American Journey; 102

My name is Jose Rios. And I'm from Puerto Rico. I'm naturally from Puerto Rico that's where I was born at. And I moved to Chicago from Chicago I moved here in what's Milwaukee. [police sirens]. You don't get to sleep very very good in the nights cause of the noise. And the screaming. And the shooting sometimes occurs. It happens so fast and you never see, you never know what happened. Come on in. I'll give you a tour of my apartment. This is living room here. My son is just waking up. And this is my and my bedroom. This is my 2 year old son. [crying in background] He has a small fever. It's ok. it's ok.

Yeah, yeah. That's ok. Oh boy. OK. OK. OK. [crying] OK. OK. Come on come on. [unclear]. This is Luisito. He's 2 years old. He probably He has an ear infection that what cause the fever. But we got the medicine for it. If it wasn't for my insurance for my medical insurance I don't know what would happen to this kid cause he's been through a lot before. And that's why I get [unclear] especially for welfare for you know for providing the medical insurance for now for especially when he's a little boy and he needs... Color name is this but I'm so neither. And. It means united whole and the purpose

from the beginning was that we wanted to create an institution in the community that could move people from dependence and poverty into the economic mainstream. And we're not interested in getting people the minimum wage jobs or jobs or pay for four or five dollars an hour to everybody knows that you can't support a family on those kind of jobs. So we're interested in creating jobs in areas like the skilled trades and mechanic and asbestos removal now and then even in day care business. That can pay enough to support a family. It's Looks like its getting flooded. That's what it won't to start. Gotta clean them off and check the carburetor. Jose Rios is what you would consider to be the kind of person that you want to come through. He's he's a guy who wanted to do something with himself. He's smart responsible. And he came to our training program. He was here every day, he applied himself. And he basically he held up his side of the agreement. That prompted the center [unknown].

It touches the [?] table about stamps. And that's [?] that little guy doesn't he like. [?] At school its not enough time to cover everything. What I should cover. Ah, I usually take an hour or two and study for a little while. You see it on TV right now, day and night. No training, no job. All this have to do with my career. When I get outta here, I'll be proud. I'll be proud. For my family, especially my son. When he grows up he'll find out and I'll tell him where we were before. Jose, he's a good worker. We got him from [?] Unita. He's been trained what

I call him the starting-level skills. He does the lube, filters, work service work. I don't get a bored so soon. Filter. Now he's in a situation where we've got him working part time at Arrow Oldsmobile, which is a very good opportunity and if if he gets in there full time he'll be set basically for life unless, there's a tremendous crash in the economy. That one is 35,000 right. He couldn't come off the street and go into Arrow Oldsmobile. And he can't actually even support himself for what he's earning over there now. But but having had the transition through here and the experience and our relationship with the Arrow you can see him sticking there and and doing what we want. It's bringing somebody into the economy and making them self-reliant. He's been here since February and he's he's very dependable. He's one of the most dependable people l've met.

We hope to move him on into a full time position eventually. I just want to say that in the midst of the struggle sometimes it's hard to understand or to know where it is going. [?To. Bring?]. US graduates in something you have understood a key element to getting somewhere in the world and that is that you've made a personal decision. About doing something.[clapping] There is still racism, there's still this economic disparity. There still is a lack of power. But you've taken an attitude that you that something can be done about that situation You've all understood the power does not come from above. Power comes from people deciding what they want to do.[clapping] In the area of auto mechanics, we award these certificates to the following graduates. Mr Jose Rios [clapping]. . Thank you. Thank you. Well I feel great. This is a special day

for me as especially for. Well, what do you think? This is what you're going to have when you have my age. OK. This is our open door for the future. [music] Very good. Ah, there it is, there it is. At least it's something. At least it will help me just to pay up the rent. Because I'm behind one month. At least three hundred and fifty nine dollars. That ain't so bad. That ain't so bad. At least it will cover mostly the whole rent for this month. As I pay about three hundred twenty dollars of rent monthly.

