Betsania Salgado


Betsania Salgado

Collection: 
Voces of a Pandemic

Date of Birth: 
September 7, 1995

Place of Birth: 
Chilpancingo


Interviewed By: 
Dana Yarak

Date of Interview: 
July 10, 2020

Place of Interview: 
Chicago

IL



By: Voces Staff

Betsania Salgado is a nursing graduate from Northern Illinois University. She spent the first few months of the pandemic in search of a position as a registered nurse in Illinois. Although nurses were in high demand, Salgado received many emails from hospitals asking for patience as they navigated the new challenges of COVID-19. Eventually, Salgado acquired a position atĀ a facility on the south side of Illinois at an oncology/medical-surgical unit that would end up turningĀ into a COVID floor. Throughout the pandemic, Salgado would worry about not only her own safety but her mother's as well. However, as an undocumented immigrant, not working was not a possibility for Salgado and her family.