Meet a member of our community in our series Faces of Kearny: Hispanic Heritage Month.
By Marisol Joven
For Vanesa Bianchi, home has always been about more than an address. It is family, familiar
streets, neighbors who know one another, and the feeling that you are part of something bigger
than yourself.
Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Vanesa’s journey to the United States began with family. After
her paternal grandparents passed away, her family migrated to the United States to be closer to
her mother’s parents. She lived in Newark and Harrison before purchasing her first home, a
condo on Forest Street in Kearny in 2010.
More than 15 years later, Kearny is not simply where Vanesa lives, it is home. “Kearny is a
wonderful town,” she says. “Despite its size, I have always known my neighbors and feel a deep
connection to the people, the small business owners, and the town as a whole.”
Some of her fondest memories capture that spirit perfectly: snow days on her block, when
neighbors came outside, helped one another, and simply enjoyed being together.
That sense of community also became part of Vanesa’s professional life. She is a real estate agent with Bixler Group, LLC, a family-owned business located at 758 Kearny Ave. that has served the community since 1891. She is especially proud to be part of a team that has helped hundreds of families buy or rent properties in town.
“Kearny is my favorite town to sell,” she says. She knows its streets without using a GPS and
enjoys introducing families to the different parts of the community, from Schuyler Avenue to
Passaic Avenue, and Kearny Avenue. There is something especially meaningful about helping
another family find a home in the town that became home for her.
Her heritage is an important part of how she approaches that work. “Being Hispanic, family is
what is most important to me,” Vanesa says. “It has a direct impact on how I work and live, as
my priority is family, as it is helping families in their new journey.” There is also an immediate
sense of connection when she meets another Latino and they discover they share a language.
“There is no bigger smile when a fellow Latino realizes you also speak their language.”
Vanesa has watched Kearny evolve alongside her. A town historically shaped by Irish and
Scottish immigrants has welcomed new generations and cultures, with the Hispanic community
becoming an important part of its identity. She sees that influence in everyday life, from
Peruvian ceviche and Mexican food along the Avenue to Argentine empanadas at Stella’s. She
hopes future generations continue celebrating that heritage through food, traditions, and
community events.
But her hope for Kearny goes beyond preserving traditions. She wants the town to continue
growing while maintaining the neighborly spirit she fell in love with.She hopes to see more
Latinos participating in leadership roles throughout the community.
“Kearny is known as Soccer Town,” Vanesa says, “but it is also home to many different
backgrounds and cultures, and it’s a tight-knit community.”
Perhaps that is what makes Vanesa’s story so fitting for Hispanic Heritage Month. Her journey
began with an immigrant family seeking closeness to loved ones. Years later, she is helping
other families begin their own journeys and discover a place to call home.
For Vanesa, that place is Kearny, a town where her Hispanic roots remain part of who she is,
where neighbors became community, and where, more than 15 years after purchasing that first
home on Forest Street, she still feels fortunate to say: This is home.
Marisol Joven is a longtime Kearny resident, freelance writer, community advocate, and one half of the Mari Twins, with family roots in Spain and Ecuador.