Jorge Oliver

1) Please explain what you do for a living.

I am a Community Assistant at the Pointe Apartments in State College, PA. I work in the office and as a part of the maintenance crew. So I not only help residents with questions about their living but I also do some of the hands-on work too. 

2) How important in your identity is being Latino?

It is very important to me being Latino because I feel like that’s always the first trait I want people to know about me. It’s what makes me stand out in most of my friend groups. 

3) Is there something that you particularly value of your nationality or being Latino?

I value the ability of knowing a language on top of English. Being bilingual is the best thing that ever happened to me because it not only gives me and my brothers our own kind of private communication but it has also proven useful in everyday life. Like last week I helped a woman in a McDonalds who was struggling to order because the cashier couldn’t understand her broken English but I translated and felt like a superhero even thought it was a simple assistance. 

4) Have you been treated differently because of being Latino (in the workplace, in public settings…etc.)? If so, can you describe a situation?

I haven’t been treated different in the workplace but I definitely think it has given me the extra edge when applying for previous jobs. People see it as very beneficial having a bilingual employee especially when there are many Latino residents in the community.