“Yo daría cualquier cosa por mi familia….”

Justino Lopez is a very hard working father of three and he works 12 hours so that his children can have a roof and go to collage. Due to Covid-19 his job hours have gone down. He is now working three jobs, he barely gets any sleep and still tries to give his kids some time. He does whatever it takes to ensure they have a better future. When things such as supplies for school, textbooks, clothes, shoes, backpacks are needed, whatever it is if it’s needed for school he makes sure we have it. He puts others in front of himself and never gets himself anything nice.

Arely Lopez: Why did you come to Los Angeles?

Justino Lopez: I came to the Los Angeles looking for a better life. I was born in a poor family in Hidalgo, Mexico. I was planning to come over here for only a couple of months and I had seen that the pay was way more over here than in Mexico.

AL: Do you feel like it was a good decision to stay in Los Angeles ?

JL: So far, it  has been my best decision because I planned on having kids over here and them growing up and being privileged to being able to go to school, college, and then see them grow up and purse there dreams.

AL:Was it hard when you came here?

JL: It was hard but I had a cousin who had lived out here and he helped me the first night I had to sleep on the floor because he didn’t have another bed and I honestly didn’t have anywhere to go.

Al: What did you do after you got here?

Jl:The first day I went out to eat breakfast and I had called your mother to come over here.A few years later we decided to have your brother and I had to get another job.Then 5 years later I had you and then in 2 years later your younger brother.