Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jose Cruz. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Jose, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?
My mother and father, over many years, were consistent hard-workers, good workers. They did what they did out of love for their children. They never missed work unless they had to. To them, it was unacceptable to miss a day of work. It was unacceptable to take a break or to put out an inferior product. To this day, I can hear my mother stirring her coffee in the morning, maybe in meditation for what this day of pressing shirts, would bring to her. She and my father worked quietly. They worked conscientiously. And they were grateful for the jobs that they had. My father held two jobs. And my mother ran the household with help from my sisters. They had a bunch of children to care for. For them, the stakes were high.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
I have always loved reading and writing. When I grew up, I went to college even though there was no plan for me to do so, I majored in English and I earned a teaching credential. I taught for a bit, and then went into the literacy arena. I came to know it well. In the course of learning more about the challenge of literacy in America, I found that I had a talent for promotions and coalition building. My natural passion for literacy came through. And this resulted in my being effective in bringing more people and more entities into our literacy efforts. I have always been a quiet person. You wouldn’t know it. In the past few months, I have done a number of interviews and presentations that have contributed to more people understanding the importance of our work in literacy. I have become a face for our cause.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
I learned early on that, unless you have passion for what you are doing, you’re not going to make it in business for the long run. I won’t really get into the detail, but there have been times when people have come into our circle with their own agenda. And that’s still okay, but it can be a little alarming to watch them conjure up a following for something that has little essence and little truth or value. I have had people specifically target my job. It’s unbelievable when you’re there and watching it happen. I had people near me who were good enough to remind me to “Be strong.” But it is not enough to be strong. I also needed to be equipped and experienced enough to respond promptly and confidently to what was coming. What I have learned through it all is that two things will often work for you in a bad time: Patience and faith. You need both, and you need poise and experience. You need to be vocal in a professional way. I didn’t get raised that way. My parents raised us to be humble. So, I’m humble. But I have these tools and while they may be quiet tools, they hit harder than a big fat baseball bat. It took a long time to learn how to swing that bat. I have to add that, as a boy, we were comic book fans. We believed in our super heroes. Some of my resilience comes from those comic book super hero roots. I still carry that mentality. There are a lot of us out there who are trying to save the planet.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
I was told early on that I was special. I heard it from an older gentleman who was visiting my father. I only met him one time. He pointed to a black mole that used to sit on the middle of my chin. He said, “This means you’re special.” I I never forgot that. The mole is completely gone now. But what he said has carried me through my whole life. After that, I encountered messaging that was consistently destructive. A lot of us do. But I held on to the thought that i was supposed to do special things in this world. That one special message from the old man made it happen. In my work, in my life, I have this message for people: Don’t forget to tell the kids how smart they are. Sometimes they never hear that. When they do, it does something to them. It gives them strength. It builds their confidence. It helps them to overcome and succeed.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.literacysandiego.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sdliteracy/
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/SDLiteracy
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/san-diego-council-on-literacy-726806108/
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/SDLiteracy?lang=en