Issue link: http://latinschool.uberflip.com/i/96437
Latin's current focus on community has made me think about what a community is. I have been, and am a part of, a number of communities. I am Bolivian and Latino and Irish. I am a rock climber. I am a biker. I am a teacher. I kayak. I am bicultural. And, recently, I became a father. Some of these communities I have inherited, some I have actively chosen, and others are a result of various common experiences, interests, ethnicities and geographical locations. Although there are many things people share and commonalities that can easily breed community, a true community to me is one that actively engages and supports its members and allows them to grow. When I was 23 years old, at a time when I was starting to seek a way to contribute something meaningful to the world around me, I had a life-changing experience that has defined my view of community ever since. Because of my Latin American background, I felt that I could make a difference in this area of the world. So, after much debate, I chose to quit my well-paying career and move to Managua, Nicaragua to be a part of a refugee community that was established for Hurricane Mitch survivors. Being involved in the redevelopment of this community, I learned a great deal of what it meant to be a part of a community with purpose. The members of this community facilitated survival for all by banding together, sharing resources and empowering all through acts of kindness and humanity. I learned how a community could work successfully through openness to input by its members, openness to collaboration, ability to change leadership and direction when necessary, and an environment of acceptance. While my current experiences at Latin are many years and a world a way from those formative months in Nicaragua, the lessons I learned there continue to be invaluable as I navigate my current communities. As a part of the Math Department, the Outdoor club and the Free the Children club, I have had the opportunity to be involved in a number of groups at Latin that are important to me – where I feel that I can make a difference. Then my daughter started in junior kindergarten, and my involvement in and commitment to this community expanded further. It is a good feeling to be a part of a community that supports my various interests and that allows me to grow. I am fortunate that here too I can feel as if I am contributing something worthwhile to the world around me. As an added bonus, I have been able to find a community with meaningful purpose without quitting my job and moving to another country. "I learned a great deal of what it meant to be part of a community with purpose." Kayaking the San Juan River in Utah with students during Project Week; children at the refugee camp in Nicaragua. Latin School of Chicago 19