WEBVTT 00:00:01.186 --> 00:00:03.436 A:middle Welcome to the Valley College Connection 00:00:03.596 --> 00:00:05.556 A:middle for John Kawhi and Scott wagon, 00:00:05.786 --> 00:00:08.606 A:middle two Valley professors engaged in a conversation 00:00:08.676 --> 00:00:11.506 A:middle about success with educators and students each week, 00:00:11.746 --> 00:00:13.446 A:middle they'll sit down with a different guest to find 00:00:13.446 --> 00:00:15.336 A:middle out ways each of us have had to plan, 00:00:15.616 --> 00:00:18.176 A:middle persevere, and overcome to where we are now. 00:00:18.446 --> 00:00:21.006 A:middle The show will also highlight resources and services 00:00:21.076 --> 00:00:23.486 A:middle that are working to make a difference at Valley College. 00:00:23.896 --> 00:00:24.236 A:middle All right. 00:00:24.236 --> 00:00:25.066 A:middle Well, thank you so much. 00:00:25.206 --> 00:00:26.866 A:middle We're joined today by Professor Jose. 00:00:27.076 --> 00:00:29.906 A:middle I got that from the Chicano Studies Department 00:00:29.906 --> 00:00:31.206 A:middle at Los Angeles Valley College. 00:00:31.276 --> 00:00:32.336 A:middle Thank you so much for joining us. 00:00:32.466 --> 00:00:33.636 A:middle I'll say, well, first of all, 00:00:33.706 --> 00:00:35.126 A:middle I'm glad to be at Valley College. 00:00:35.246 --> 00:00:37.536 A:middle I remember Oh, many moons ago I wanted 00:00:37.606 --> 00:00:38.926 A:middle to come to school that are exiting 00:00:38.926 --> 00:00:40.006 A:middle at 10 squared Valley College, 00:00:40.126 --> 00:00:41.426 A:middle but life ended up changing. 00:00:41.516 --> 00:00:42.876 A:middle So I went to another community college, 00:00:42.976 --> 00:00:44.736 A:middle but just kind of backtracking 00:00:44.816 --> 00:00:48.646 A:middle my own educational experience is pretty unique I feel 00:00:48.646 --> 00:00:50.376 A:middle because in my household, 00:00:50.446 --> 00:00:51.806 A:middle like many brown households, 00:00:52.106 --> 00:00:55.036 A:middle they focus on work and sometimes a school gets pushed 00:00:55.036 --> 00:00:55.736 A:middle in the backburner. 00:00:55.846 --> 00:00:57.956 A:middle Not that it's intentional, but it happens, you know, 00:00:58.516 --> 00:01:01.056 A:middle especially coming from a family that's low-income, 00:01:01.146 --> 00:01:02.876 A:middle I would say we were below poverty line. 00:01:02.946 --> 00:01:03.656 A:middle There was four of us. 00:01:03.656 --> 00:01:04.506 A:middle I lived in a studio, 00:01:04.956 --> 00:01:06.206 A:middle so it was pretty difficult. 00:01:06.276 --> 00:01:07.456 A:middle My mom was a seamstress, 00:01:08.346 --> 00:01:10.076 A:middle not only in Mexico but in the United States. 00:01:10.146 --> 00:01:11.686 A:middle So she worked like pretty late hours. 00:01:12.076 --> 00:01:13.546 A:middle She was sell them at home. 00:01:13.646 --> 00:01:16.856 A:middle So that kinda impacted my early educational experiences. 00:01:17.356 --> 00:01:19.356 A:middle But an Elementary I was very fortunate to. 00:01:20.006 --> 00:01:21.356 A:middle My fourth grade teacher, 00:01:21.356 --> 00:01:23.276 A:middle Mrs. cache misses Castro was her name, 00:01:23.366 --> 00:01:24.796 A:middle which is interesting, she was from Cuba. 00:01:24.906 --> 00:01:27.066 A:middle She said she had Moana Fidel Castro. 00:01:27.456 --> 00:01:28.416 A:middle But one thing I bought her 00:01:28.416 --> 00:01:31.336 A:middle that I appreciated my early years in education. 00:01:31.446 --> 00:01:33.206 A:middle My early educational experience was 00:01:33.886 --> 00:01:36.226 A:middle Hurd believing in me because I'm any of the brown kids 00:01:36.226 --> 00:01:37.036 A:middle that were going to school, 00:01:37.106 --> 00:01:38.406 A:middle many of us, you know, 00:01:38.476 --> 00:01:39.796 A:middle we didn't see the benefit of going 00:01:39.796 --> 00:01:41.016 A:middle to school, even an elementary. 00:01:41.396 --> 00:01:45.206 A:middle Nobody told us that brown people could be successful in school, 00:01:45.276 --> 00:01:46.666 A:middle maybe become a lawyer or a doctor. 00:01:46.746 --> 00:01:48.476 A:middle He'd been a police officer per se. 00:01:48.676 --> 00:01:50.016 A:middle Now she was very inspirational. 00:01:50.146 --> 00:01:52.406 A:middle She would, she would share stories how it was 00:01:52.516 --> 00:01:54.806 A:middle difficult in our country in which you came to United States, 00:01:55.076 --> 00:01:56.756 A:middle her and her family were able to adapt 00:01:56.756 --> 00:01:58.356 A:middle to the new environment, learned English. 00:01:58.696 --> 00:02:01.116 A:middle And I'll basically assimilated into American society. 00:02:01.416 --> 00:02:03.296 A:middle And I've always remembered or her stories 00:02:03.296 --> 00:02:04.606 A:middle because as a young child, 00:02:04.676 --> 00:02:05.836 A:middle I was also an immigrant. 00:02:05.946 --> 00:02:08.506 A:middle I came to the US at the age of three or four. 00:02:08.916 --> 00:02:10.416 A:middle And as a young kid, 00:02:10.546 --> 00:02:12.486 A:middle I had to adapt quickly to the new language 00:02:12.486 --> 00:02:13.476 A:middle in the new environment, 00:02:13.566 --> 00:02:15.386 A:middle and I was fortunate enough 00:02:15.386 --> 00:02:17.936 A:middle to learn English pretty Quaid fasting. 00:02:18.066 --> 00:02:19.536 A:middle Part of the reason was the bad words. 00:02:19.646 --> 00:02:21.676 A:middle Unfortunately, I was here a lot of kids, 00:02:22.076 --> 00:02:23.096 A:middle the kids in the neighborhood would say 00:02:23.096 --> 00:02:24.576 A:middle about a word, so on and so forth. 00:02:24.676 --> 00:02:25.726 A:middle And I would ask, what does that mean? 00:02:25.726 --> 00:02:26.336 A:middle What does that mean? 00:02:26.446 --> 00:02:29.016 A:middle So I saved by the second third grade, 00:02:29.146 --> 00:02:30.346 A:middle I was pretty good at English. 00:02:30.916 --> 00:02:34.106 A:middle But then before I had met Mrs. Castro, 00:02:34.186 --> 00:02:35.976 A:middle I was pretty upset at the educational system 00:02:36.056 --> 00:02:39.806 A:middle because the automatically threw me in ESL classes and I was very 00:02:39.886 --> 00:02:41.896 A:middle upset because I've noticed that I was being placed 00:02:41.896 --> 00:02:42.996 A:middle at the back of the classroom 00:02:43.076 --> 00:02:45.066 A:middle while other kids that were also brown 00:02:45.066 --> 00:02:46.276 A:middle where the front of the classrooms. 00:02:46.716 --> 00:02:48.306 A:middle And I would ask why am I in the back? 00:02:48.376 --> 00:02:50.836 A:middle And he said all because your ESL student and I'm like, 00:02:50.906 --> 00:02:52.116 A:middle Well, I speak perfect English, 00:02:52.346 --> 00:02:53.506 A:middle which I will not perfect, 00:02:53.576 --> 00:02:55.836 A:middle but it was a pretty adaptable with my English 00:02:56.006 --> 00:02:57.906 A:middle that I was always the example liquid 00:02:57.906 --> 00:02:59.406 A:middle and it will come enjoyed by the way, 00:02:59.476 --> 00:03:00.506 A:middle even though my name was Jose. 00:03:00.886 --> 00:03:02.706 A:middle So that was another issue going home and telling 00:03:02.776 --> 00:03:05.106 A:middle my mom that my new name was joy, she was an issue, 00:03:05.176 --> 00:03:09.746 A:middle was not so fond of it, but they would always there would always 00:03:09.786 --> 00:03:10.506 A:middle use music. 00:03:10.576 --> 00:03:14.956 A:middle Go ahead. Now, I remember what are the coaching lessons we had. 00:03:15.216 --> 00:03:16.976 A:middle We went through this very my kids what that's 00:03:17.046 --> 00:03:21.076 A:middle very intense preschool where the the teacher just said, 00:03:21.146 --> 00:03:22.936 A:middle you know what, your kids are ready for school like this 00:03:23.006 --> 00:03:24.906 A:middle was a very intense preschool and kindergarten. 00:03:25.186 --> 00:03:29.136 A:middle So do not admit to you the schools 00:03:29.206 --> 00:03:31.836 A:middle that you were not born in the US 00:03:31.836 --> 00:03:33.626 A:middle because it's just an automatic placement thing. 00:03:34.686 --> 00:03:37.976 A:middle At once. Once the liver you ESL is 00:03:38.046 --> 00:03:40.206 A:middle hard to get you off that track regardless 00:03:40.206 --> 00:03:41.206 A:middle of what your test scores aren't. 00:03:41.586 --> 00:03:45.156 A:middle Well, I found out that the issue was placed in ESL was 00:03:45.156 --> 00:03:46.936 A:middle because of my last my last name, 00:03:47.006 --> 00:03:49.226 A:middle and that was a standard protocol for many of the brown kids. 00:03:49.586 --> 00:03:52.036 A:middle And then later on when I went to my educational experience, 00:03:52.106 --> 00:03:54.026 A:middle I notice if that was a standard protocol. 00:03:54.506 --> 00:03:56.046 A:middle My brother was born in the US, 00:03:56.146 --> 00:03:58.576 A:middle so was my sister and they still force them to take ESL because 00:03:58.676 --> 00:04:00.806 A:middle their last name and then I inquired a bit more 00:04:00.806 --> 00:04:02.226 A:middle and I found out that if ever, 00:04:02.916 --> 00:04:06.506 A:middle you fill out the the schools a form for the native language. 00:04:06.676 --> 00:04:07.916 A:middle If you state that you're bilingual, 00:04:08.006 --> 00:04:09.436 A:middle The automatically police you India. 00:04:09.506 --> 00:04:11.576 A:middle So unfortunately, so I always tell many of 00:04:11.676 --> 00:04:13.496 A:middle my students that when you go through with his experience 00:04:13.496 --> 00:04:14.546 A:middle and you have a brown last name, 00:04:14.986 --> 00:04:16.726 A:middle we see that you only speak English in order 00:04:16.726 --> 00:04:17.576 A:middle for your kids not to be 00:04:17.646 --> 00:04:20.036 A:middle typecast as immigrants per say. 00:04:20.666 --> 00:04:21.606 A:middle Wow, Jose. 00:04:22.206 --> 00:04:24.386 A:middle So when you're going to school and when you started 00:04:24.386 --> 00:04:25.626 A:middle with how much you want area where 00:04:25.706 --> 00:04:29.176 A:middle you And were you in that valley or Los Angeles or not? 00:04:29.246 --> 00:04:30.686 A:middle I was I was an early I was 00:04:30.686 --> 00:04:33.086 A:middle in Huntington Park to be more exact. 00:04:33.476 --> 00:04:35.306 A:middle It was a good education. 00:04:35.376 --> 00:04:36.266 A:middle There was okay. 00:04:36.406 --> 00:04:37.546 A:middle I had some great teachers. 00:04:37.676 --> 00:04:39.576 A:middle I were very kind in Logan, 00:04:39.706 --> 00:04:42.156 A:middle I would say they would try to instill good things 00:04:42.156 --> 00:04:43.306 A:middle in many of our students, 00:04:43.376 --> 00:04:44.816 A:middle trying to motivate us to go to school. 00:04:44.946 --> 00:04:47.366 A:middle But again, it was pretty difficult 00:04:47.366 --> 00:04:48.486 A:middle to have a teacher tell you. 00:04:48.576 --> 00:04:50.876 A:middle I'm telling you the school as a way to goal when at home, 00:04:50.946 --> 00:04:52.486 A:middle the message was a little bit different kind 00:04:52.486 --> 00:04:54.596 A:middle of gearing you to become employed. 00:04:55.106 --> 00:04:57.096 A:middle To the extent that when I was in the fifth grade, 00:04:57.216 --> 00:05:01.306 A:middle I started working as a big chain supermarket. 00:05:01.376 --> 00:05:02.636 A:middle Now scholars who played your butt back 00:05:02.636 --> 00:05:03.896 A:middle into these small market, 00:05:04.066 --> 00:05:06.306 A:middle I would kinda clean the floors 00:05:06.306 --> 00:05:07.676 A:middle between the counters and stuff like that. 00:05:07.746 --> 00:05:08.926 A:middle So at an early age, 00:05:09.076 --> 00:05:12.336 A:middle I understood that my faith and my household of work meant 00:05:12.406 --> 00:05:14.016 A:middle more than actually going old school, 00:05:14.016 --> 00:05:16.276 A:middle unfortunately, really oldest. 00:05:16.346 --> 00:05:17.966 A:middle As far as as children. 