Ricardo Palavecino
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I believe that we have to help ourselves and better ourselves by trying to do right. It is not to get out of here. I love my Latino community. It is just about doing better to progress.
I moved closer to work and have enjoyed being able to ride my bike to work. One of the criteria I was using to pick my next occupation was being able to ride to work, and being here gives me that advantage.
Sometimes the community participates in working with me on murals and we create great ideas together. It's kind of a collective work.
A lot of people pass through here to buy clothes, furniture, stuff they need, televisions, and electronics.
The children are able to see what's outside their home and what's outside their community. We are able to help them look forward to the future, and see that it is a good future for them.
I used to own a dry cleaners but now I only have an agency. I couldn't take care of the dry cleaners anymore so I kept the agency — we wash clothes, all types.
I work doing yards. I haven't stopped working.
Growing up my mother was very poor, but every night we had at least 12 to 15 people around the dinner table.
Just by walking around you can discover a new part of the street or a back road that you've never been to before.
Atwater Village is amazing because it's blossoming with cool little shops and coffee places and there's parking.
When I was looking for a location my family was the first to say "but why would you start a shop there? That area is very dangerous."
The picture framing business has always drawn me to it because I can be immersed in art pretty much all day and then it doesn't drain me so I can do art when I get home.