Jorge Rodriguez

Jorge Rodriguez  

Jorge grew up in Chicago by Humboldt  park his father left so he was raised by females and grandfather. “I remember being woken up at 8:00 am and my grandfather would tell me lets go paint the fence’’ .Then we ask what was it like growing up in Humboldt park?”I used to go to this corner store at my block and coming back I would get shot at”. “well not at me but some one on my block”.When he was a kid he use to get up in the morning at 7:00 on Saturday and would feel safe because he knew that in every room there was somebody in it .

Next we asked Jorge about his family and what are they like?”well first word that comes to mind is crazy but no like I said I was raised by woman”. Then we asked what was his biggest regret?”Honestly not doing better in school because when I did applied I got rejected from each one”.”but that did not stop me from going to college i still went but i will still be like i wanted to go to Florida or other places”.Next we asked Jorge to talk about his neighborhood?” there was lots of violence in my  neighborhood like i said got shot at when i was coming back from the corner store”.” There was gangs in each block”. then we asked what was his dream as a child? “I wanted to be a firefighter because everyone hated a cop but like would argue with a firefighter .” “like no i don’t want you to rescue me.”But as i got older i did not look in to it know what it takes.”

Next we asked what was college like? “ College(laugh) college is the most fun you will ever have you not go to a party today cause you got to do work but tomorrow it’s on.” “ And it doesn't even feel like it’s school .” Then we asked him about the work he does? “ I am BAM counselor i teach boys how to become a man.” Jorge also believes that down  the road the things that Jorge showed that kid that he will use it in the future. Next we asked what is a personal challenge?” My challenge is that I lazy you know I be like i will later but then don’t want to do it at all.”next we asked Jorge how does he feel about cps today? “ A question that I ask is why do you go to school?” “ And the answer that i get is that they have too.” “ And I feel like school needs to be fun for the kids and they would be like “I want to go to school”.

Next we asked Jorge about if he ever had a life changing event? “ my dad use to get drunk and one night you got too drunk and you came at me with a knife”.” And that was like man  my own father came with a knife like what world is this.” Then we asked as a follow up question? “ Well i do share that story but BAM is not all about me it’s about you guys”. “ I mean I have no problem sharing the story”. Last we asked if Jorge can give us any advice about life ? “ Life is always going to be hard “. ‘And you can be like I want this house or this car But life does not work out that way”.

Jorge’s views on heroes are people who never stay down they keep getting up.i enjoyed this interview because I am one of his students and i feel that he is a cool and laid back dude . And I think that  Jorge is a community hero to me because he was helped me through my freshman year like how to control my anger and other values of becoming a man (BAM).