet of snow typical of the north. We also learned about the open and embracing local culture. And after ten months and surviving our first winter here, we are happy and proud of our decision. At work, I met a few coworkers who have guided my wife and me in becoming residents of Lucas County. I also met a TARTA board member who is heavily involved with the immigrant community and brought me to Welcome TLC. I met some more wonderful people there, and it assured me that I had made the right decision by coming to Lucas County.

I am eternally grateful to all of you, Lucas County residents, for helping us and making us feel at home.

—

This project was led by Betsy Rose Ujvagi, our very first Immigrant Heritage Month story teller, and Chair of the Immigrant Heritage Month Storytelling Committee.

About Welcome Toledo-Lucas County (TLC):

Welcome TLC, housed at the Toledo Lucas County Public Library, is a cross-sector network of community partners, including the Lucas County Board of Commissioners, and the Human Relations Commission of Toledo. Welcome TLC’s mission is to build a more welcoming and inclusive community for immigrants, refugees and people of diverse cultures that supports a vibrant civic, economic and social fabric for all.

Led by Welcome TLC, Lucas County achieved the national designation as a Certified Welcoming community in 2019, and a redesignation in 2023. The City of Toledo achieved the designation in 2022, making Toledo and Lucas County the first city and county to be certified together.