00:05:18.346 --> 00:05:19.466 A:middle I'm the eldest. 00:05:19.606 --> 00:05:21.826 A:middle I'm the only one that my mom and my dad had. 00:05:22.186 --> 00:05:23.296 A:middle Anna for my dad side. 00:05:23.406 --> 00:05:26.306 A:middle I have five brothers from my mom side, I have. 00:05:26.376 --> 00:05:27.976 A:middle Two sisters and a brother. 00:05:28.396 --> 00:05:29.176 A:middle But I'm the only one. 00:05:29.176 --> 00:05:30.406 A:middle I'm the oldest of the whole bunch. 00:05:30.516 --> 00:05:31.256 A:middle You had a question, John. 00:05:32.846 --> 00:05:34.836 A:middle What age were you make? 00:05:34.936 --> 00:05:36.226 A:middle Nine years old around there, 00:05:36.346 --> 00:05:37.806 A:middle 98 years old to a little kid. 00:05:37.906 --> 00:05:41.766 A:middle I mean, I would I would shelf although a potato chips 00:05:41.766 --> 00:05:42.946 A:middle as I recall the known, 00:05:43.226 --> 00:05:44.936 A:middle it would make me run errands for them 00:05:44.936 --> 00:05:46.776 A:middle like the store owner would tell me to 00:05:46.866 --> 00:05:49.506 A:middle actually save me to his house to both take groceries 00:05:49.506 --> 00:05:50.746 A:middle to his wife and stuff like that. 00:05:50.976 --> 00:05:52.836 A:middle They were paying 50 cents or above. 00:05:52.986 --> 00:05:54.946 A:middle Proceed. But then after a period of time 00:05:54.946 --> 00:05:56.676 A:middle that would pay me like maybe a week, 00:05:56.746 --> 00:05:58.706 A:middle I was fortunate enough to make 20 bucks. 00:05:58.846 --> 00:06:00.116 A:middle And they would also make me go up 00:06:00.116 --> 00:06:03.236 A:middle and down Huntington Huntington Pacific Boulevard, 00:06:03.676 --> 00:06:05.886 A:middle passing out flyers for the market as I recall. 00:06:05.886 --> 00:06:06.846 A:middle But then I got pretty savvy. 00:06:06.976 --> 00:06:08.306 A:middle I was I felt exploited. 00:06:08.746 --> 00:06:11.526 A:middle Then they would give me a big old bunch of fliers to hand 00:06:11.526 --> 00:06:12.776 A:middle out to people that I ended up, 00:06:12.846 --> 00:06:14.676 A:middle you know, unfortunately throwing some 00:06:14.676 --> 00:06:15.926 A:middle of the trash can omit cosine. 00:06:16.006 --> 00:06:17.236 A:middle But I was working a little bit hard, 00:06:17.356 --> 00:06:20.386 A:middle but early on I start I began to understand it isn't. 00:06:20.736 --> 00:06:22.276 A:middle But early on I began to understand 00:06:22.416 --> 00:06:24.706 A:middle the significance of my child exploitation, unfortunately, 00:06:24.776 --> 00:06:25.836 A:middle and I was not too fun with it, 00:06:26.266 --> 00:06:30.836 A:middle whether doing that per se or even moving forward. 00:06:30.976 --> 00:06:33.316 A:middle I never I never forget when they would pick us up in 00:06:33.476 --> 00:06:35.816 A:middle a van and go to different community school. 00:06:35.906 --> 00:06:38.216 A:middle So chocolates and for every box that we will sell, 00:06:38.566 --> 00:06:39.876 A:middle each box was like five bucks. 00:06:39.946 --> 00:06:41.876 A:middle You would be fortunate enough to get a dollar off that. 00:06:41.946 --> 00:06:44.296 A:middle So by the end of the day, you might work 56 hours. 00:06:44.376 --> 00:06:46.326 A:middle You will be fortunate to make you make 10 bucks. 00:06:46.496 --> 00:06:49.836 A:middle So I understood that there were those particular exploitations 00:06:49.836 --> 00:06:50.576 A:middle as a child, 00:06:50.646 --> 00:06:52.856 A:middle I really didn't I didn't see the benefit 00:06:52.856 --> 00:06:54.286 A:middle of basically going to work. 00:06:54.646 --> 00:06:57.646 A:middle I understood or started to seek a different path and basically 00:06:57.746 --> 00:07:00.976 A:middle a working these are little minimal jobs as a child, 00:07:01.046 --> 00:07:02.206 A:middle but yet again, they paid me minimal, 00:07:02.276 --> 00:07:03.866 A:middle but I understand I understood that 00:07:04.236 --> 00:07:06.606 A:middle there was much exploitation that was going on at the time. 00:07:07.156 --> 00:07:10.726 A:middle But as a young kid, working various odd jobs are being paid 00:07:10.726 --> 00:07:10.906 A:middle like 00:07:10.986 --> 00:07:14.846 A:middle $0.50 or plug now and then and then a weekly making 10 bucks. 00:07:15.076 --> 00:07:20.306 A:middle I realized that people were out to me or my labor, I should say, 00:07:20.376 --> 00:07:22.366 A:middle not only in regards to working at a supermarket 00:07:22.726 --> 00:07:23.806 A:middle where they're stocking or Shogun, 00:07:23.896 --> 00:07:25.346 A:middle some of the stuff we're passing out flyers. 00:07:25.836 --> 00:07:28.256 A:middle Then later on working for these little agencies 00:07:28.256 --> 00:07:29.606 A:middle that will post ads on the, 00:07:29.786 --> 00:07:32.986 A:middle on the street signs stating that if you want 00:07:32.986 --> 00:07:33.706 A:middle to work for the summer, 00:07:33.776 --> 00:07:35.916 A:middle come work for us, you can make pretty good money. 00:07:36.106 --> 00:07:37.636 A:middle And when I was selling candy, 00:07:37.706 --> 00:07:38.976 A:middle candy boxes were like 00:07:39.046 --> 00:07:40.296 A:middle at least five bucks and you would get a dollar 00:07:40.296 --> 00:07:41.226 A:middle for each box, if you will. 00:07:41.336 --> 00:07:43.556 A:middle So and maybe working four to five hours 00:07:43.556 --> 00:07:44.896 A:middle that particular in by the way, 00:07:44.976 --> 00:07:46.936 A:middle there were even shifts because I'm like around 00:07:47.306 --> 00:07:50.206 A:middle four o'clock or five o'clock and we were worked to nine o'clock, 00:07:50.276 --> 00:07:52.936 A:middle 10 o'clock some time, so I would get home. 00:07:53.006 --> 00:07:54.806 A:middle And that was that was under age by the way, 00:07:54.906 --> 00:07:56.026 A:middle I was not even 12 years old. 00:07:56.026 --> 00:07:56.976 A:middle I was still a young kids. 00:07:57.046 --> 00:07:59.116 A:middle What they didn't mind picking me up in using me 00:07:59.116 --> 00:08:00.706 A:middle as a ploy to get people to, 00:08:00.776 --> 00:08:03.376 A:middle uh, basically, uh, so chocolates. 00:08:03.546 --> 00:08:07.186 A:middle But I realized that that was not the path that I want it to go. 00:08:08.126 --> 00:08:09.596 A:middle But in school, why you're good at this? 00:08:09.676 --> 00:08:11.446 A:middle I can't imagine you being able to spend too much time 00:08:11.446 --> 00:08:12.756 A:middle on homework or anything like that? 00:08:12.946 --> 00:08:17.406 A:middle Well, again, unfortunately, my mom again was a quirk in 00:08:17.546 --> 00:08:19.676 A:middle the seamstress monkey-like industry as equality to 00:08:19.746 --> 00:08:22.076 A:middle make ALL and actually would work different hours. 00:08:22.186 --> 00:08:24.236 A:middle Sometimes she would have to work double shifts. 00:08:24.326 --> 00:08:26.076 A:middle You were during the day and at night. 00:08:26.146 --> 00:08:28.806 A:middle So she was obviously a most of the time, not all. 00:08:28.946 --> 00:08:31.156 A:middle So I became apparent that the household, 00:08:31.326 --> 00:08:33.186 A:middle I would say at the age of nine, 00:08:33.586 --> 00:08:35.456 A:middle where I had to take care of my brothers and sister. 00:08:35.566 --> 00:08:37.066 A:middle My brother and sister at the time 00:08:37.146 --> 00:08:38.406 A:middle the universe sister was born yet, 00:08:38.746 --> 00:08:39.686 A:middle but I don't take care of them. 00:08:39.806 --> 00:08:41.306 A:middle I had a lot of like their behinds. 00:08:41.376 --> 00:08:42.846 A:middle I had to make sure that the eight modest stuff. 00:08:42.976 --> 00:08:46.076 A:middle So at a young age I realized and understood to be responsible. 00:08:46.146 --> 00:08:48.906 A:middle Unfortunately, It's not that it was my mom just walked per se, 00:08:48.976 --> 00:08:50.456 A:middle but it was just the economic situation 00:08:50.456 --> 00:08:51.906 A:middle that we were living in, 00:08:51.976 --> 00:08:54.756 A:middle that she was making all these sacrifices to go to work 00:08:54.756 --> 00:08:55.676 A:middle in order for us to have 00:08:55.746 --> 00:08:58.836 A:middle at least the roof wonder or heads and HootSuite for that 00:08:58.836 --> 00:09:00.476 A:middle for that particular time. 00:09:00.626 --> 00:09:02.406 A:middle But after a while, you know, 00:09:02.476 --> 00:09:06.446 A:middle I I would say that like maybe a brown home sometimes we go 00:09:06.446 --> 00:09:07.506 A:middle through so many difficulties. 00:09:07.876 --> 00:09:09.166 A:middle I had to deal with domestic violence. 00:09:09.166 --> 00:09:10.406 A:middle I don't want for my step. 00:09:10.476 --> 00:09:11.576 A:middle That's all I say. 00:09:11.676 --> 00:09:14.276 A:middle By the age of ten, I decided to liberate myself. 00:09:14.346 --> 00:09:15.476 A:middle I was used to being independent. 00:09:15.846 --> 00:09:17.196 A:middle So I began to live on the streets. 00:09:17.586 --> 00:09:18.896 A:middle And while they've been in the streets, 00:09:19.096 --> 00:09:22.476 A:middle I park specifically, I've never forget. 00:09:22.546 --> 00:09:25.386 A:middle I would I will pump gas, I would wash windows. 00:09:25.476 --> 00:09:26.926 A:middle I would get a quarter $0.50 or so 00:09:26.926 --> 00:09:28.166 A:middle when I will spend most of my time 00:09:28.336 --> 00:09:30.416 A:middle kind of deviating from the reality 00:09:30.416 --> 00:09:31.406 A:middle that I had nowhere to go. 00:09:31.656 --> 00:09:32.836 A:middle And I will play video games. 00:09:32.906 --> 00:09:36.396 A:middle And video games became my my outlet as I would say, 00:09:36.506 --> 00:09:39.046 A:middle where I was able to escape from the reality that I live in 00:09:39.396 --> 00:09:42.746 A:middle and basically tried to forget about going home. 00:09:42.846 --> 00:09:45.306 A:middle So again, my mom not being at home, 00:09:45.406 --> 00:09:47.856 A:middle having to work multiple jobs and then having my stepdad at home. 00:09:47.976 --> 00:09:48.566 A:middle And he didn't see me 00:09:48.566 --> 00:09:49.906 A:middle as a certain kind of meet the situation 00:09:50.006 --> 00:09:52.076 A:middle pretty difficult that like I said, 00:09:52.156 --> 00:09:54.456 A:middle at the age of ten, I decided to liberate myself and runaway. 00:09:55.076 --> 00:09:56.396 A:middle And the first nato living 00:09:56.746 --> 00:09:58.686 A:middle on the streets was pretty unique for me, 00:09:58.806 --> 00:10:01.276 A:middle I would say because one of my friends, 00:10:01.346 --> 00:10:03.446 A:middle Peter was chasing me, telling me that your step 00:10:03.446 --> 00:10:04.286 A:middle that I want you to go home. 00:10:04.406 --> 00:10:04.996 A:middle I was okay. 00:10:05.146 --> 00:10:08.506 A:middle I'm not going all my new what awaited me if I went home, 00:10:08.646 --> 00:10:10.896 A:middle so I decided to run away. 00:10:11.246 --> 00:10:13.136 A:middle I forget. Now. 00:10:13.496 --> 00:10:15.376 A:middle It's suffice quietly burgers and unknown park. 00:10:15.456 --> 00:10:16.976 A:middle It's actually on fluorines Boulevard. 00:10:17.086 --> 00:10:18.136 A:middle I forgot the other cross street. 00:10:18.576 --> 00:10:20.866 A:middle But a sub there should be a liquor store there. 00:10:21.076 --> 00:10:23.576 A:middle And at the end of the liquor store, like an alleyway, 00:10:23.646 --> 00:10:26.086 A:middle there was a 40 homeless men and one homeless women. 