Alum Rock rocked!
At around 9:15 the entire NPI crew was ready to hit the road, without really knowing what to expect from our tour in the Alum Rock neighborhood in San Jose.
We first arrived at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, where we received a warm welcome from Sarah Chesson, the Assistant Director of the Corporate Work Study Program at the school. We shared a delicious breakfast with some of the juniors, who will be part of the first class to ever graduate from the school.
Our agenda for the day included short introductions from both the students at Cristo Rey and from SCU, a tour around the new building, and some in depth conversations in smaller groups. This was a great opportunity to ask students about the Alum Rock neighborhood. But it was also enlightening to hear about their childhoods, their stories, and their interests. In fact, during our NPI discussion a couple of days later, someone in our class mentioned “Every time I had a question for the students at Christo Rey I was blown away by how patient they were, how professional they were, and how articulate they were.” Similarly, during the small group conversations, the Cristo Rey students were able to ask us about our experiences in college. They wanted to hear about the challenges we face, the opportunities we have, and the advantages of Santa Clara University. Remarkably, many of the students are planning to apply to SCU in the next year. This is an opportunity they would have never been able to dream of without the education, support and facilities that Cristo Rey offers them. As one NPI student stated afterwards “They were inspiring us as much as we were inspiring them”.
One of the most impactful moments of the day was when a student at Cristo Rey shared her story. She was brave enough to step up in front of the class and describe the circumstances she faced when she grew up. Later, she detailed how the opportunities for her future have radically changed since Cristo Rey. Her story “truly put my life into perspective” said one of the students from the NPI class afterwards.
After saying goodbye to everyone at Cristo Rey we drove past Floreria Juanita - one of the businesses we will be working with this year. Later, we visited and met the owners of Licia Imports and Sweet Passions bakery – two of the other businesses involved in the project.
Our final stop was Bacalhau Grill, a Portuguese restaurant in the neighborhood. We shared lunch with all of the business owners there, including the owners of Green Bay Hauling and Immaculate Cleaning. This was a great opportunity for all of us to break the ice and to get to know each other. We chatted about all sorts of things, ranging from personal anecdotes to business ideas.
To summarize, our experience in the Alum Rock neighborhood was essential for us to have a better understanding of the community. It helped us put our lives into perspective and grasp the importance of truly getting to know the people we will work with before we dare to make any business decisions.