I can't be living like that. I hate it. See people going out you know. I'm here stuck. I can't go out nowhere. Before you know it you owe about two months of rent. And the bills are going up. They disconnect the phone. The refrigerator the refrigerator is going all empty. It's like I started getting worried, you know nervous. You know I don't even know what to do. This is how low it gets. There comes time that that a food run out before the food stamps comes in, about probably maybe about two weeks before we get the other food stamps. He likes to drink milk when he goes to bed. So we're outa milk so I just give him mine. So It's really hard. I thought that marriage wasn't so hard but it is it really is when you got a kid. It's really [music]

Really hard.[music] Our dream house. It had a For Sale sign there but it seems like it's been sold. So quiet you know it just houses. You know it's like wow man. People here that live here they're lucky. I would like my son to grow at a place like this. I'm thinking of getting something like this ,you know and in the future. And I want to. I just don't want to stay in the same old place. You know it's like it like they call it the ghetto area. You know it's like one day I want to get out of that area and just come out here and just live and live peacefully. Ain't gonna get easy. It's real nice grass. It ain't going to stop me by getting a dream house. I'm pretty sure about that. It's going slow. That's what I don't like this, it's going

pretty slow. Even though I'm always telling my boss when I get my full time position? We're waiting for an opening for him. It may be some time because we have a very low turnover rate here. I'm trying to help him get a full time position at another dealership. The major industrial plants in the whole Milwaukee County area have got people on layoff. They reduce their workforces by thousands of people. We're talking about people with 20 years experience at A.O. Smith who was out as maybe a machine repairman who was out there competing with a person who's been through six months of mechanic training so there's a lot of competition for jobs. Well as of today I work for Astronautics. It's a good paint job. It has a lot of benefits Family Health Plan. I drive for the company. I take ah employees for one place to another. The job that I have now is not related to what I

have and what I had before. You know being a mechanic but it's its a good experience. You've got to you've got to try everything what comes to you. [other conversations] [music] start ? You want to eat? Get out of 4:30 from work from Astronautics. I come home, change into my uniform, get something to eat and about 5:00 I'm on my way down over Arrow Oldsmobile. I start at 5:30 tonight 9:00 p.m. I got a busy schedule. [another person?] When I say that one day you see me moving out here and when moving into a new house. I have a lot of people thinking. Well I'm off to work now. [music]

Like routine things. OK so will see you. Bye Bye. But I'm on my way out of here. Tell me did Judy use the wheelchair in there? Ah, not yet. OK I'm going to ask you because I don't know if a person in a wheel chair can get to the faucet and the tub. Ok. I think to be a person with a disability, to be around at this point is exciting. Did you bring your chair up. I don't know. I'm going to have to ask Judy to checked that out. Aha You can't eliminate all the problems. Would you be able to get a hold of that faucet?

But hopefully we're now approaching is the idea that you eliminate the barriers out there so at least it cuts down on the problems that a person with a disability has to encounter. You're good [laughter] Disability makes a difference. Then it can be bad but it doesn't have to. And so when you reach that point that you see that life can be really good after disability then so what. Why am I short? Because it [noise blender] is part of the Osteogenesis Imperfecta, short stature is just a part of it. And I'm one of the taller people who have

Osteogenesis Imperfecta. I wouldn't choose a disability I wouldn't wish a disability on anyone. But once you have it if you're able to reach that point of saying so what. Then you see all kinds of opportunities out there and those opportunities then are so much greater [music] given what you are now in our time. [music] I think the worst part about looking at some of the pictures is the approach that was used. I suppose you say a sensational kind approach being in traction for six weeks. And probably in a cast for another four. And it happened frequently. So, yeah, it brought out some real

sympathy. It's one of the things that people with disabilities try very hard to overcome. They talked about me sitting looking wistfully out the window and asking mommy if I could go outside and play which my mother later reported to me I'd never said. To start with I was tutored at home so I would have to use the term overprotected. I mean there was just no other way to be. Um, my parents had been told that I would not have a normal life span so there was always this concern I suppose that I would die even though I was quite healthy other than having fractures. But that's what they were told. You know you're on TV so keep talking. But you know I

