We were lucky to catch up with Obed Silva recently and have shared our conversation below.
Obed , looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?
I come from a family of immigrants who have worked hard all their lives to thrive and prosper in this country. My mother, especially, who raised me on her own, has always taught me to work hard at whatever I do and to never give up on my dreams.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
What is most exciting about being an English professor at East Los Angeles College is working with students who come from a background similar to mine. My students are usually the first in their families to attend college, and they come to class filled with dreams and the aspiration to make their parents proud. I love this! When I see them at their desks, I’m reminded of my own college experience and what I had to go through to get to where I am professionally. In a similar manner, when my students see me, they see someone to whom they can relate, and this empowers them to continue with their education.
Through my writing and art, I’m also able to uplift my community. My memoir The Death of My Father the Pope, in addition to dealing with issues of alcoholism and death, touches on topics of family and community. It empowers people of all backgrounds and nationalities to persevere in the face of adversity, but especially those who come from immigrant families or who immigrated to this country themselves.
My art in many ways fulfills the same purpose. As representation of Latino and Chicano culture, it elevates the lives of people who are often marginalized and overlooked by mainstream art and media.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
As an artist, my skills as a writer and painter are the most important. Without them, I wouldn’t be able to produce books or create masterful paintings. As an educator, my most important quality is empathy, for it allows me to teach without the impediment of judgement, which often leads to penalizing students other than meeting them where they are in level of skill and place in society.
Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?
Les Misérables by Victor Hugo changed my life. As a former gang-member who is paralyzed from the waist down as a result of begin shot through the back and who at one point faced a life sentence in prison for shooting a rival gang-member, Les Mis showed me that redemption is possible for anyone, regardless of their past, and it taught me that compassion and love always win out.
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