00:10:26.406 --> 00:10:28.706 A:middle They saw me crying as a young kid and he asked me what's 00:10:28.776 --> 00:10:30.966 A:middle wrong and I just decided to open up. 00:10:31.296 --> 00:10:33.246 A:middle I told them what difficulties I had a window 00:10:33.246 --> 00:10:35.306 A:middle at home and the lady was very 00:10:35.406 --> 00:10:38.246 A:middle compassionate and they forget the mustard 00:10:38.246 --> 00:10:39.746 A:middle or they were drunk as all get out. 00:10:40.126 --> 00:10:42.176 A:middle They were really tipsy like we see in the neighborhood, 00:10:42.316 --> 00:10:43.406 A:middle but they mustered up, 00:10:43.476 --> 00:10:45.046 A:middle their spirit changed and they've decided to bite me 00:10:45.046 --> 00:10:47.166 A:middle under forget some M and M's, 00:10:47.376 --> 00:10:48.776 A:middle the peanut, M&Ms, by the way, 00:10:48.846 --> 00:10:50.556 A:middle they wanted cheap generic chocolate ones. 00:10:50.906 --> 00:10:53.806 A:middle They bought me a coca-cola and by doing that, 00:10:53.876 --> 00:10:54.646 A:middle we started to talk to me 00:10:54.646 --> 00:10:55.976 A:middle and I'll never forget what the lady said. 00:10:56.056 --> 00:10:58.006 A:middle Animals, men that were there, they said, 00:10:58.076 --> 00:11:01.076 A:middle I shared my story with them and they were very supportive. 00:11:01.176 --> 00:11:02.366 A:middle They said look in Spanish, 00:11:02.446 --> 00:11:03.296 A:middle look mean what we've been through a lot 00:11:03.296 --> 00:11:04.256 A:middle of stuff ourselves to. 00:11:04.666 --> 00:11:06.556 A:middle And we know that you're going to 1D I'm 00:11:06.646 --> 00:11:08.836 A:middle onto something and you would have potential in your life. 00:11:09.026 --> 00:11:10.376 A:middle And but don't worry, it would have to go 00:11:10.376 --> 00:11:11.096 A:middle through we had to deal with 00:11:11.246 --> 00:11:12.236 A:middle so similar stuff like that 00:11:12.236 --> 00:11:13.786 A:middle and we don't want you to end up like this. 00:11:14.176 --> 00:11:16.576 A:middle So by then sharing that story with me, 00:11:16.646 --> 00:11:18.286 A:middle it was very, very inspirational 00:11:18.286 --> 00:11:20.406 A:middle to see people that I didn't know. 00:11:20.886 --> 00:11:22.776 A:middle They had more business in my life, decided to, 00:11:23.166 --> 00:11:24.906 A:middle or at least inspired me to not 00:11:24.976 --> 00:11:27.436 A:middle look into the difficulties that I hadn't been to at the moment. 00:11:27.506 --> 00:11:29.806 A:middle We're transitioning to looking into the future with 00:11:29.876 --> 00:11:32.396 A:middle the hopes that things would be ultimately, ultimately better. 00:11:33.036 --> 00:11:35.306 A:middle But living on the streets was pretty unique. 00:11:35.616 --> 00:11:37.186 A:middle I IV it to this particular day, 00:11:37.306 --> 00:11:38.786 A:middle you could catch me with some shorts 00:11:38.786 --> 00:11:41.046 A:middle and then you could tell me a is cold outside. 00:11:41.146 --> 00:11:42.146 A:middle I would say not really. 00:11:42.536 --> 00:11:44.946 A:middle I adapted to the environment pretty easily. 00:11:45.046 --> 00:11:47.546 A:middle I would say I was sleeping dog houses 00:11:47.546 --> 00:11:49.256 A:middle in bulk task under car sometimes, 00:11:49.346 --> 00:11:50.626 A:middle but I stopped sleeping under course quickly 00:11:50.746 --> 00:11:53.486 A:middle because sometimes people didn't know what he wanted a car. 00:11:53.616 --> 00:11:54.606 A:middle And when you hear the car start, 00:11:54.706 --> 00:11:56.296 A:middle you better get your butt out of the way. 00:11:56.776 --> 00:12:00.226 A:middle So it was, I love the way that I grew 00:12:00.226 --> 00:12:02.796 A:middle up because it helped me to not only survive, 00:12:03.146 --> 00:12:06.446 A:middle but ultimately, you will figure out ways to connect with 00:12:06.546 --> 00:12:08.416 A:middle people and to look for people that really 00:12:08.546 --> 00:12:10.746 A:middle want the best for you regardless whether they know you or not. 00:12:10.996 --> 00:12:13.076 A:middle And that was very, very beneficial. 00:12:13.676 --> 00:12:15.206 A:middle But this was my routine. 00:12:15.446 --> 00:12:21.676 A:middle So I will sleeper industries and then I already knew I had my my, 00:12:21.926 --> 00:12:23.436 A:middle uh, cheaper my cheek on it or watch it. 00:12:23.506 --> 00:12:24.166 A:middle I would carry with me 00:12:24.696 --> 00:12:27.006 A:middle and I would already know exactly what time it was, 00:12:27.116 --> 00:12:28.316 A:middle of course, who I was always getting up. 00:12:28.406 --> 00:12:29.596 A:middle I 535 look like. 00:12:29.876 --> 00:12:31.916 A:middle So I would walk to school and I went I will 00:12:32.046 --> 00:12:34.266 A:middle get 2 squared would be breakfast in the cafeteria. 00:12:34.376 --> 00:12:36.926 A:middle I didn't have my lunch tickets would be so the lady our time 00:12:36.926 --> 00:12:37.836 A:middle that I left them at home, 00:12:37.906 --> 00:12:39.656 A:middle if she was very nice enough or sometimes 00:12:39.806 --> 00:12:41.886 A:middle even other classmates would give me the breakfast 00:12:41.886 --> 00:12:43.286 A:middle or their tickets and I would eat there. 00:12:44.056 --> 00:12:45.116 A:middle One school was over. 00:12:45.396 --> 00:12:46.516 A:middle I would go back to the streets. 00:12:46.616 --> 00:12:47.996 A:middle I wouldn't even stopped by the house. 00:12:48.396 --> 00:12:51.136 A:middle Or again, my mom wouldn't know whether it was air in and out, 00:12:51.206 --> 00:12:53.576 A:middle by the way, is the time to she would work. 00:12:53.876 --> 00:12:55.506 A:middle So to be honest, 00:12:55.576 --> 00:12:58.056 A:middle most of the time I would like I said, I will pump gas, 00:12:58.146 --> 00:12:58.956 A:middle I would wash windows 00:12:59.776 --> 00:13:01.496 A:middle and whatever money I would get from that, 00:13:01.576 --> 00:13:04.206 A:middle I would buy me some champs or if possible, 00:13:04.276 --> 00:13:05.736 A:middle I would try to give me a burger from squatted and 00:13:05.806 --> 00:13:07.736 A:middle burgers for some french fries and stuff like that. 00:13:07.806 --> 00:13:09.086 A:middle It's always illness. 00:13:09.176 --> 00:13:11.576 A:middle It will sustain myself by basically washing 00:13:11.656 --> 00:13:14.166 A:middle windows and pumping gas and neighborhood gas stations. 00:13:15.166 --> 00:13:15.906 A:middle I never forget it. 00:13:15.906 --> 00:13:16.376 A:middle One man, 00:13:16.796 --> 00:13:18.746 A:middle I tell them apart, you can probably guess. 00:13:19.136 --> 00:13:20.076 A:middle And he goes, No. 00:13:20.736 --> 00:13:21.436 A:middle And I go, Okay. 00:13:21.506 --> 00:13:21.756 A:middle Thank you. 00:13:21.876 --> 00:13:23.406 A:middle And that was never bored or anything like that. 00:13:23.476 --> 00:13:24.606 A:middle And he goes Come with me. 00:13:24.976 --> 00:13:27.206 A:middle So there was a neighborhood that love struck by their knuckles. 00:13:27.276 --> 00:13:27.936 A:middle You hungry and I'm good. 00:13:28.006 --> 00:13:28.506 A:middle Yeah, I'm hungry. 00:13:29.056 --> 00:13:30.236 A:middle Do whatever you want. 00:13:30.326 --> 00:13:31.566 A:middle I looked at I'm like, Are you sure? 00:13:31.956 --> 00:13:34.236 A:middle I wasn't maybe 12 at the time and I never forget, 00:13:34.346 --> 00:13:35.636 A:middle I gotta be 10 toggles. 00:13:36.046 --> 00:13:39.926 A:middle And I am not only TED Talk was I got two sodas and a burrito. 00:13:40.256 --> 00:13:42.216 A:middle And I met somebody, eat all that stuff 00:13:42.216 --> 00:13:43.606 A:middle in one load and he was pretty 00:13:43.886 --> 00:13:46.216 A:middle amazed that I ended up eating all that food 00:13:46.216 --> 00:13:48.336 A:middle without even hesitation. 00:13:48.446 --> 00:13:51.976 A:middle I was probably a like a little or they don't even machine. 00:13:52.246 --> 00:13:53.726 A:middle I would say I eat a lot. 00:13:54.026 --> 00:13:55.096 A:middle But it was a good experience. 00:13:55.206 --> 00:13:56.856 A:middle So even though I know it sounds difficult 00:13:56.856 --> 00:13:58.176 A:middle as a young child living on the streets. 00:13:58.246 --> 00:14:00.256 A:middle But at the other day, I was fortunate enough 00:14:00.256 --> 00:14:01.976 A:middle that I didn't get into any trouble. 00:14:02.046 --> 00:14:04.536 A:middle Percy and I was able to survive quite. 00:14:04.626 --> 00:14:06.006 A:middle My teachers never knew what was going on. 00:14:06.076 --> 00:14:07.776 A:middle They knew that I wanted this inflows 00:14:07.776 --> 00:14:10.536 A:middle and in life went on like that. 00:14:10.626 --> 00:14:11.276 A:middle We'll see. 00:14:11.566 --> 00:14:13.376 A:middle How long did this go on for? 00:14:13.456 --> 00:14:16.196 A:middle It went on from the first time I took off, 00:14:16.196 --> 00:14:17.206 A:middle I wasn't a second grade. 00:14:17.316 --> 00:14:18.416 A:middle I was like maybe eight years old. 00:14:18.716 --> 00:14:20.636 A:middle So we know from the third grade all the way to 00:14:20.726 --> 00:14:23.506 A:middle the sixth grade for the time that I did the park. 00:14:23.586 --> 00:14:24.606 A:middle But then when we move to the 00:14:25.206 --> 00:14:27.036 A:middle to the Northeast district of our LEA, 00:14:27.106 --> 00:14:28.736 A:middle monitor your height specifically. 00:14:28.806 --> 00:14:30.336 A:middle It's still went on from junior high school. 00:14:30.446 --> 00:14:33.906 A:middle And so you're always based around where your parents work 00:14:33.976 --> 00:14:37.126 A:middle because you need their address for school? 00:14:37.126 --> 00:14:38.136 A:middle In a sense. 00:14:38.526 --> 00:14:39.036 A:middle Yeah. 00:14:39.106 --> 00:14:39.906 A:middle In a sense. 00:14:40.016 --> 00:14:41.976 A:middle It was like day but I didn't go anywhere else to go. 00:14:42.046 --> 00:14:44.986 A:middle So it was basically my benefit will be situated 00:14:44.986 --> 00:14:46.786 A:middle around the area that I knew best. 00:14:47.466 --> 00:14:49.736 A:middle And what happened to junior high school? 00:14:49.816 --> 00:14:52.936 A:middle That's when I realized that it was not for me. 00:14:53.466 --> 00:14:57.236 A:middle It was I went to Jamie junior high in South Central. 00:14:57.316 --> 00:14:58.166 A:middle I was one of those kids. 00:14:58.166 --> 00:14:59.556 A:middle I was burst in the magnet program. 00:15:00.106 --> 00:15:01.716 A:middle It's only it was the best thing for me here was 00:15:01.896 --> 00:15:03.456 A:middle actually to create diversity in that community, 00:15:03.576 --> 00:15:07.946 A:middle which I didn't know at the time, but it was very difficult. 00:15:08.946 --> 00:15:11.116 A:middle The reason being that was rapid violence. 00:15:11.206 --> 00:15:14.146 A:middle It was just that we would be planar maybe during our 00:15:14.146 --> 00:15:15.336 A:middle nutrition or lunch or 00:15:15.406 --> 00:15:17.406 A:middle during peak hours and there would be cars that were 00:15:17.486 --> 00:15:19.586 A:middle bought through and basically do what Ray buys, it would say. 00:15:19.706 --> 00:15:23.336 A:middle So we add a standard protocol at the school, 00:15:23.456 --> 00:15:25.816 A:middle or whenever you hear the deans or people that work on campus 00:15:25.816 --> 00:15:26.976 A:middle to drop you had a drop in, 00:15:27.436 --> 00:15:28.706 A:middle put your stomach underground 00:15:28.706 --> 00:15:29.916 A:middle and then don't get off because they tell 00:15:30.006 --> 00:15:32.436 A:middle you to get up because violence was pretty rampant. 00:15:32.506 --> 00:15:34.686 A:middle And not only that, there was racial tensions going on, 00:15:34.806 --> 00:15:37.236 A:middle I went to sputtering the other rights or out of 00:15:37.346 --> 00:15:38.876 A:middle the African American students were trying 00:15:38.876 --> 00:15:41.416 A:middle to beat up on the brown kids. 00:15:41.526 --> 00:15:43.136 A:middle And I was one of those kids that was being bullied, 00:15:43.266 --> 00:15:44.636 A:middle but I fought back, 00:15:44.706 --> 00:15:46.076 A:middle Not that it was a racial thing, 00:15:46.146 --> 00:15:47.246 A:middle but they hit me. 00:15:47.476 --> 00:15:48.896 A:middle I'll let your hidden once or even twice. 00:15:49.556 --> 00:15:51.936 A:middle Then basically it became a reason for me to defend myself. 