Héctor E. Ramos is an eleventh-grade student at Ramón Power and Giralt School and has participated in the Luis Llorens Torres Public Housing Club since the center began operating eight years ago. “Believing in yourself when we have so many insecurities can be a long process. For this, it is sometimes necessary to see oneself through others in order to recognize our potential. You have to meet new people, introduce yourself in public or have a voice to advocate for the problems within the community. All this seemed quite distant before arriving at my Club”, he reflects.
Growing up in a marginalized community allowed him to observe classism, racism, inequality and violence closely. However, Keystone, the youth leadership program of the Club, awakened in Hector the sense of ownership towards his community and allowed him to go dialogue with residents and generate change. In that direction, he helped create the community newspaper La Voz de Llorens, which exposes the needs of his surroundings but also, the achievements in public housing.
Héctor, who also found in the Club a place to develop the discipline and responsibility necessary to improve academically, aspires to complete a bachelor’s degree in commerce. “Wherever I am, I will always try to be a spokesperson for change. I have always had the impression that equality can be the source of peace. That is why I want to contribute to that ideal”, he says with conviction.
What obstacle or challenge have you experienced?
“During a time in my life, my academic index began to drop. I can find personal or external reasons to justify this. For me, education represents the expansion of opportunities that will sustain my future. Lowering my grades was not an option for me.
However, for some reason, I did not take advantage of my effort. For example, a study material that I had already learned disappeared from my memory. So, I kept asking myself why I didn’t have better results. That thought invaded day-to-day and I chose, perhaps without realizing it, to give up. Despite my frustration, I took on new challenges and responsibilities, I reflected on what I had done and decided to go back to the Einstein phrase I once heard:“If you want different results, don’t do the same thing”. I understood that I could not make the same mistakes from the past and thus, I retook my studies, recognizing my weaknesses to find ways to strengthen them”.
What characteristics a leader must have?
“A leader must be honest with himself and with his group, and demonstrate maturity and respect when receiving the opinion and ideas of others.”