interview

1. What is your full name?
My name is Angel Vera ( mentor )
2. Where are you from?
I am from Ecuador
3. Where did you go to college? For how long? Do you plan to go back to school?
(Quito, Ecuador, 4 years on college and i do not want to get back to school), when I came to N.Y I took leadership development workshop to work on the Community Organizing, which is the work that I do right now
4. (If the interviewee went to college)…What was your major in college and what kind of degree do you earn?
(Psychology, on Ecuador) Community organizing, on New York, thats the only thing I took, which mean that I did not went to college for this work that I do, but I took the curse that I said before in order to work.

5. Why did you choose that field?
I did choose this field because i like to fight injustice to establish justice to the people and also because there was position available to work here, in addition because I have experienced about how it feels to be on this cases.

6. What got you involved in this field of work? What inspired you to do it?
I got involve on this field because it is the work that i like to do and the motivation was the people. I really like to help people and to have power when it is needed that was what inspired me.
7. Why did you choose this job?
I choose this job because I like to change, bad things or bad laws and bad treatment to people and also their is a lot of discrimination in the society so I made the decision to help and contribute to make the society safety and fair for people.
8. How long have you worked here?
I have been working on this job for 3 years, and 6 years on general working on New York
9. What is your job title?
the titled that i have is Community Organizer
10. What do your duties include? Or What kinds of work does your job involve?
Some of my duties are to build the base; leadership development; campaign work. and other minor things like work with other to try to make new plans or ideas.
11. What are some of the challenges you have faced working here?
Some challenges that I have faced are Retaining members, building a relationship with coalitions, holding creative and interesting meting.
12. What is the best part of your job?
The best part of my job is to facilitate workshops at the weekly meetings, and direct actions ( like march, protests etc.)
13. What is something you would like to change about your job?
I would like to be able to expanded my organizing work to other neighborhood so by doing it we can help other people and other society needs.
14. Did you work somewhere else before this job? Where? For how long? How was that similar/different? I worked for the New York Civic participation project on New York City for 3 years, it was similar to the work that I do right now that the job that i had before was working in the community where members live, and was different on the issues, previously I work on immigration and Now I work on housing.

15. What do you see as your future with this company?
I am planing to work here for 8 years or probably more, whether the organization expand or not.
16. Do you enjoy the kind of work you do?
I enjoy working on this job because I have really good relation with people and I make new friends on the neighborhood, also I see how people treat me differently when I try to help them, is like I feel great when I do my work and see that the people issue has been resolved.
17. Do you plan to open your own business one day?
I provably open a new business but I am not sure, may be it would be on Ecuador.
18. How has having an intern helped your company or organization advance or progress?
having a intern on this company have benefits us by giving energy, ideas and labor. The interns had help our work on the company and have facilitated my work too.
19. What advice would you give to high school-aged interns (such as myself) getting ready for college and then the real world?
My advice is to take life seriously, get involved on a community group, to build power and make social changes. also focus on a career, do not lose your mind and do not do things on which you would feel sorry later.