00:15:52.006 --> 00:15:53.976 A:middle And after that didn't ever really mess with me, 00:15:54.046 --> 00:15:57.176 A:middle but I had to endure not only the shooting that would wander, 00:15:57.246 --> 00:15:58.446 A:middle but also some of the racial tensions 00:15:58.446 --> 00:16:01.846 A:middle that that the kids would exhibit, unfortunately. 00:16:02.206 --> 00:16:04.166 A:middle So another hit, and here's the other factor that 00:16:04.856 --> 00:16:07.956 A:middle makes a suitable thing for me was teachers didn't care. 00:16:08.406 --> 00:16:12.336 A:middle Many of the teachers were just reading the newspaper there. 00:16:12.506 --> 00:16:14.076 A:middle We'll just draw a video up there 00:16:14.076 --> 00:16:15.396 A:middle and they wouldn't even sure nothing. 00:16:15.876 --> 00:16:18.826 A:middle Regarding to turn spray inspire you 00:16:18.826 --> 00:16:20.276 A:middle to become successful in life. 00:16:20.376 --> 00:16:21.336 A:middle Actually let me backtrack. 00:16:21.406 --> 00:16:23.296 A:middle There was one teacher, Mrs. McCarthy, 00:16:23.376 --> 00:16:25.076 A:middle African-American teacher that taught literature. 00:16:25.436 --> 00:16:27.876 A:middle She was a big lesson in my life because I never forget. 00:16:28.006 --> 00:16:29.156 A:middle She said, look, you see all this. 00:16:29.486 --> 00:16:31.346 A:middle And we were like, What are you talking about? 00:16:31.726 --> 00:16:32.526 A:middle What are you talking about? 00:16:32.526 --> 00:16:33.036 A:middle She said, look, 00:16:33.106 --> 00:16:35.876 A:middle all these things that you see here are called certificates 00:16:35.876 --> 00:16:36.996 A:middle or they're called diplomas. 00:16:37.396 --> 00:16:38.986 A:middle And we were asking them, what do you need? 00:16:38.986 --> 00:16:39.946 A:middle What are diploma? 00:16:40.086 --> 00:16:41.996 A:middle She says every time you graduate 00:16:41.996 --> 00:16:43.906 A:middle from somewhere, you get a diploma. 00:16:44.236 --> 00:16:48.736 A:middle And she was she had three masters and PhDs degrees. 00:16:48.866 --> 00:16:50.836 A:middle And she was a very automate to share 00:16:50.906 --> 00:16:53.636 A:middle her experience growing up in the fifties and sixties, 00:16:53.706 --> 00:16:55.736 A:middle how deployed US was very difficult for her, 00:16:55.806 --> 00:16:57.846 A:middle but she was able to find a way to become successful. 00:16:58.226 --> 00:16:59.876 A:middle She would always share with us, we were, 00:16:59.946 --> 00:17:02.826 A:middle we were very fortunate to have a person occur in the classroom 00:17:02.826 --> 00:17:03.796 A:middle in a sense that is true. 00:17:03.906 --> 00:17:04.756 A:middle She was the only one 00:17:05.266 --> 00:17:08.426 A:middle that actually played a role in my life later on 00:17:08.506 --> 00:17:10.336 A:middle and realizing that she was able 00:17:10.406 --> 00:17:11.746 A:middle to accomplish so many things 00:17:11.746 --> 00:17:13.186 A:middle and maybe I could do it myself as well. 00:17:13.586 --> 00:17:15.636 A:middle It in high school, it was a simple thing, 00:17:15.706 --> 00:17:20.336 A:middle a gang violence whenever it was difficult walking to and 00:17:20.406 --> 00:17:22.436 A:middle from school because you had to you had to go through 00:17:22.506 --> 00:17:24.476 A:middle different neighborhoods that they will wait for you, 00:17:24.476 --> 00:17:25.246 A:middle that will try to jump. 00:17:25.436 --> 00:17:26.796 A:middle You saw was pretty good at running fast. 00:17:27.276 --> 00:17:28.806 A:middle And, you know, we live in high alert. 00:17:28.876 --> 00:17:30.476 A:middle I call post-traumatic stress disorder. 00:17:30.546 --> 00:17:31.986 A:middle Whenever you walk through a different neighborhood 00:17:32.256 --> 00:17:32.636 A:middle where you see 00:17:32.706 --> 00:17:33.516 A:middle a bunch of different guys 00:17:33.516 --> 00:17:35.186 A:middle and you didn't know you better start running. 00:17:35.656 --> 00:17:37.506 A:middle Whether you were affiliated or not. 00:17:37.576 --> 00:17:38.876 A:middle There was kind of the standard protocol, 00:17:38.986 --> 00:17:41.536 A:middle but I could see that my senior year I got pretty smart, 00:17:41.606 --> 00:17:44.216 A:middle I guess I don't give me a little pike and I started writing, 00:17:44.316 --> 00:17:45.556 A:middle riding a bike to and from school, 00:17:45.676 --> 00:17:47.096 A:middle even though I was waiting when I got there, 00:17:47.206 --> 00:17:50.006 A:middle but I could care less as long as I knew I made it to school. 00:17:50.636 --> 00:17:53.736 A:middle But pious but wasn't any different, I would say, 00:17:53.806 --> 00:17:57.946 A:middle other than just hanging out people not really carrying 00:17:57.946 --> 00:17:59.736 A:middle about schools or school was not 00:17:59.806 --> 00:18:01.356 A:middle really something that was being promoted 00:18:01.356 --> 00:18:02.296 A:middle at Franklin High School in my 00:18:02.406 --> 00:18:05.246 A:middle particular in my particular environment 00:18:05.246 --> 00:18:06.446 A:middle of students that we were. 00:18:07.446 --> 00:18:09.376 A:middle But that doesn't mean that others weren't push 00:18:09.376 --> 00:18:11.966 A:middle for higher education in high school. 00:18:12.046 --> 00:18:13.516 A:middle It was I just let them go ride. 00:18:13.666 --> 00:18:15.836 A:middle So we were fortunate to have with their wives or we live 00:18:15.906 --> 00:18:18.676 A:middle that's they were they didn't know whether I was there or not. 00:18:18.746 --> 00:18:20.056 A:middle I was basically like a mouse, you know, 00:18:20.176 --> 00:18:21.546 A:middle you would just know that I was there bucket 00:18:21.896 --> 00:18:23.136 A:middle by proof of red drop-ins, 00:18:23.206 --> 00:18:24.266 A:middle I guess to some extent, 00:18:24.486 --> 00:18:28.936 A:middle but it was I was I guess, always independent. 00:18:29.006 --> 00:18:29.306 A:middle That's that. 00:18:29.406 --> 00:18:31.036 A:middle But I couldn't really be independent. 00:18:31.106 --> 00:18:33.386 A:middle I would say especially during those many years 00:18:33.386 --> 00:18:34.176 A:middle because I always had 00:18:34.246 --> 00:18:36.386 A:middle to pull back and check on my brothers and sisters 00:18:36.386 --> 00:18:37.306 A:middle and my brother, sister, 00:18:37.446 --> 00:18:38.836 A:middle I should say at the time and make sure that 00:18:38.946 --> 00:18:40.636 A:middle everything was all right with them even when they would, 00:18:40.706 --> 00:18:43.166 A:middle uh, it will see me at school and they would tell my mom 00:18:43.166 --> 00:18:43.916 A:middle that I would go to school. 00:18:44.046 --> 00:18:45.476 A:middle So I guess at the end of the day, 00:18:45.546 --> 00:18:46.776 A:middle that's all that mattered that in. 00:18:47.096 --> 00:18:49.106 A:middle And it says that my mom knew I was I was still bullets, 00:18:49.106 --> 00:18:50.176 A:middle but one way or another. 00:18:50.846 --> 00:18:51.906 A:middle I'll just tell you the truth. 00:18:51.976 --> 00:18:53.046 A:middle Like many of the kids who grew 00:18:53.046 --> 00:18:54.206 A:middle up in my particular neighborhood, 00:18:54.276 --> 00:18:57.146 A:middle for example, if you hit 18, That's you. 00:18:57.366 --> 00:18:58.606 A:middle Do you live a good life? 00:18:58.936 --> 00:19:01.206 A:middle So after 18, nothing was expected. 00:19:01.276 --> 00:19:04.706 A:middle And then when 888 hours a day, I'm not dead yet. 00:19:04.996 --> 00:19:07.906 A:middle I mean, I've been shot I had before just 00:19:07.906 --> 00:19:08.936 A:middle by walking down the street. 00:19:09.006 --> 00:19:10.676 A:middle Just people wanted to have fun, stuff like that. 00:19:10.746 --> 00:19:12.786 A:middle They wanted to, I guess, earned your stripes. 00:19:13.126 --> 00:19:14.916 A:middle So I learned early on that whenever you walked up 00:19:14.916 --> 00:19:16.836 A:middle and down Figaro Boulevard or whether it 00:19:16.906 --> 00:19:18.686 A:middle be going through I'm honestly to hide Cypress Park 00:19:18.686 --> 00:19:20.536 A:middle or even a Highland Park, y'all. 00:19:20.606 --> 00:19:22.836 A:middle I always carried a Bible with me and I open 00:19:22.956 --> 00:19:24.556 A:middle up the little Bible when the gang members would seem 00:19:24.556 --> 00:19:25.306 A:middle to me that we're kinda, 00:19:25.376 --> 00:19:26.696 A:middle let me be that wouldn't mess with me. 00:19:26.776 --> 00:19:29.306 A:middle They were to assume that I was a religious person. 00:19:29.426 --> 00:19:31.706 A:middle But I guess I was to that it's there praying to God 00:19:31.706 --> 00:19:33.236 A:middle and that they came about it. 00:19:33.306 --> 00:19:34.666 A:middle How did you do at school? 00:19:34.966 --> 00:19:37.056 A:middle First, I was I was very upset. 00:19:37.326 --> 00:19:38.946 A:middle I did most of my work. 00:19:39.046 --> 00:19:41.126 A:middle When I graduated. 00:19:41.126 --> 00:19:42.546 A:middle Everyone, they told me, 00:19:43.346 --> 00:19:44.946 A:middle Oh sorry, we can't give you a diploma 00:19:44.946 --> 00:19:46.076 A:middle because you're pretty short. 00:19:46.326 --> 00:19:48.186 A:middle 0, 0, 0, and the world, it might sink pretty short. 00:19:48.506 --> 00:19:50.976 A:middle So I had to go back to school for that particular summer. 00:19:51.106 --> 00:19:52.576 A:middle And then once I finish the summer, they told me, 00:19:52.646 --> 00:19:53.656 A:middle Oh, we're sorry, good. 00:19:53.656 --> 00:19:54.476 A:middle 30 Euro. 00:19:54.566 --> 00:19:55.866 A:middle Now you're 20 minutes over. 00:19:56.176 --> 00:19:58.036 A:middle And I was like, What do you mean of 20 units over? 00:19:58.106 --> 00:20:00.626 A:middle They just basically send me back to send me back 00:20:00.626 --> 00:20:01.526 A:middle to school for no reason. 00:20:01.646 --> 00:20:03.506 A:middle And that created a lot of animosity in my heart 00:20:03.646 --> 00:20:07.076 A:middle because I try to do whatever I did I had to do, 00:20:07.146 --> 00:20:08.796 A:middle I should say in order to give my high school degree 00:20:09.056 --> 00:20:10.336 A:middle and they have rob me to NA 00:20:10.406 --> 00:20:12.236 A:middle embarrass me by forcing you to go back to school for 00:20:12.306 --> 00:20:14.476 A:middle Hegel semester, that I wasn't having. 00:20:14.556 --> 00:20:15.196 A:middle None of that. 00:20:15.346 --> 00:20:17.896 A:middle Nothing in particular, nothing to do with school in particular. 00:20:18.416 --> 00:20:19.706 A:middle But at the age of 18, 00:20:19.776 --> 00:20:21.056 A:middle once what was all said and done, 00:20:21.736 --> 00:20:23.406 A:middle I went with one of my friends. 00:20:23.486 --> 00:20:25.376 A:middle His name is Carlos, I should say what they know and then 00:20:25.446 --> 00:20:27.266 A:middle he wanted to go to community college. 00:20:27.716 --> 00:20:29.896 A:middle I decided to go with them just to go see him 00:20:30.006 --> 00:20:33.826 A:middle enroll and I feel comfortable that he was able to do, 00:20:33.966 --> 00:20:35.286 A:middle but he was a troublemaker, you know, 00:20:35.476 --> 00:20:37.806 A:middle sometimes we were doing hanging out, 00:20:37.876 --> 00:20:38.786 A:middle messing around or whatever. 00:20:38.906 --> 00:20:40.666 A:middle So I knew that I knew his background. 00:20:40.756 --> 00:20:43.196 A:middle So I did see him as a person that was always into education 00:20:43.196 --> 00:20:44.106 A:middle and I saw that he was going 00:20:44.386 --> 00:20:46.786 A:middle to or basically enrolling into a school 00:20:46.786 --> 00:20:48.066 A:middle and President of Community College. 00:20:48.246 --> 00:20:49.206 A:middle So that is kind of, 00:20:49.276 --> 00:20:50.476 A:middle in a sense, you know, 00:20:50.636 --> 00:20:52.206 A:middle planted a seed that maybe I should go 00:20:52.206 --> 00:20:53.476 A:middle to school later on, but I did. 00:20:53.926 --> 00:20:56.656 A:middle I worked for two years, construction, plumbing. 00:20:56.776 --> 00:20:58.456 A:middle I would get paid pretty well by the way, 00:20:58.906 --> 00:21:01.246 A:middle the hours are very difficult to get along. 