Abelio first worked with ROP when he interpreted a letter from a local police chief explaining that the police department will not work with Immigration and Customs Enforcement into Mam, an Indigenous Guatemalan language that is only spoken. For the last year, Abelio has worked at ROP’s food pantry and resource-share in Cottage Grove, interpreting between English, Spanish, and Mam and expanding the ability of the pantry to serve migrant and asylum-seeking community members. Since he joined ROP staff full-time in October as a Community Resource Organizer, Abelio has served as one of the few Mam speakers in the entire state who are supporting migrants and asylum-seekers to access the Oregon Worker Relief Fund. When he isn’t busy keeping the ROP pantry running smoothly and supporting families accessing community resources, Abelio enjoys traveling the state playing soccer, drawing, and spending time with his family. You can email Abelio at abelio@rop.org