sure can't break the speed law when I got a camera in here with me. [static] Oh no, definitely not probably get it on tape. Probably blackmail me with it the rest of my life. When I first started here. First year. It was very traumatic to be left somewhere for two weeks. Um, I think probably because before that my only experiences of being away from my family was when I would be in the hospital. [music] I probably remember the most fondly about coming to Camp was the ability to do things that it's hard to explain. But began to sort of get the cogs going in the right direction. That said you can do anything

anyone else does even if you do it differently. [background noise] Long time. [background noises] Do I get it a hug? Tell me hows the weather been? Good? Hot? [laughter] Has it? Yeah. Yes, every day every day it's been hot. I moved [?] You're you're glad you don't regret it. Wonderful. Where do you live? On the University avenue On University, OK. Oh that's right they built some um accessible housing out there, didn't they. There too? Good morning. Anyway coming to camp allowed me to do

things. Also it got me away from home so that I began perhaps to build that sense of, I'm able to survive away from family who have always taken care of me.[music] Being different doesn't have to make a difference. It's almost like OK I have a disability. So what, it took me a long time to get there but I can really say 99 percent of the time that's how I feel. Now if you need any more information on ADA, seriously do call because I'll try to I think will be getting more information. OK good. No, I'm be happy to do it anytime and I hope you did see the cover message however.

I know. Yes forever and ever you owe me. All right Good. Was it? I was sitting today talking with someone about Americans with Disabilities Act. It makes it clear that people with disabilities are to be treated in a way that does not emphasize the disability but rather emphasizes their abilities. And their ability to participate, um It's just I find very exciting and I'm looking forward to helping it work. We are so much more than that one shall we say characteristic. But whatever it is. Either race or gender or disability. We're so much more than that. [Knock]. Hi, You've got a couple of minutes? Sure come on

in. Good. People tend to stop there and don't go past it. So yes it's a it's a disability isn't. [another person talking] That you arrange to get that had to do with ADA and employing the disabled what is the name of ..? ADA is the first time that we now have some, um mandates for mainstreaming people with disabilities in all aspects of life. We don't have to wait for someone to be in a good mood or to feel altruistic. I mean hey it's the law. That's marvelous. [laughter] I never could go to shopping malls

before I had it. Because my physical endurance wouldn't permit me to walk that far. The [background music] enjoyment of space is so different. I Actually know I am gonna get my tattoo first. I still experience it. it's a feeling of freedom. That I couldn't even explain. When I'm shopping I'm totally free I'm physically free and emotionally free to enjoy everything around me because I'm not concerned about am I going to get too tired. Is there something on the floor I might trip on. Are people not going to see me and that happens. [background noise] You can fire me. [laughter] Appearance is very important to me. Always has been. And that may be somewhat over compensation too. You know. But when you find out as you're working things through

that there's a lot you can do with your image. Are you vain? Course. Isn't everybody? Such a show. Being a woman. is is a part of who we are as women. I mean you can't. You can't take that away. And so I think I felt very isolated. Asexual would be the only way I could describe it. So yes, I suppose I did accept that for a long time. [music] But fortunately. What you do to start with is you use the manual and your survey

to identify any barriers that might. [another person is talking] I do what other people do. I mean I get up and go to work. I travel. I mean a lot of people do that. Now granted I have some variables in here that not everybody has but that doesn't make me a hero. I don't think because I I'm not doing it for any reason except that I enjoy doing it. I don't I don't want to minimize the difficulties that a disability can lead to both medically as well as encountering those barriers out in society. But there is life after disability I guess that's what I feel so strongly about a good life. I have a good life. I have fun. I like

what I do now. -It's higher than usual for bathroom sinks. If anybody else out there, either someone with a disability or someone has someone in the family with a disability or just anyone in general can just say. Yeah. So what. Then I've accomplished something. [music] And I'm trying to make that to a lot of people. [no noise]