00:21:01.346 --> 00:21:02.236 A:middle And I realized again, 00:21:02.346 --> 00:21:03.916 A:middle I started to see the exploitation factor, 00:21:04.146 --> 00:21:05.216 A:middle begets it felt it, 00:21:05.406 --> 00:21:09.506 A:middle I feel that I should say that I decided to quit 00:21:09.576 --> 00:21:11.426 A:middle my work and do something else 00:21:11.426 --> 00:21:13.746 A:middle and that something else was going to school. 00:21:14.076 --> 00:21:16.706 A:middle So I went back to school closer to 20. 00:21:17.266 --> 00:21:20.336 A:middle So I spent basically like a year and a half in just working, 00:21:20.406 --> 00:21:22.506 A:middle began plumbing, deconstruction, making good money. 00:21:22.576 --> 00:21:24.276 A:middle I quit that, went back to school. 00:21:24.346 --> 00:21:25.696 A:middle My first year in school, 00:21:25.776 --> 00:21:27.986 A:middle it was summer session. 00:21:28.246 --> 00:21:30.266 A:middle I took a whopping one unit PE. 00:21:30.666 --> 00:21:32.806 A:middle I failed. I got an F on that. 00:21:33.006 --> 00:21:35.086 A:middle I don't know how that happened, but I got an FAPE 00:21:35.246 --> 00:21:37.406 A:middle I guess it was not about personal work out. 00:21:37.496 --> 00:21:39.196 A:middle You have to follow whatever guidelines you had 00:21:39.196 --> 00:21:40.526 A:middle for you or reps. 00:21:40.896 --> 00:21:43.026 A:middle But I had a little bit of difficulty, 00:21:43.146 --> 00:21:46.156 A:middle but I still was trying to figure out a way to pursue school. 00:21:46.616 --> 00:21:48.336 A:middle So I kept on fighting, 00:21:48.406 --> 00:21:51.276 A:middle kept on fighting after being an academic probation twice 00:21:51.276 --> 00:21:52.636 A:middle with a whopping GPA 00:21:52.706 --> 00:21:57.056 A:middle above 0.9 was about to get kicked out. 00:21:57.146 --> 00:21:59.116 A:middle They told me for the last time and one 00:21:59.116 --> 00:22:00.576 A:middle of the counselors told me you 00:22:00.656 --> 00:22:03.176 A:middle need to take this introduction to college class, 00:22:03.176 --> 00:22:04.106 A:middle something of that sort. 00:22:04.176 --> 00:22:05.926 A:middle And I said, Okay, maybe it'll take a slice, 00:22:06.006 --> 00:22:07.236 A:middle you can take more classes here. 00:22:07.306 --> 00:22:10.506 A:middle And I was upset because I began to go to school because I 00:22:10.576 --> 00:22:12.556 A:middle would take classes that I I found interesting whether 00:22:12.556 --> 00:22:13.806 A:middle be philosophy, 00:22:13.896 --> 00:22:15.896 A:middle whether BP classes, would it be art classes. 00:22:16.146 --> 00:22:17.786 A:middle I just began to take all kinds of stuff 00:22:17.786 --> 00:22:19.506 A:middle that wasn't even centered towards GE. 00:22:19.746 --> 00:22:21.606 A:middle I didn't know none of that stuff, but I knew that taking 00:22:21.716 --> 00:22:24.246 A:middle these classes were a benefit for me as a person. 00:22:24.726 --> 00:22:26.606 A:middle The psychology again, which other environments? 00:22:26.686 --> 00:22:29.446 A:middle So I took all these different courses and whether 00:22:29.446 --> 00:22:31.766 A:middle and when the counselor told me that my 00:22:31.886 --> 00:22:34.806 A:middle 0.9 basically equate it 00:22:34.876 --> 00:22:37.326 A:middle to mean that to even further my education unless I do something 00:22:37.326 --> 00:22:37.796 A:middle about it, 00:22:38.096 --> 00:22:39.686 A:middle I decided to start making excuses. 00:22:39.776 --> 00:22:42.986 A:middle I realize I had normally I realize I have no financial aid. 00:22:43.246 --> 00:22:47.266 A:middle I realize I had no warm support to go to school. 00:22:47.346 --> 00:22:48.406 A:middle I realize I had more books. 00:22:48.506 --> 00:22:50.206 A:middle I realize I have omitted a transportations. 00:22:50.276 --> 00:22:51.496 A:middle Why again, I start making excuses. 00:22:51.946 --> 00:22:54.446 A:middle I began to write the bike to school 00:22:54.446 --> 00:22:55.676 A:middle when the buses went on strike. 00:22:55.746 --> 00:22:58.806 A:middle Then again, it was taking the bike. 00:22:58.906 --> 00:23:00.776 A:middle I had to get up early in the morning in order to 00:23:00.846 --> 00:23:02.646 A:middle write and get to squash the way the stinky, smelly. 00:23:03.116 --> 00:23:04.776 A:middle I would if I was fortunate enough and I 00:23:04.846 --> 00:23:06.616 A:middle was blessed that I was working at a private school, 00:23:06.976 --> 00:23:09.436 A:middle teaching PE for the young kids at the age of 20, 00:23:09.566 --> 00:23:12.606 A:middle coaching them with a basketball or baseball or football. 00:23:12.846 --> 00:23:15.016 A:middle And they would pay me ten bucks a day just to a 00:23:15.506 --> 00:23:17.666 A:middle happy with the cancer little sandbox are very vital 00:23:17.666 --> 00:23:18.606 A:middle to my livelihood. 00:23:18.946 --> 00:23:21.006 A:middle I would use those 10 bucks to a feed myself. 00:23:21.076 --> 00:23:23.806 A:middle And my standard protocol was does I would go 00:23:23.806 --> 00:23:25.006 A:middle to school five days out of the week. 00:23:25.456 --> 00:23:27.546 A:middle We'll spend $2.50 in order by me. 00:23:27.796 --> 00:23:29.736 A:middle So be Nui and Carl's Junior was the best thing 00:23:29.736 --> 00:23:30.596 A:middle that ever happened to me. 00:23:30.946 --> 00:23:33.126 A:middle I would give myself too spicy chicken sandwich, 00:23:33.206 --> 00:23:33.676 A:middle is it there? 00:23:34.126 --> 00:23:35.226 A:middle And I would make them less. 00:23:35.346 --> 00:23:36.696 A:middle Now that was my usual meal 00:23:36.696 --> 00:23:39.366 A:middle and I would have my bottle water that I would ghetto. 00:23:39.676 --> 00:23:40.786 A:middle I was figuring out ways 00:23:40.786 --> 00:23:43.306 A:middle to sustain myself in going to school. 00:23:43.376 --> 00:23:45.416 A:middle But then once the school the things that I begin 00:23:45.416 --> 00:23:49.476 A:middle to utilize was proper usage of my time, 00:23:49.546 --> 00:23:51.306 A:middle whether it be a designated time, 00:23:51.376 --> 00:23:52.536 A:middle designating time to, uh, 00:23:53.346 --> 00:23:55.866 A:middle to do my homework, or whether it be asking 00:23:55.946 --> 00:23:58.616 A:middle my other fellow classmates to let me borrow their book or a, 00:23:58.876 --> 00:23:59.946 A:middle again, there was no cell phones 00:23:59.946 --> 00:24:01.416 A:middle where you could take a screenshot of it and 00:24:01.506 --> 00:24:04.196 A:middle save it for later technology wasn't so bad back down. 00:24:04.276 --> 00:24:06.136 A:middle So I would have asked me if I scan the books, 00:24:06.206 --> 00:24:08.166 A:middle I began to ask instructors books are 00:24:08.326 --> 00:24:10.436 A:middle you going to use before the semester started in order to 00:24:10.506 --> 00:24:12.326 A:middle check them out from the library where I would go to 00:24:12.556 --> 00:24:15.156 A:middle other laboratories to try to check out the course takes. 00:24:15.306 --> 00:24:17.426 A:middle And I'd be getting utilized food resources 00:24:17.426 --> 00:24:19.146 A:middle like the tutoring service, for example, 00:24:19.376 --> 00:24:21.186 A:middle the customer service as another example, 00:24:21.446 --> 00:24:22.976 A:middle I just got to plug myself into and out 00:24:22.976 --> 00:24:24.276 A:middle of the resources in the school. 00:24:24.706 --> 00:24:25.986 A:middle And these resources were vital 00:24:25.986 --> 00:24:27.746 A:middle because they helped sustain me in school. 00:24:28.336 --> 00:24:29.826 A:middle And like accompany students. 00:24:29.946 --> 00:24:31.906 A:middle My educational experience and passing 00:24:32.046 --> 00:24:34.466 A:middle the Pasadena Community College is not one 00:24:34.466 --> 00:24:36.006 A:middle that was easier, pleasant. 00:24:36.116 --> 00:24:38.126 A:middle I graduated with a 2.2 GPA. 00:24:38.386 --> 00:24:40.146 A:middle It took me four years to graduate from there. 00:24:40.396 --> 00:24:42.906 A:middle And I graduated with a whopping 120 units, 00:24:43.416 --> 00:24:44.706 A:middle which is done with the course work. 00:24:44.776 --> 00:24:47.006 A:middle But again, part of that reason was because I was 00:24:47.106 --> 00:24:48.446 A:middle taking classes that I found interesting 00:24:48.446 --> 00:24:49.446 A:middle at that particular time. 00:24:50.156 --> 00:24:53.326 A:middle But once I graduated from Pasadena, well, 00:24:53.506 --> 00:24:55.996 A:middle the blessing of Pasadena Community College was my Chicano 00:24:55.996 --> 00:24:56.736 A:middle Studies restricted, 00:24:56.826 --> 00:24:58.786 A:middle by the way, Dr. Odell school. 00:24:58.876 --> 00:25:01.496 A:middle I was taking this class and I was quite hard to figure 00:25:01.496 --> 00:25:03.106 A:middle out exactly how to write an essay, 00:25:03.416 --> 00:25:05.626 A:middle do different stuff, and I got a citation. 00:25:06.076 --> 00:25:08.966 A:middle Patois, how to read a book properly, 00:25:09.076 --> 00:25:10.976 A:middle how to look for particular anxious to a question. 00:25:11.426 --> 00:25:13.916 A:middle One day he returned my midterm to me and he pulled me 00:25:13.916 --> 00:25:15.006 A:middle to the side and he told me, 00:25:15.076 --> 00:25:16.946 A:middle Jose, this is not college level material. 00:25:17.526 --> 00:25:19.016 A:middle And that was heartbreaking to hear it from 00:25:19.146 --> 00:25:21.246 A:middle a brown person who look like me, who I really looked up to. 00:25:21.606 --> 00:25:23.256 A:middle But I didn't, even though it was heartbreaking. 00:25:23.896 --> 00:25:25.436 A:middle And I think the semester I thought I was going 00:25:25.436 --> 00:25:26.306 A:middle to get an F or a D. 00:25:26.436 --> 00:25:28.256 A:middle I gotta see that C was the biggest thing 00:25:28.256 --> 00:25:29.416 A:middle that ever happened to me. 00:25:29.896 --> 00:25:31.056 A:middle That helped me understand 00:25:31.056 --> 00:25:32.876 A:middle that even though I had these difficulties that I still 00:25:33.006 --> 00:25:36.076 A:middle need will never be conquered and see what kind of deal with that. 00:25:36.156 --> 00:25:38.486 A:middle My lack of educational experiences 00:25:38.486 --> 00:25:39.336 A:middle in regards to buy it, 00:25:39.406 --> 00:25:41.526 A:middle even doing math and all that stuff. 00:25:42.046 --> 00:25:44.196 A:middle But giving me that's kind of inspired me to understand 00:25:44.196 --> 00:25:45.326 A:middle that he saw some potential in me. 00:25:45.866 --> 00:25:47.786 A:middle And when he gave me that I'd see that was the worst thing 00:25:47.876 --> 00:25:50.576 A:middle that they would ever had happened to somebody else, 00:25:50.646 --> 00:25:53.276 A:middle I would say because that's you could have somebody but that 00:25:53.346 --> 00:25:56.076 A:middle C was the most inspirational thing that occurred to me, 00:25:56.146 --> 00:26:00.006 A:middle that really a push me forward to see my education to the utmost. 00:26:00.336 --> 00:26:03.476 A:middle And he since I got my my AAA at passing 00:26:03.556 --> 00:26:05.036 A:middle the community college even to 00:26:05.106 --> 00:26:07.556 A:middle this particular day or 20 years later, he's still my mentor. 00:26:07.776 --> 00:26:10.806 A:middle I consider him like a father figure and he's been a I see, 00:26:10.886 --> 00:26:12.966 A:middle without him I would not be where I am today 00:26:13.426 --> 00:26:15.206 A:middle because it was very inspirational, 00:26:15.276 --> 00:26:16.226 A:middle motivational, but he became 00:26:16.226 --> 00:26:19.076 A:middle like a supplemental father figure mentor that I 00:26:19.146 --> 00:26:21.806 A:middle never had in the past that really inspired me 00:26:21.806 --> 00:26:23.866 A:middle to do better for myself. 00:26:23.946 --> 00:26:26.486 A:middle So from Pasadena Community College, 00:26:26.606 --> 00:26:27.606 A:middle I want to cast it away. 00:26:27.726 --> 00:26:28.636 A:middle I got my BA there. 