Spring Virtual Experience - First Impression

What I took away from my first OLASTEO virtual experience is that every person is capable of changing their life for the better. Danny Trejo is a perfect example of a catalyst for social change because he decided on bettering his life. From his session I learned that every person has their own experience when it comes to thinking about others rather than yourself. Mr. Trejo decided that he wanted to “die with dignity,” and that’s when he began thinking about other people. He recognized that prison is a lonely, hopeless place where no one else matters but yourself, and no one gets protection unless they pay. 

He went from robbing his neighborhood to taking his elderly neighbors’ trash out for them. In addition, with his habit of getting into fights as a young man, Trejo managed to get a job coaching actors in boxing. This opportunity later helped him become an actor himself. For the first couple of years of his career, he played in movies where he was the “macho man” or bad guy; but later on, he began to get lead roles where he had more screen time. The experience of going to jail showed him that the path he was taking was wrong, and he knew he had to make a change. He made a career out of movies and became an entrepreneur. He now has two franchises, Trejo’s Tacos and Trejo’s Donuts, and I believe Danny Trejo shows people that regardless of the mistakes you made in the past, it is possible to change your life and help others. 

The next speaker session, Mental Health in the Hood, is also a perfect example of becoming a catalyst for social change. Charles and Dynasty Taylor both experienced struggles in their childhood going into adulthood. Charles Taylor went to prison at sixteen and missed the early childhood of his daughter, Dynasty. She struggled with anger issues and did badly in school, resulting from her unstable home. Both Dynasty and Charles experienced trauma because of all the negative experiences that have happened to them growing up. Dynasty did not have a good relationship with her father for a time, and they were never able to talk without disagreeing, but they both decided to start healing. They formed a non-profit program that helps many others who experience similar trauma or other situations to help them manage and cope with their struggles. This organization has been able to benefit many others who required help; in the process, both Charles and Dynasty used what they went through and changed their lives and the lives of many in the community for the better. 

Overall, I learned that it is possible to make better choices and use our negative experiences to make something good out of it: Every person is capable of changing their life for the better.