Omar Cardenas
Children's Defense Fund
Los Angeles, CA US
"Culture cures us; we heal through culture. We heal through our experiences and our ancestors' knowledge. I knew that I needed more of that to uplift my spirit, to help me heal from the trauma I experienced growing up."
Career Roadmap
Omar's work combines: Education, Non-Profit Organizations, and Teaching / Mentoring
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
In addition to understanding trauma and the process of healing, I would add that it is important for young people to always question what they see in their school, community, and the world. Young people will one day be in positions of leadership and it is important to have your own assessment of systemic and social issues, as well as be community minded so that you can be a part of making our world a better place. Take care of yourself, your family, and your community!
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Hispanic-American, Puerto Rican, and Mexican-American/Chicano Studies
California State University-Northridge
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life took a while to figure out
1.
Stockton, California, where Omar grew up, was once named "America's Most Miserable City."
2.
At home, Omar experienced physical psychological violence; he internalized that violence and started on a self-destructive path.
3.
At one point, his principal met him at the steps of the school and told him to leave; he didn't know what his options were, so he just left.
4.
Luckily, he had his older brother as a role model; his brother was the first of his friends to graduate high school.
5.
He'd listen to his brother have intellectual conversations, and he felt powerless because he couldn't engage; decided he had to go back to school.
6.
He was 23 when he went back to school; started at community college, where a Chicano Studies class caught his attention.
7.
Realized "la cultura cura": culture cures; joined the Children's Defense Fund to help young people learn about and embrace their roots.
8.
Says at times, seeing young people going through what he experienced can be taxing, but he stays positive, takes everything one day at a time.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Teachers:
You can't go to this school anymore.
How I responded:
I wasn't given the critical or analytical skills to challenge this negative perception that people had of me based on how I was raised. So, I accepted it and internalized it. By looking up to my older brother and watching him succeed made me feel powerless because I knew I couldn't engage at that level. That was all it took to inspire me to go back to school and push through.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
I didn't have any mentors to guide me. I didn't know what my options were.
Physical violence existed in my home so I internalized that and it was exacerbated by what was going on in my community.
I'm a first generation resident of this country. My parents were immigrants.