00:26:28.706 --> 00:26:31.936 A:middle It took me 2.5 years to get my education there. 00:26:32.006 --> 00:26:33.546 A:middle I had and then I got married. 00:26:33.976 --> 00:26:35.936 A:middle I got married at the age of 24. 00:26:36.346 --> 00:26:38.706 A:middle When my wife saw responsibilities that change, 00:26:38.776 --> 00:26:44.366 A:middle then I had a unique schedule forward two years, 00:26:44.476 --> 00:26:48.096 A:middle I would say I would my schedule was I would go to 00:26:48.186 --> 00:26:52.176 A:middle school from ten o'clock to 11 o'clock or 130, I should say. 00:26:52.676 --> 00:26:56.686 A:middle They go coach at the private school from 130 to 3 o'clock. 00:26:57.006 --> 00:26:59.276 A:middle And then from four to six o'clock, 00:26:59.346 --> 00:27:02.066 A:middle I would work at a different days at the local recreation center. 00:27:02.376 --> 00:27:05.076 A:middle And then in the evenings I would have to work graveyard shift for 00:27:05.176 --> 00:27:07.746 A:middle FedEx from 11 o'clock, two o'clock in the morning. 00:27:08.136 --> 00:27:08.796 A:middle I would get home. 00:27:08.906 --> 00:27:10.256 A:middle I got four thirty four forty five. 00:27:10.576 --> 00:27:12.536 A:middle Photos leave for 3.5 hours if possible, 00:27:12.656 --> 00:27:14.776 A:middle and just hit that we've seen for two years. 00:27:15.156 --> 00:27:17.926 A:middle But I had to do it because I was a newly married, 00:27:18.046 --> 00:27:19.526 A:middle I had a family to take care of, 00:27:19.956 --> 00:27:21.886 A:middle but I still found the way to go to school. 00:27:22.336 --> 00:27:26.316 A:middle So it took me 2.5 years to get my BA in Chicano Studies. 00:27:26.676 --> 00:27:30.336 A:middle And I graduated with a 2.75, 00:27:30.406 --> 00:27:32.116 A:middle which was pretty impressive comparing the effect 00:27:32.116 --> 00:27:34.836 A:middle that I went from a 0.9 to 2.2. 00:27:34.906 --> 00:27:38.416 A:middle Now it was a 2.57 and there was an issue though. 00:27:38.676 --> 00:27:39.696 A:middle I wanted to go to mass 00:27:39.786 --> 00:27:42.206 A:middle or the master's program, but unfortunately, 00:27:42.276 --> 00:27:44.686 A:middle my GPA did not marry me go into the master's program 00:27:44.686 --> 00:27:46.056 A:middle because you needed to have a 3. 00:27:46.476 --> 00:27:49.006 A:middle So I talked to a couple of my instructors, 00:27:49.126 --> 00:27:52.376 A:middle sculptor by the book or can't do their long retired. 00:27:52.446 --> 00:27:53.576 A:middle But I told them, Look, 00:27:53.646 --> 00:27:55.326 A:middle you see my progress over a period of time. 00:27:55.696 --> 00:27:57.486 A:middle I really want to be part of the mesh program. 00:27:57.486 --> 00:27:58.456 A:middle I know I would excel. 00:27:58.856 --> 00:27:59.976 A:middle Can you please vouch, hurry. 00:28:00.046 --> 00:28:02.286 A:middle And they did They had me in the master's program. 00:28:02.406 --> 00:28:04.626 A:middle It took me 2.5 years to get my first master's 00:28:04.626 --> 00:28:05.446 A:middle in Chicano Studies. 00:28:05.846 --> 00:28:08.776 A:middle And my GPA was a 3, 86. 00:28:08.936 --> 00:28:10.986 A:middle I only got one b plus. 00:28:11.096 --> 00:28:14.186 A:middle And that was because that instructor told me 00:28:14.186 --> 00:28:15.166 A:middle that I had to learn a lesson. 00:28:15.616 --> 00:28:17.916 A:middle And the lesson is that you're not going to just graduate from 00:28:18.006 --> 00:28:21.206 A:middle our program getting all a plus or all A's, 00:28:21.276 --> 00:28:23.076 A:middle you're going to have to get a B in it because 00:28:23.196 --> 00:28:23.966 A:middle it doesn't make us look good. 00:28:23.966 --> 00:28:24.876 A:middle I was like, okay. 00:28:25.326 --> 00:28:27.176 A:middle So if you look at my transcripts only got 00:28:27.286 --> 00:28:29.496 A:middle one peak and that was because of that particular instructor. 00:28:29.716 --> 00:28:30.486 A:middle But that's okay. 00:28:30.856 --> 00:28:31.926 A:middle Graduated from there. 00:28:32.106 --> 00:28:33.476 A:middle I got my masters and then, ah, 00:28:33.846 --> 00:28:36.476 A:middle surely after I graduated, 00:28:36.556 --> 00:28:39.796 A:middle I was very fortunate enough that I was able to find employment 00:28:39.796 --> 00:28:41.406 A:middle and at other colleges, 00:28:41.476 --> 00:28:43.906 A:middle whether going back to my Alma Mater, 00:28:43.976 --> 00:28:46.056 A:middle Pasadena Community College, I also taught 00:28:46.506 --> 00:28:48.216 A:middle at El Camino Community College. 00:28:48.306 --> 00:28:49.616 A:middle I taught us that they don't get any college. 00:28:49.746 --> 00:28:51.076 A:middle I taught at Cal State, 00:28:51.176 --> 00:28:53.776 A:middle Dominguez Hills, and also obviously Yarra Valley 00:28:53.776 --> 00:28:54.906 A:middle and mission hills. 00:28:54.976 --> 00:28:57.106 A:middle I wanted to once just once I started coaching 00:28:57.106 --> 00:28:58.026 A:middle like I coach them, 00:28:58.516 --> 00:29:00.736 A:middle I ended up coaching at that practice for 14 years. 00:29:00.856 --> 00:29:02.936 A:middle I quote Lincoln Heights with a junior varsity team. 00:29:03.176 --> 00:29:06.136 A:middle I've even quotes I was getting paid by the LA Clippers. 00:29:06.206 --> 00:29:08.756 A:middle They have a specific team called the clipper Chairman, 00:29:08.846 --> 00:29:09.926 A:middle looking at this able-bodied people 00:29:09.926 --> 00:29:11.836 A:middle that will pay an a grade basketball on 00:29:11.906 --> 00:29:13.346 A:middle which was I think that for two years we'd also 00:29:13.476 --> 00:29:15.076 A:middle Championship twice, but at least we got there, 00:29:15.156 --> 00:29:17.196 A:middle but working with those particular people 00:29:17.306 --> 00:29:19.196 A:middle and are they in various dynamics, whether high-school, 00:29:19.276 --> 00:29:22.776 A:middle junior high school or disabled body people really inspired me 00:29:22.776 --> 00:29:24.106 A:middle to become a teacher. 00:29:24.616 --> 00:29:26.076 A:middle And I've always been a teacher at heart. 00:29:26.146 --> 00:29:28.826 A:middle I started coaching when I was 16 at the local recreation center. 00:29:28.946 --> 00:29:31.576 A:middle So I have always invested another kids and I think part of 00:29:31.666 --> 00:29:34.606 A:middle the reason was because nobody really invested in me early on. 00:29:34.676 --> 00:29:37.946 A:middle It's a little small instances that I decided Somalia. 00:29:38.326 --> 00:29:39.576 A:middle Why somebody to my community, 00:29:39.656 --> 00:29:41.836 A:middle many of the kids that were like the father figure. 00:29:42.096 --> 00:29:42.436 A:middle Not that. 00:29:42.506 --> 00:29:43.646 A:middle I want it to be that, but I wanted 00:29:43.646 --> 00:29:44.686 A:middle to be a role model for them. 00:29:45.126 --> 00:29:47.686 A:middle And I was very fortunate enough to be 00:29:47.806 --> 00:29:50.386 A:middle a role model to the extent that over 40 kids for my community, 00:29:50.706 --> 00:29:52.336 A:middle I'm glad to say I went to college. 00:29:52.436 --> 00:29:53.726 A:middle Some of them when I got there, a, 00:29:54.046 --> 00:29:56.776 A:middle some of them got their BAs, MAs. 00:29:56.846 --> 00:29:58.666 A:middle I'm still waiting for a PhD to come out of the batch, 00:29:59.036 --> 00:30:01.406 A:middle but I'm very fortunate to be a part of their life, 00:30:01.496 --> 00:30:03.476 A:middle but my goal was to become a high-school teacher. 00:30:03.546 --> 00:30:06.876 A:middle But once in, once I went to PCC Community College, 00:30:07.336 --> 00:30:09.436 A:middle Pasadena, popular also inspired me 00:30:09.436 --> 00:30:11.236 A:middle to become an instructor in Chicano Studies. 00:30:11.306 --> 00:30:13.136 A:middle He said I will do that according to him, 00:30:13.246 --> 00:30:14.956 A:middle I would do a better job the better just 00:30:14.956 --> 00:30:16.036 A:middle as serving my community in 00:30:16.416 --> 00:30:18.916 A:middle the educational realm and friend was fire more people 00:30:18.916 --> 00:30:20.326 A:middle to further their education. 00:30:20.826 --> 00:30:21.686 A:middle Let me ask you this. 00:30:21.856 --> 00:30:25.896 A:middle So what were some of the things that you're talking about? 00:30:26.196 --> 00:30:28.686 A:middle Your professor who, who mention to you is 00:30:28.686 --> 00:30:29.926 A:middle like a father figure to you. 00:30:30.206 --> 00:30:32.436 A:middle Like how did you develop that relationship? 00:30:32.806 --> 00:30:36.476 A:middle Some of the things that happened between the two you that sort 00:30:36.546 --> 00:30:38.096 A:middle of created such a deep bond? 00:30:39.346 --> 00:30:40.276 A:middle Pays it. 00:30:40.346 --> 00:30:42.336 A:middle He said he was he would always show me, oh, 00:30:42.436 --> 00:30:43.986 A:middle by the way, because I wasn't NoSQL 00:30:43.986 --> 00:30:45.436 A:middle and that was allowed month in the classroom. 00:30:45.756 --> 00:30:48.746 A:middle I would always raise my hand and ask a question. 00:30:49.076 --> 00:30:50.126 A:middle Ask the question about this. 00:30:50.126 --> 00:30:51.036 A:middle What do you mean the eyes, 00:30:51.106 --> 00:30:52.206 A:middle the exit, this and this and that. 00:30:52.276 --> 00:30:53.576 A:middle What do you mean the Omayyad, isn't it? 00:30:53.646 --> 00:30:55.226 A:middle What do you mean attorney much we don't want it 00:30:55.226 --> 00:30:55.796 A:middle to look without well, 00:30:55.876 --> 00:30:57.136 A:middle so I was very interested in my culture, 00:30:57.206 --> 00:31:00.956 A:middle my history, that he began to give me examples. 00:31:01.206 --> 00:31:02.696 A:middle Although many issues am I, 00:31:02.946 --> 00:31:04.736 A:middle my community had to endure in order to, 00:31:04.806 --> 00:31:06.386 A:middle uh, coexisting United States. 00:31:06.476 --> 00:31:09.736 A:middle So b would, after, one day after class, 00:31:09.906 --> 00:31:11.186 A:middle he tells me, you know, what, your 00:31:11.346 --> 00:31:12.166 A:middle goal and sometimes you got 00:31:12.166 --> 00:31:13.296 A:middle to wait till we get to that chapter. 00:31:13.406 --> 00:31:14.886 A:middle Don't you ask the questions that were not there yet. 00:31:15.246 --> 00:31:16.626 A:middle And I go, so you'd want me 00:31:16.626 --> 00:31:18.736 A:middle to ask questions no more equals now I want to ask questions, 00:31:18.836 --> 00:31:21.086 A:middle but wait till we get to that particular week 00:31:21.086 --> 00:31:23.106 A:middle with that particular reading N equals. 00:31:23.226 --> 00:31:24.536 A:middle But I like your SQL, 00:31:24.606 --> 00:31:26.756 A:middle like your landmark, you should go to school. 00:31:27.046 --> 00:31:29.406 A:middle I think it'll be good for you enter. 00:31:29.806 --> 00:31:31.826 A:middle He was very influential not only in regards 00:31:31.826 --> 00:31:34.546 A:middle to for telling me to go to school, 00:31:34.676 --> 00:31:37.636 A:middle but in many instances when I was a Economically, 00:31:38.076 --> 00:31:39.536 A:middle I know he wouldn't want me to see this, 00:31:39.676 --> 00:31:42.396 A:middle but economically already, he became my financial aid 00:31:42.696 --> 00:31:43.896 A:middle to further my education. 00:31:44.076 --> 00:31:46.116 A:middle I pay them back, but I don't think I paid 00:31:46.116 --> 00:31:46.936 A:middle on more than enough. 