- As a young child, Belia Paz learned the value of communication and the power it has to impact a community in a positive way.

As an activist, entrepreneur, and leader, Paz has redefined what it means to survive and thrive in Utah's growing Hispanic community.

(soft upbeat music) - My name is Belia Paz and I am the general manager for Aerostar Media, two Hispanic radio stations here in Salt Lake City.

And I'm also the founder of Mujeres Unidas de Utah, which stands for United Women of Utah.

(bright upbeat music) My mother was a "contratista", which means she was a contractor for field work.

And so, every morning, me and my brother would have to go out to work with her so we wouldn't be alone but she'd also put us to work, which I'm very grateful for.

There was a lot of things that I saw but a lot of things that I've learned.

And that was, it wasn't fair not to have restrooms out in the fields for us, right?

And so, growing up in the years, I became an advocate for our Hispanic community, you know, when I was younger.

At 14, I became a police dispatcher, that's where I was able to see a lot more injustice.

I became like a little young leader in Idaho and that's where it all started in my youth.

You know, becoming a voice for the voiceless, is what I always say.

And the mission of Mujeres Unidas de Idaho was to advocate for women and advocate for social justice.

Being a little, young, feisty Latina, I had never been spanked or hit ever in my life until I got married, which caused a lot of fear.

But I'm also grateful that it did happen to me, that I was able to live that domestic violence because now I'm helping thousands of women live something that I lived.

And that is why Mujeres Unidas was, I was very passionate about helping women.

I became a radio DJ, I was able to talk about survivor stories, and that's what led other women calling me on air, calling me and saying, "I lived that."

(bright traditional music) I brought Mujeres Unidas de Utah, making a difference for hundreds of women.

One of the stories that I love to talk about is a lady from Guatemala with her kids, with no shoes living out in the streets and she found us.

She found Mujeres and I helped her with a food box, she went to the radio station, that's where we were running our office, our donations and stuff.

Now, just to see this woman as a business owner, now being a volunteer and helping us, that's the kind of help we wanna do and try and make a difference to help women.

(bright traditional music) (Belia speaking in foreign language) We have a Sunday program, it's called Woman to Woman, De mujer a mujer, and it's just issues that as women talk about on both stations, on 104.7 FM and 107.1 FM, we as a board of directors invite leaders from the community to come and talk.

Or if not, we have the conversation about what we go through and have that heart to heart talk.

(Belia speaking in Spanish) - Wow, (speaking in Spanish).

(Elizabeth speaking in Spanish) - [Belia] I think Elizabeth Cruz is a poet and an author in what she's lived through has become an amazing leader.

You know the work that I see her doing and what I've seen her growth, I'm so appreciative about that.

And I'm proud because I've tried to hold her hand to get to where she's at today.

(Elizabeth speaking in Spanish) (Elizabeth speaking in Spanish) (Elizabeth speaking in Spanish) (Elizabeth speaking in Spanish) (Elizabeth speaking in Spanish) (Elizabeth speaking in Spanish) (Elizabeth speaking in Spanish) (bright upbeat music) (Elizabeth speaking in Spanish) (Elizabeth speaking in Spanish) (Elizabeth speaking in Spanish) (bright upbeat music) (bright upbeat music) - It is a lot of work to be able to get so many people together and especially dress as Catrinas and get the altars.

'Cause really the Day of the Dead is to acknowledge our loved ones and with cultural and color and what we call it, fiesta, right?

(bright upbeat music) They're there with us.

And it's just beautiful to see all the work in the organization and getting United as a community to celebrate.

(bright upbeat music) I honor my family, my father who's passed, but I also live to honor the women that I don't wanna forget.

(bright upbeat music) We did Day of the Dead Celebration last year and we did an altar on domestic violence and the women that have passed.

And I think that that's what I look at is to see who are we honoring?

I mean, are we honoring the women that are forgotten?

You know, we should remember them even if it was 10, 12 years ago.

- So I'm gonna open doors now and I just need the volunteers that are bringing the families in.

- We do a lot of community outreach, whether it's workshops or family givebacks.

Usually, in November, we'll do Turkey giveaways and coat giveaways, blanket.

It's keeping families warm.

And August, we do another back to school.

And we always seek whether it's a backpack or a coat or something that might be able to help a family.

And that's why we're doing is, helping families.

But then also on a monthly basis, we're helping our women, but also women that reach out on a daily basis that might need a food box or some clothing or that have no place to stay and it saddens me.

It really saddens me when I cannot find a place for them.

There's times I can't even sleep thinking, "Oh my gosh, I couldn't help her, I had to say no."

So we have a mission and it's been my mission that I've been wanting to do for many years, to do a transitional housing, a six month transitional where the women will stay in the home for six months.

We're gonna be her family, we're gonna make her feel safe.

And so this place that we're gonna call their home is projected to be ready by 2025.

(soft upbeat music) (Elizabeth speaking in Spanish) (Elizabeth speaking in Spanish) (Elizabeth speaking in Spanish) (soft upbeat music) From coming from Idaho to Utah, wow, big difference.

There's so much Latin American culture, and what I mean is you're seeing Brazil, you're seeing Cuba, you're seeing Puerto Rico, you're seeing Venezuela, Mexico.

Here you're gonna find a restaurant that serves Bolivian food and restaurants that serve Venezolano food.

And you see it, and you're even seeing the Venezolano's Festival or the Bolivian Festival, you know the Peru Festival.

(soft upbeat music) Every culture, every color, everyone is important.

And so being able to see diversity in our state is beautiful.

I have this phrase that I say at all of our events when I get up and talk.

And in Spanish, it's "Unidas somos mas fuertes", which means United, we are stronger.

When we support each other, we become stronger.

We have to help each other.

And if we can help another woman, or even, I mean, another cultural event, I will do so.

I will be there 'cause you see a lot sometimes of separation and I wanna unite.

I wanna unite us.

Unidas somos mas fuertes.

Wow, so many vibrant colors and characters who warm my hearts simply by sharing their story.

And we want to hear your journey.

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Until next time, I'm Liz Adeola and this is Utah.