LISTEN HERE! Audio plays automatically & may take up to a minute to load.

WEBCAST November 28, 2001 – When I was very young my parents resided in a duplex on property owned by my grandparents in Los Angeles. I remember a multicultural community with our neighborhood buddies being Mexican, Japanese, and black. I'll never forget the kind elderly Japanese woman living in the other house next door, Mrs. Kubo, always gracious and friendly.

My parents thought their kids would get a better education in a white community so we moved to Torrance where our neighborhood was predominantly white with a few other cultures sprinkled in. In those days, and before, my parents saw racism against Mexican Americans. Since we were very light skinned they thought we would "blend in" and grow up without the challenges they had had to endure. So my parents denied our Hispanic descent.

Our neighborhood was predominantly white with a few other cultures sprinkled in. My parents thought we would have a better education – and were denying our Hispanic descent. In those days, and before, my parents saw racism against Mexican Americans. Since we were very light skinned they thought we would "blend in" and grow up without the challenges they had had to endure.

I attended Crenshaw Elementary only a few blocks from our house. I was an average student, but excelled in Art, a tomboy at heart, and I'm still good at sports! I graduated from North Torrance High. I hated high school. I was in a fog without a direction, and the fog wasn't drugs, either. Thankfully I managed to come through untouched by drugs.

EDUCATION

El Camino College – Fine Arts and Secretarial Administration.
Harbor Occupational Center – Vocational Re–education – Medical.
Terminology 1 & 2, Medical Coding and Billing, Health Unit Coordinator.
Harbor College – Medical Transcription.
Pacific College – Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) Program.

JOBS (Chronologically)

Started: Electronic Components Assembly – Pacific Connecting Devices. Five of my closest friends worked there also. It was easy after–school employment.
Cashier/Stock Clerk – Ralphs Grocery Co. Fifteen years, then developed Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Orthopedics Dept. unit secretary – Little Company of Mary Hospital.
Self–employed with my husband – J & D Boatworks, fabricating systems for yachts. I formulated brightwork bids, waxed & washed boats & detailed interiors. Secretary & "go–for".
Cashier/Stockclerk – West Marine Products.
GETAWAY: In December of 1997 we sailed our boat to Mexico for a year and a half. We sold the boat in Puerto Vallarta and returned to the U.S. where we spent the next six months traveling in an Airstream trailer. It was great break, but not something I was interested in doing forever.
Certified Nurse Assistant – Procare 2000.
Home Health Nurse – Nurses Plus – Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) for follow–up visits after patients are discharged from the hospital.
NOW (1): Home Health Nurse – Nurses Plus – Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) for follow–up visits after patients are discharged from the hospital – PART TIME.
NOW (2): Charge Nurse/Medicine Nurse – Bel Vista Convalescent Home. Pass medications, do treatments, G–tube feedings and patient care as problems arise, to 44 patients. I'm busy! – PART TIME.

.: RETURN TO TOP