Community Hero Portraits

Community+Hero+Portraits

“Why is community important to you in this era?”


“Community, for me, has always been that push to keep going. My community, whether it’s fellow survivors, women, people of color, queer people, whoever, they’ve cycled through my life but there’s always this common thread of perseverance that I believe pushes us all to keep striving for more. Especially looking at where we are right now in this country, the power that we get from our communities are instrumental in saving ourselves and each other and building something better than this mess that we are left with.”
– Alexis Jimenez, persevered from bullying, abuse, anxiety, and BPD.

 

 

 

“Community is where you know which people you can lean on for help and comfort. Community is where you feel the most comfortable and less strained.”
– Iva, main tutor at project impact in CSUEB.

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Community means that you give back in a way that will empower the youth being that they are the future of our community.”
– Cesar Torres, giving boxing classes to the youth of the community of South San Francisco.

 

 

 

 

“Community is where you make lifelong friends and family. It’s where you grow and learn. This is home.”
– Yesenia Torres, coach for the STEP program at CSUEB.

 

 

 

 

“Community is important because that’s what barbershops are about. Community. We wouldn’t be successful without community and we wouldn’t be having this much fun.”
– Luis Gomez, barber and owner of Metropolitan Barbershop in San Francisco.

 

 

 

“Community to me means a sense of belonging and unity.”
– Amanda Rae, converted to Islam to become Muslim, six years ago. Her ethnicity is Puerto Rican, Mexican, Haitian, Italian, and Grenadian. Amanda’s commitment to wearing the hijab has costed her numerous job rejections. She perseveres and has hope for job equality.