Community & Culture

We are IH: Activity coordinator brings joy to seniors

Alma Angelina Vega Perez dressed as El Charro Negro, a tall, handsome figure from Mexican folklore who wears a flawless black suit and wide-brimmed hat. It’s said that he appears on rural roads at dusk.

Name: Alma Angelina Vega Perez (she/her/hers)
Job Title: Activity Coordinator, Adult Day Services
Years of Service: 1.5
Worksite: Kootenay Boundary Area Office
Community: Kootenay Boundary
Ancestral Territory: Ktunaxa, syilx
Favourite Quote / Advice to Live By: “No fear of success.” Dare to chase your dreams, even when the path is uncertain. Life rewards those who take bold steps with a strong heart and a determined mind.

Born and raised in Mexico, Alma has an innate love and passion for Mexican culture, traditions and gastronomy. She loves the art of selecting fresh ingredients, cooking meals from scratch and sharing them with friends and family.

She also enjoys music and dancing. In fact, she has two bachelor’s degrees: one in arts education and one in Mexican folkloric dance. She also holds two master’s degrees.

Alma found her calling in education and worked as a teacher. But after teaching for more than 10 years at various educational levels—primarily in universities—she decided to make a change and immigrate to Canada in July 2022.

Learn more about Alma’s journey with IH

A woman with dark hair pulled back into a bun wearing dark rimmed glasses, dark blue jeans and a blue and white plaid shacket is standing with one hand in her pocket smiling at the camera. She is in the middle of a busy street in China town in Vancouver B.C.
Alma during the Chinese New Year celebrations in Vancouver’s Chinatown. It was a unique experience for Alma that represented the unity and strength that defines Canada as a nation.

Alma and her wife lived in the Lower Mainland for about a year but ultimately the small-town lifestyle called to them, and they ended up in Kootenay Boundary.

Building a life with her wife in Canada, where they can be their true selves and have a future full of possibilities, is something she is deeply proud of.

A woman in a black, hooded jacket wearing a ball cap is in snow dusted woods and turns around to smile at the camera.
Alma in the woods enjoying the snow. Coming from a region in Mexico that’s almost entirely desert, Alma finds winter fascinating. She enjoys exploring and doing outdoor winter activities when it snows. Even after three years in Canada, snow still amazes her.

I believe that having both academic and practical teaching perspectives, combined with my passion for working in health-care environments, gave me the foundation to pursue roles within Interior Health...I have always found that helping people have meaningful experiences, and feel valued and appreciated, is deeply rewarding. Bringing kindness, care and joy to vulnerable individuals is one of the most fulfilling parts of my work. Being part of a team that has become like family to me makes it even more meaningful.

-- Alma Angelina Vega Perez
A woman with dark hair tied back is smiling at the camera. Half of her face is painted for the Day of the Dead festival, and in her hair on that side of her face is a blue, yellow and pink flower pinned in her hair. She is wearing a v neck, pattered top.
Alma ready to perform the Danza de los Disfrazados, a traditional dance performed during Day of the Dead festivals. Dancers cover their faces with masks or paint and wear colourful costumes to represent the spirits of the dead who refuse to leave the world of the living. This vibrant and symbolic dance is a way of honouring the connection between life and death, and it brings communities together to celebrate memory, culture and resistance against forgetting.

Now working as an activity coordinator for the Kootenay Boundary Adult Day Services Program, Alma makes a positive impact on people’s lives every day. She, along with her peers, bring seniors live singing, music, dancing, laughter, smiles—and even small bingo prizes.

Seeing how meaningful interactions can bring joy, connection and comfort to individuals motivates her every day. Improving the quality of life of seniors fulfills her deeply, both professionally and personally.

Having someone like my direct supervisor in the leadership role she holds makes a big difference—it helps me feel guided and supported. Her encouragement, along with the incredible collaboration from the nursing team and recreational activity staff, truly makes this position ideal for someone like me.

-- Alma Angelina Vega Perez

During the pandemic Alma lost several dear friends who worked in the health-care system. Being in the positions that she has held since then, including the one she is in now, feels like a personal tribute to their work and the sacrifices they made for others.

A Mexican woman with long dark curled hair is wearing a black traditional, black with rose gold/orange embroidery, Mexican, charro de feana suit. She is holding a sombrero with one hand over her abdomen looking at the camera.
Alma wearing the charro de faena suit which represents the most authentic and functional roots of the charro tradition in Mexico. Originally used as workwear for ranch tasks and horseback riding, this suit reflects the daily life of the charro and their deep connection to the horse and the land. For Alma, the suit reflects who she is, where she came from, and where she is going—always carrying the honour of being Mexican.

 

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