Angela Casas is one of the many heroes trying to make the Logan Square community a better place. Angela works at Jimmy John's and attends Kelvyn Park High School as a junior. She’s Mexican, hardworking, and motivated in the things she loves to do. What does she like to do during her free time? She loves to help people in need, so she joined Logan Square Neighborhood Association to get her ideas and voice out there to make a change.
Angela joined LSNA during her sophomore year. She joined it because of a teacher that works at Kelvyn Park High School as a social justice and English teacher named Mr. O’Bra. He inspired her along with other teachers in Kelvyn Park to get her voice out there, and they all knew what she had in her. In LSNA she did a lot of community work. One thing she did was around housing. Housing is when you go door to door to inform people about certain things. With her, she gave people the right information and what they could do so they wouldn't lose their homes. Angela said, “I’m not the type of person who asks people for stuff, but when you have to make a change you have no choice, you have to do this.” She has been not only involved in housing but she also did education. She made a speech in front of about 3,000 teachers during the strike. She tried to be involved with immigration but with work and school she hasn't had a chance to go to the meetings, but that’s something she also working on.
Angela doesn't really have time to herself anymore. Working and going to school is hard at first and it’s a big responsibility. But for her it’s getting pretty stressful but it’s worth it as she says. Jimmy John's isn't an easy job. Angela works all week and the only day she gets off is on Thursday, which isn't really a day off because she has school. She quoted “I work alot so I’m tired, and I haven't felt good but I still have to go to work.” This proves she is motivated in her job.
As for school her grades aren’t as good as she wants them to be because work gets in the way. It’s either she can't go to school that day or she gets home too late to do her homework. But she gets through it. She doesn't have many F’s but at least she’s trying. And for friends? She doesn't have many for the simple fact she doesn't stay quiet and will tell you when you're in the wrong or if your bullying someone. Some people can't accept a person being real with them , so instead shell rather have less friends than most people.
Talking with Angela made me see a lot of things differently. Besides the fact she’s around our age, she’s able to go to school and work and still have time to make a change in the world. Most people I know can work and go to school but they would have gave up on making a change simply because it would be to hard to do all three at once. But not her, even though she can't do as much as she would like, she does the most she can. By the end of the interview she made me feel like I shouldn't say I can't do something because theres always a way and many people are out there to help you. They are actually really in front of your face even though you don't notice them. During the summer I'm going to work and most people will stop going once school starts. Not me, I'm going to stay in school, work, and help out in my community because thats what I like to do. Angela has really inspired me to do better in my life and made me realize four years go by fast and I need to start thinking about where I want my life going and how I want to become as a person. Interviewing her was a good experienced and I enjoyed it.
No comments:
Post a Comment