Hispanics

On September 22, 2001, I drove to Luis Alberto Algutria house in Inglewood. We had scheduled an interview to talk about his life, special events, changes in society, education, as well as other topic. When I got to his house he invited me to eat dinner with his family, I thought that was really nice of him. His invitations made me feel like I was at home. After we ate we decided move to the living room were it was nice and quiet. We started talking about the relationship between his son and me, as we blab away we start talking about our background and family. Without us noticing we had started an interview.

Mr. Algutria who was born December 24, 1958 in Pereira, Colombia migrate into the United States May of 1986. He came to this country because he wanted to pressure the American Dream. He wanted something better for his family.

United States

United States

Plaza Bolivar Pereira Colombia

He didn't want his family to go through the hardships he did. While he was in Colombia he obtain his career as an electrical engineer and he thought that he had better opportunities in the U.S. since he had a career. But the reality was different. It wasn't easy as he thought it was. However he had the advantage of having a career although he couldn't practice it. He had to work in Engineer Incorporation, as minor worker were he could've been the boost.

"Everything was difficult I had to do everything step by step." He said. Nothing was easy because first of all he was not a resident or citizen of this country. With out legal paper he couldn't do much. The money that he earned was just enough. But he did not stop fighting for what he wanted. He knew that he was in at a place were english was a primary language, he also found out that in order to work as an engineer he need to go to college to get a license. Before he could take a step forward he needed to know English, so he enrolled in an ESL class. "It was hard because I barley spend time with my family, during the day I worked hard and during the night I went to school. I don't regretted it"¦it was worthwhile." La Familia is something really important for Mr. Algutria. During his childhood his dad left his mom and twelve siblings. It was hard for his mother to raise such a big family. The oldest ones had to work and youngest ones had to take care of the chores. While his mom work hard selling vegetable and fruit in the streets. He saw how his mother work and realize "As a grow up I acknowledge that in order to be successful and to reach my goal I need to go to school." When he finished "la primaria" he decided that in order to afford and be able to go to middle school he need to move out the house. Beside his home wasn't really a home it was more of a nightmare. So he moved to his aunt and uncle house where he was in a family but not of his own. When I ask him about his family he got silence and refused to talk about his father. There was some recentness in his voice.

Map of the city.

Image depicting map location of the city and munic...

Vista de Pereira. Colombia