00:31:47.006 --> 00:31:48.566 A:middle And the way I see it, 00:31:49.196 --> 00:31:51.576 A:middle you know, I'm a religious person per se. 00:31:51.646 --> 00:31:53.926 A:middle And I feel that in my own context 00:31:53.926 --> 00:31:56.136 A:middle that it was God protected me ever since a little kid, 00:31:56.496 --> 00:31:59.996 A:middle that he ended up kinda realizing other nonces and I will deal 00:31:59.996 --> 00:32:01.276 A:middle with it and blessed me 00:32:01.356 --> 00:32:02.986 A:middle with this particular man who really became 00:32:03.346 --> 00:32:06.036 A:middle not only a father figure and inspiration of figure as well, 00:32:06.106 --> 00:32:08.516 A:middle but somebody that are really grounded me to, 00:32:08.906 --> 00:32:11.476 A:middle to become successful and to see higher education 00:32:11.476 --> 00:32:13.006 A:middle as a means to better myself, 00:32:13.106 --> 00:32:15.126 A:middle the people in my community, in my family as well. 00:32:15.386 --> 00:32:18.706 A:middle Wow, I mean, this is just such an amazing story. 00:32:19.176 --> 00:32:21.576 A:middle So well, when did you come to 00:32:21.676 --> 00:32:24.186 A:middle Valley College and sort of ways you've been your experience 00:32:24.186 --> 00:32:24.876 A:middle with our college. 00:32:25.406 --> 00:32:27.976 A:middle Well, when I was what? 00:32:28.046 --> 00:32:29.336 A:middle I was 18 at the time, 00:32:29.776 --> 00:32:30.936 A:middle I had just graduated. 00:32:31.006 --> 00:32:33.006 A:middle My friend cartilage again had registered passing the 00:32:33.006 --> 00:32:33.866 A:middle community college. 00:32:34.306 --> 00:32:37.136 A:middle One of my friends worked for the mayor. 00:32:37.206 --> 00:32:38.986 A:middle Now mayor's office says that Alpha knows. 00:32:39.396 --> 00:32:41.476 A:middle He tells me, I should have wrote a school. 00:32:41.816 --> 00:32:43.236 A:middle Obviously, I'm over here by the valley. 00:32:43.306 --> 00:32:46.276 A:middle Do you want to register to school at Valley College? 00:32:46.776 --> 00:32:48.486 A:middle And I said, All right, we took the boss. 00:32:48.576 --> 00:32:52.076 A:middle That was a long experience ever took too damn hours. 00:32:52.176 --> 00:32:52.696 A:middle I mean, sorry. 00:32:52.976 --> 00:32:55.436 A:middle It took two hours to get to school from 00:32:55.566 --> 00:32:58.706 A:middle ME patching all these bosses once we get there, guess what? 00:32:58.776 --> 00:32:59.866 A:middle The campus is closed. 00:33:00.476 --> 00:33:03.006 A:middle There was an opportunity for me to register the school 00:33:03.076 --> 00:33:06.206 A:middle also that became a closed door to Valley College. 00:33:06.296 --> 00:33:08.306 A:middle And I was fortunate enough to actually go to 00:33:08.396 --> 00:33:09.856 A:middle a peasant passing in a community college 00:33:09.856 --> 00:33:11.436 A:middle because it was a lot closer to my house. 00:33:11.706 --> 00:33:13.676 A:middle So instead of making it to our journey, 00:33:13.756 --> 00:33:15.196 A:middle it, and it'll be like an old journalist it. 00:33:15.626 --> 00:33:17.426 A:middle So it's interesting how early on in 00:33:17.506 --> 00:33:22.446 A:middle my educational journey I saw at Valley College as a means 00:33:22.446 --> 00:33:23.856 A:middle to further my education there. 00:33:24.106 --> 00:33:26.886 A:middle It didn't pan out, but it'll come full circle back 00:33:26.886 --> 00:33:27.376 A:middle to devalue. 00:33:27.506 --> 00:33:30.046 A:middle When did you start in your role as a professor? 00:33:30.206 --> 00:33:32.146 A:middle I became an adjunct in 2009 00:33:32.146 --> 00:33:34.016 A:middle and I became a full-time or two years ago. 00:33:34.276 --> 00:33:35.686 A:middle So I've been there for a good well, 00:33:35.826 --> 00:33:37.356 A:middle so how has your experience been different now 00:33:37.356 --> 00:33:38.856 A:middle that you're on the tenure track? 00:33:39.166 --> 00:33:41.076 A:middle How is your experience been different now that 00:33:41.306 --> 00:33:43.406 A:middle you have a lot more security with the school or 00:33:43.476 --> 00:33:47.806 A:middle the SAT is stating is that before I became tenure, 00:33:48.306 --> 00:33:51.226 A:middle many of the schools that I would actually work again, 00:33:51.466 --> 00:33:52.336 A:middle going back to my issue, 00:33:52.406 --> 00:33:56.696 A:middle a working I guess I would work at I was early in the morning. 00:33:56.776 --> 00:33:59.126 A:middle I would go to work at El Camino Community College. 00:33:59.246 --> 00:34:00.996 A:middle I would say I will leave my home at six o'clock. 00:34:01.336 --> 00:34:03.856 A:middle I would work here until 11 o'clock and then I 00:34:03.946 --> 00:34:06.326 A:middle would have to drive a Santiago Kenyon College in Orange County. 00:34:06.626 --> 00:34:10.996 A:middle And I would have to be there at 12301245. 00:34:11.116 --> 00:34:13.376 A:middle I'm sorry, 1245 to like almost smoke luck. 00:34:13.446 --> 00:34:15.686 A:middle And then sometimes depending the schedule would have 00:34:15.686 --> 00:34:16.816 A:middle to drive all the way to value. 00:34:16.946 --> 00:34:18.336 A:middle So that became a regular routine. 00:34:19.436 --> 00:34:22.426 A:middle But I would, I would, I'm fortunate enough. 00:34:22.706 --> 00:34:24.686 A:middle I mean, unfortunately, many of the campuses that I 00:34:24.796 --> 00:34:27.876 A:middle worked with were very sad to see me go. 00:34:28.266 --> 00:34:30.876 A:middle Part of the reason is because I would help them out and work in 00:34:30.946 --> 00:34:33.256 A:middle various departments where they'd be working 00:34:33.256 --> 00:34:34.686 A:middle with when working with major, 00:34:34.896 --> 00:34:37.586 A:middle I was always they're eager and willing to help out. 00:34:38.076 --> 00:34:41.016 A:middle Regardless if it meant teaching a class to ignite 00:34:41.016 --> 00:34:42.086 A:middle or whatever they needed from me, 00:34:42.246 --> 00:34:44.266 A:middle I was always, always there for them. 00:34:44.696 --> 00:34:46.186 A:middle And put yet again, 00:34:46.306 --> 00:34:48.346 A:middle I was kinda plenty seeds in different campuses. 00:34:48.766 --> 00:34:51.436 A:middle And I never had the full opportunity to entrench 00:34:51.536 --> 00:34:53.426 A:middle myself into give all my time and efforts 00:34:53.426 --> 00:34:54.466 A:middle of all particular cap is. 00:34:54.846 --> 00:34:57.186 A:middle And once that opportunity arise at Valley College, 00:34:57.326 --> 00:34:58.556 A:middle I took full advantage of it. 00:34:58.836 --> 00:35:00.896 A:middle I decided to join the Guided Pathways. 00:35:01.176 --> 00:35:03.246 A:middle I also participated in our catch Program. 00:35:04.046 --> 00:35:06.966 A:middle I'm signed up to 4 that mentorship. 00:35:07.076 --> 00:35:08.616 A:middle I'm also working on curriculum committee 00:35:09.046 --> 00:35:11.756 A:middle and I planned to be working with guardian scholars as well. 00:35:12.086 --> 00:35:15.736 A:middle So the benefit about me being a full-time or is that I'm 00:35:15.806 --> 00:35:19.506 A:middle able to dedicate all my time and energy to one particular campus. 00:35:19.666 --> 00:35:21.726 A:middle Instead of just pretty much see myself all 00:35:21.726 --> 00:35:22.856 A:middle around in different locations. 00:35:23.206 --> 00:35:25.326 A:middle So the detriment for the other campuses was 00:35:25.326 --> 00:35:26.376 A:middle that I was no longer there. 00:35:26.456 --> 00:35:27.486 A:middle But the benefit for Bobby, 00:35:27.746 --> 00:35:31.776 A:middle I feel is my my willingness to work not only for myself, 00:35:31.846 --> 00:35:34.416 A:middle but ultimately for the campus, for the students. 00:35:34.546 --> 00:35:37.576 A:middle Like I tell students day of class, I work for you. 00:35:37.646 --> 00:35:38.306 A:middle You don't work for me. 00:35:38.306 --> 00:35:40.176 A:middle When you understand these particular dynamics, 00:35:40.246 --> 00:35:41.886 A:middle you will know that I will try to do whatever I can 00:35:42.246 --> 00:35:43.596 A:middle to help you become successful. 00:35:43.846 --> 00:35:46.516 A:middle And I also share with them that I'm a multimillionaire. 00:35:46.886 --> 00:35:49.306 A:middle Hey, everyone, I will have their eyes open up an egg. 00:35:49.376 --> 00:35:49.816 A:middle Well, yeah. 00:35:50.106 --> 00:35:51.846 A:middle And by the end of my lifetime I'm going 00:35:51.846 --> 00:35:52.816 A:middle to become a billionaire. 00:35:53.316 --> 00:35:55.276 A:middle And they look at me like I'm crazy medical yes. 00:35:55.416 --> 00:35:56.606 A:middle Because every Which one of you, 00:35:56.686 --> 00:35:58.676 A:middle the graduates and become successful 00:35:58.676 --> 00:36:00.536 A:middle in whatever professional career you want to seek. 00:36:00.876 --> 00:36:03.006 A:middle Your income is my ink or not that I'm going to charge you. 00:36:03.276 --> 00:36:06.096 A:middle But ultimately I see your income as my income in regards to me 00:36:06.206 --> 00:36:09.106 A:middle helping you achieve your personal goals. 00:36:10.226 --> 00:36:13.406 A:middle I have a lot of students who want to do what 00:36:13.526 --> 00:36:16.406 A:middle your job is right now to represent their community. 00:36:16.856 --> 00:36:20.276 A:middle What do you think is sort of the keys to being able to, 00:36:20.676 --> 00:36:23.836 A:middle to become a full-time professor in your field because 00:36:23.906 --> 00:36:26.426 A:middle there's not a lot of jobs and there are a lot of people 00:36:26.426 --> 00:36:27.686 A:middle who really want this opportunity. 00:36:29.366 --> 00:36:30.846 A:middle Well, first of all, 00:36:32.056 --> 00:36:34.106 A:middle I teach you kind of studies and I would always 00:36:34.176 --> 00:36:36.236 A:middle tell me some major Chicano Studies, even a, 00:36:36.306 --> 00:36:38.986 A:middle even a Granada, a browse through Didn't you can take Chicano 00:36:38.986 --> 00:36:39.436 A:middle Studies as a 00:36:39.546 --> 00:36:41.286 A:middle minor and learn about the riches 00:36:41.286 --> 00:36:43.876 A:middle of the Mexican-American Chicano Latino communities. 00:36:44.256 --> 00:36:46.516 A:middle And that'll be beneficial to you because you got 00:36:46.516 --> 00:36:47.636 A:middle to get this particular degree, 00:36:47.706 --> 00:36:51.036 A:middle whether it be an AAA, whether it be a BA or an MA and a plate. 00:36:51.106 --> 00:36:53.636 A:middle So whatever field you want, you would want to work in, 00:36:53.996 --> 00:36:56.906 A:middle whether if you want to become a politician that was the mayor 00:36:57.006 --> 00:36:59.746 A:middle of Baldwin Park began and Chicano Studies, 00:37:00.136 --> 00:37:01.436 A:middle became a police officer, 00:37:01.506 --> 00:37:02.806 A:middle decided to become something much more, 00:37:02.946 --> 00:37:04.046 A:middle became the mayor ballpark. 00:37:04.256 --> 00:37:07.086 A:middle I think he's been elected or reelected like ten or 11 times. 00:37:07.316 --> 00:37:08.676 A:middle But his major was Chicano Studies. 00:37:08.746 --> 00:37:09.996 A:middle He could have become a politician 00:37:09.996 --> 00:37:11.136 A:middle and you want to go that route. 00:37:11.576 --> 00:37:13.226 A:middle You could become a police officer. 00:37:13.346 --> 00:37:15.916 A:middle You could work in the healthcare industry as well, 00:37:16.076 --> 00:37:18.326 A:middle taking care of logic that needs a Mexican-American each 00:37:18.326 --> 00:37:19.476 A:middle poorer health. 00:37:19.756 --> 00:37:22.576 A:middle So getting the Chicano Studies degree doesn't 00:37:22.646 --> 00:37:24.456 A:middle just kind of a entrapped you 00:37:24.456 --> 00:37:25.876 A:middle into becoming only an instructor. 00:37:25.946 --> 00:37:27.076 A:middle There's many things you could become. 00:37:27.456 --> 00:37:30.046 A:middle Whether if you want to become a community organizer, 00:37:30.046 --> 00:37:31.046 A:middle you could do that as well. 00:37:32.336 --> 00:37:35.336 A:middle There's, there's many opportunities for employment. 00:37:35.406 --> 00:37:40.036 A:middle So when you look to a particular field or career, 00:37:40.276 --> 00:37:42.366 A:middle always do something that you find interesting. 00:37:42.706 --> 00:37:45.036 A:middle That obviously look at the job market to make 00:37:45.106 --> 00:37:46.116 A:middle sure that it is very applicable 00:37:46.116 --> 00:37:47.586 A:middle and recurse you're getting an appointment. 