Maria Alviso

          Maria Alviso has an important role in helping our community. While I was interviewing her, I really got to know what she does and who she really is. Maria is Mexican, she takes life and what she does serious and is encouraging. She likes to teach the unfortunate Latinos to speak English to better themselves and their family. She seemed to allow her experience to influence her success. In my point of view Maria is a person that cares, has hope, and makes a difference.

              Maria has worked with Chicago Public Schools in an after school program for thirteen years to help students’ parents to give more time and effort in helping their kids at home so that they can improve in their education and at home as a family. She helps the parents speak English, so that they can improve the help they offer to their kids. She’s glad to see that gangs have decreased and kids are doing better. She helps empower parents and that’s her biggest accomplishment.

              She is very sensitive towards the ones who don’t have the advantage to speak English in America. Maria herself has said, “The reason why immigrants cross the border is to move in search of better life and better opportunities for their family.” Maria is an immigrant with four kids of her own with the goal of giving them a better chance in life to help them throughout their way. She wanted to work for the community since she was little because she wanted to make a difference for her situation. Fortunately, one is the age of 22 and currently attending college studying to be a doctor. She wants to see a change in life from those who need it, so she sticks to her experience and goals for the future.

              Her mother is her personal hero because she has encouraged her. In my eyes she is a hero because of her dedication in helping others go through life with help rather then alone. She wants to be an influence on parents, teens and the community in all. Therefore, she has many hero qualities and the ambition to be a hero to many. She said, “The big word to describe community is family, and we are the future, school is also the most important thing in our community.” She would like to involve more youth and parents to improve and help the community. Maria has enough encouragement to make a difference or even an influence in the lives of many.

                                                                                             
Written by:  Justin Munoz