00:37:47.756 --> 00:37:49.936 A:middle Most importantly, you need to understand that 00:37:50.006 --> 00:37:52.076 A:middle whatever career you choose is something that you wanna do. 00:37:52.186 --> 00:37:54.246 A:middle Not There's some that someone is forcing upon you, 00:37:54.836 --> 00:37:57.106 A:middle but something that would 00:37:57.206 --> 00:37:58.596 A:middle something that you will love to wake 00:37:58.596 --> 00:37:59.876 A:middle up every morning to go to work, 00:37:59.946 --> 00:38:01.286 A:middle regardless if you feel sick or not, 00:38:01.546 --> 00:38:02.926 A:middle you will still do whatever you can 00:38:03.006 --> 00:38:05.836 A:middle to fulfill your dream in whatever particular employment. 00:38:05.906 --> 00:38:07.256 A:middle But well, those are would want 00:38:07.346 --> 00:38:09.756 A:middle to be important Chicano Studies, I will tell them to do so. 00:38:10.066 --> 00:38:12.236 A:middle Just like an instructor told me a long time of what? 00:38:12.716 --> 00:38:13.996 A:middle Pasadena Community College. 00:38:14.246 --> 00:38:14.996 A:middle He's go there. 00:38:15.206 --> 00:38:16.716 A:middle I'm not going to see his name, but he told me not 00:38:16.716 --> 00:38:17.806 A:middle to major Chicano Studies. 00:38:18.186 --> 00:38:19.676 A:middle He told me quote unquote, well, 00:38:19.746 --> 00:38:21.536 A:middle major in that field because you're never going to get a job. 00:38:21.766 --> 00:38:22.376 A:middle That's what he said. 00:38:22.376 --> 00:38:23.556 A:middle So the forehead. 00:38:23.646 --> 00:38:24.436 A:middle So when I ended up teaching 00:38:24.436 --> 00:38:25.846 A:middle that pleasant even a community college, 00:38:26.276 --> 00:38:27.596 A:middle a first-person I want to go visit 00:38:27.596 --> 00:38:28.636 A:middle in his office and I thought, 00:38:28.716 --> 00:38:30.266 A:middle Look, I'm here to teach, you gotta study. 00:38:30.476 --> 00:38:33.186 A:middle Thanks for the lack of advice in regards to a side of me not 00:38:33.186 --> 00:38:34.466 A:middle to major Chicano Studies. 00:38:34.916 --> 00:38:36.696 A:middle So I always share that story with slogans as well 00:38:36.696 --> 00:38:38.366 A:middle because I tell them look, 00:38:38.506 --> 00:38:41.006 A:middle so people are not going to like your particular major 00:38:41.366 --> 00:38:42.406 A:middle or a field of study. 00:38:42.476 --> 00:38:42.876 A:middle It's okay. 00:38:43.776 --> 00:38:45.606 A:middle Don't worry about what other people think. 00:38:45.676 --> 00:38:48.036 A:middle Even sometimes your own family, your friends, 00:38:48.146 --> 00:38:50.776 A:middle your own community might frown upon you going to school, 00:38:50.846 --> 00:38:52.726 A:middle but I feel the need to what do you think is best for you? 00:38:53.126 --> 00:38:54.256 A:middle And then, don't worry, 00:38:54.376 --> 00:38:57.876 A:middle other people that we call the haters would come about and say, 00:38:58.006 --> 00:38:59.046 A:middle Oh, I knew you could do it. 00:38:59.176 --> 00:39:00.646 A:middle I knew you were going to be successful. 00:39:00.746 --> 00:39:01.726 A:middle They always do that. 00:39:01.726 --> 00:39:04.676 A:middle And I shared that with my students because I tell them 00:39:04.746 --> 00:39:07.336 A:middle that when you go to school and you're trying to fight 00:39:07.406 --> 00:39:10.236 A:middle the good fight and having a brighter future. 00:39:10.346 --> 00:39:12.356 A:middle Not everybody likes that because some people 00:39:12.446 --> 00:39:15.266 A:middle become complacent and they don't want you to be successful 00:39:15.366 --> 00:39:17.676 A:middle because you want to remind them often that they had 00:39:17.746 --> 00:39:19.456 A:middle the same opportunities but they chose maybe not 00:39:19.456 --> 00:39:20.566 A:middle so good that particular row. 00:39:22.156 --> 00:39:24.066 A:middle I always tell them, Look, 00:39:24.066 --> 00:39:26.336 A:middle you know what the video about 10 school is. 00:39:26.486 --> 00:39:28.226 A:middle I mean, obviously people are going 00:39:28.226 --> 00:39:29.606 A:middle to get mad and you go to school, 00:39:29.676 --> 00:39:31.146 A:middle whatever it might even end up euro, 00:39:31.406 --> 00:39:34.236 A:middle your personal relationship with your friends or whatnot. 00:39:34.306 --> 00:39:35.666 A:middle But when you go to school, you're able to learn 00:39:35.666 --> 00:39:36.416 A:middle about different things. 00:39:36.506 --> 00:39:38.356 A:middle I tell him that I took advantage, 00:39:38.446 --> 00:39:39.706 A:middle I started to take an art class. 00:39:39.836 --> 00:39:40.456 A:middle I took ceramics. 00:39:40.456 --> 00:39:41.536 A:middle I love ceramics. 00:39:41.606 --> 00:39:43.046 A:middle I took a workout class. 00:39:43.306 --> 00:39:45.016 A:middle Is somewhat you'd like fitness classes. 00:39:45.146 --> 00:39:46.466 A:middle You can take fitness classes, I tell. 00:39:46.706 --> 00:39:48.786 A:middle Just take your regular educational courses 00:39:48.786 --> 00:39:50.106 A:middle that you need to get your GE, 00:39:50.206 --> 00:39:51.466 A:middle take a class or a recession, 00:39:51.816 --> 00:39:53.266 A:middle even though it's not part of the program, 00:39:53.346 --> 00:39:56.476 A:middle take a phone class if your program is a nursing fine. 00:39:56.546 --> 00:39:58.756 A:middle But if you like doing a ceramic, ceramic classes as well, 00:39:59.006 --> 00:40:00.996 A:middle that would create an opportunity for yourself 00:40:00.996 --> 00:40:02.336 A:middle to not only decompress, 00:40:02.406 --> 00:40:03.876 A:middle but what you will see the benefits of coordinates, 00:40:03.946 --> 00:40:05.216 A:middle we will not do something rigorous. 00:40:05.346 --> 00:40:07.596 A:middle What you have to learn about a and respond 00:40:07.596 --> 00:40:08.876 A:middle about B or whatever whatnot, 00:40:09.076 --> 00:40:12.176 A:middle you become much more basically in tune with 00:40:12.586 --> 00:40:14.536 A:middle the environment by going to participate in 00:40:14.606 --> 00:40:17.436 A:middle a particular activities that they also have on campus. 00:40:17.716 --> 00:40:18.416 A:middle Wow, Jose. 00:40:19.276 --> 00:40:19.696 A:middle I can't. 00:40:20.146 --> 00:40:22.576 A:middle Thank you enough for your time today. 00:40:23.346 --> 00:40:25.666 A:middle And sharing your story with us men. 00:40:26.616 --> 00:40:28.296 A:middle Incredibly inspiring. 00:40:29.166 --> 00:40:34.386 A:middle I think all of all along the interview here you shared, 00:40:34.676 --> 00:40:36.566 A:middle you know, advice and wisdom and, 00:40:37.076 --> 00:40:40.016 A:middle and I think the story that you told us, 00:40:40.106 --> 00:40:42.286 A:middle it would be inspiring to me and the students 00:40:42.526 --> 00:40:45.636 A:middle and community members who have an opportunity to hear it. 00:40:47.616 --> 00:40:50.716 A:middle What would be the best way for someone to get 00:40:50.806 --> 00:40:52.446 A:middle a hold of you if they wanted more information 00:40:52.446 --> 00:40:53.796 A:middle about a Chicano Studies class, 00:40:54.276 --> 00:40:55.336 A:middle if they wanted to connect with you. 00:40:55.406 --> 00:40:58.106 A:middle Who is it through your campus e-mail or Canvas website? 00:40:58.196 --> 00:40:58.896 A:middle What would you recommend? 00:40:59.646 --> 00:41:02.046 A:middle The campus e-mail, WordPress them always online, 00:41:02.146 --> 00:41:04.116 A:middle checking my email, so that'll be burst 00:41:04.116 --> 00:41:06.146 A:middle and I usually respond within 24 hours. 00:41:06.486 --> 00:41:07.696 A:middle Whether you have questions 00:41:07.696 --> 00:41:10.226 A:middle on particular Chicano Studies courses, 00:41:10.616 --> 00:41:12.546 A:middle Even if you need any particular advice 00:41:12.546 --> 00:41:14.276 A:middle and what particular fields you could apply, 00:41:14.396 --> 00:41:16.636 A:middle you Chicano Studies degree 2 and stuff like that. 00:41:16.706 --> 00:41:18.706 A:middle Um, even if it's not for Chicano Studies, 00:41:18.776 --> 00:41:19.976 A:middle anything that pertains to the school. 00:41:20.076 --> 00:41:22.506 A:middle And Ali, I'm there to help out in any particular student. 00:41:22.976 --> 00:41:25.356 A:middle Doesn't matter where you come from. 00:41:25.566 --> 00:41:27.336 A:middle It just all that matters to me is that you're there 00:41:27.336 --> 00:41:29.546 A:middle to pursue your educational dreams. 00:41:29.646 --> 00:41:31.676 A:middle And I would be more than glad and willing to be a part 00:41:31.746 --> 00:41:33.836 A:middle of that particular journey to see you graduate. 00:41:35.736 --> 00:41:36.906 A:middle But thank you so much, Jose. 00:41:37.026 --> 00:41:37.386 A:middle It's better. 00:41:37.386 --> 00:41:39.796 A:middle It's a real honor to work with you at Valley College. 00:41:40.196 --> 00:41:42.546 A:middle And just you're just an exceptional addition 00:41:42.546 --> 00:41:43.306 A:middle to the college. 00:41:43.566 --> 00:41:45.396 A:middle And thank you for sharing your story. 00:41:45.846 --> 00:41:46.996 A:middle It's really amazing. 00:41:48.316 --> 00:41:50.776 A:middle Well, I don't want to get there wasn't no, 00:41:50.846 --> 00:41:52.006 A:middle I guess it was a little personal, 00:41:52.076 --> 00:41:53.556 A:middle but I think it's been official because 00:41:53.936 --> 00:41:54.716 A:middle usually when you talk 00:41:54.716 --> 00:41:56.606 A:middle about people's backgrounds and experiences, 00:41:56.676 --> 00:41:57.766 A:middle they all tell you that all, yeah. 00:41:58.046 --> 00:41:59.836 A:middle My high school experience was wonderful in 00:41:59.936 --> 00:42:02.176 A:middle this uneasiness in that when I went to community college, 00:42:02.306 --> 00:42:03.356 A:middle I had a wonderful grades. 00:42:03.476 --> 00:42:05.516 A:middle I also was an ollie still wouldn't this in 00:42:05.916 --> 00:42:09.176 A:middle that my journey was not was that that and I appreciate 00:42:09.286 --> 00:42:12.026 A:middle that I will do with various hardships and he's 00:42:12.166 --> 00:42:14.116 A:middle hardships helped me appreciate my education, 00:42:14.116 --> 00:42:15.116 A:middle experience and journey. 00:42:15.476 --> 00:42:18.096 A:middle And I feel that many students go through similar experiences 00:42:18.096 --> 00:42:19.496 A:middle where life is an easy, 00:42:19.606 --> 00:42:21.806 A:middle where you have to figure out a way to maintain 00:42:21.916 --> 00:42:23.366 A:middle word family life and go to school 00:42:23.366 --> 00:42:24.976 A:middle and also continue to fight 00:42:25.046 --> 00:42:27.366 A:middle the good fight and seeking further education regardless 00:42:27.486 --> 00:42:31.046 A:middle of are there people might feel is best for you or your life. 00:42:31.146 --> 00:42:33.976 A:middle So I'm just glad to share that. 00:42:34.046 --> 00:42:36.006 A:middle I'm that I was one of the ones that had some, uh, 00:42:36.456 --> 00:42:39.896 A:middle some good examples that are not 00:42:40.276 --> 00:42:41.296 A:middle always shared and rigorous with 00:42:41.376 --> 00:42:42.776 A:middle people's personal educational experience 00:42:42.776 --> 00:42:44.206 A:middle because they don't want to be so candidate. 00:42:44.616 --> 00:42:45.896 A:middle Because they might be embarrassed 00:42:45.896 --> 00:42:46.876 A:middle or ashamed of their past. 00:42:46.946 --> 00:42:49.586 A:middle Somebody embarrassed or ashamed, I'm just grateful to survive in 00:42:49.706 --> 00:42:52.636 A:middle a blessed to be able to do what I love to do best. 00:42:52.706 --> 00:42:55.036 A:middle And that's teaching Chicano Studies and working with 00:42:55.256 --> 00:42:57.656 A:middle the working with the various students at Valley College. 00:42:57.746 --> 00:42:58.196 A:middle Wow, Jose. 00:42:59.116 --> 00:43:02.406 A:middle I can't thank you enough for your time today. 00:43:02.876 --> 00:43:03.556 A:middle No, thank you.