Today we’d like to introduce you to C. Osvaldo Gomez.
Hi C. Osvaldo, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers.
For most immigrants, the American dream is elusive and hard to achieve. I’m here to confirm that the dream is indeed difficult to obtain, but not evasive at all. Not when you want something bad enough. For me, that was success–in whatever I convinced myself to get into. My journey began in East San Jose as a six-year-old undocumented boy from Chihuahua, Mexico. School came easy to me, once I learned English and how to stay out of trouble. Most people would be content with a college degree or two and a stable career. In fact, at one point, I saw myself sticking to the field of education (teaching and administration) and simply promoting within it. My inner drive, call it the immigrant hustle mentality, pushed me into areas I’d never imagined I’d ever get into, like blogging, being a brand ambassador for a start-up Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT), writing works of fiction and non-fiction, i.e., being an author, and the latest iron in the fire is…wedding officiating. Life for me has never been about how you start. It’s always been about how you finish. The pursuit of meaning leads me to new adventures!
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The two biggest obstacles I had growing up were my immigration status and learning English. Even after President Reagan’s Amnesty, I still had to file for a temporary and permanent resident “alien” card. This took time and lots of Immigration Office visits, but of course, I’d do it all over again in a heartbeat. In contrast, getting my citizenship (becoming a naturalized US citizen) was a whole lot easier. Other challenges I’ve faced include being a newbie a bunch of times! My first year teaching, first year as a high school assistant principal, launching, growing, and running a successful blog, selling non-publicly traded stock, dealing with numerous publishing rejections, and finally breaking through, and now…starting a new side business as a wedding minister. Good thing the internet exists and there are a whole bunch of people willing to help if you ask, plus offer some sort of value back to them for their time. Some people don’t want anything. They’re just glad to help. So, ask, ask, ask! Don’t be afraid.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
They call me: Homie G! My students, that is. Over my twenty-two-plus years of being an educator, I’ve built a reputation for being one of the most empathetic, effective, and charismatic teachers. I made a pretty good vice principal as well. In fact, I was featured in the San Diego Union Tribune by Fred Dickey. But alas, having to deal with so many social problems had an impact on my mental well-being, and I left that role to return to the classroom as a middle school teacher. If you want to get a glimpse of how I help teens in school, check out my (not-for-profit) YouTube channel: Teacher Homie G.
What were you like growing up?
I was an incredibly energetic and anxious kid growing up. I had to always be moving and exercising. I spent countless hours hanging out with friends playing basketball, football, riding BMX bikes across the city of San Jose, walking at the mall, you name it. I loved talking in class and often got sent to the office for being a chatterbox. I was the classic class clown. My interests included running cross country and track at school. I liked watching movies, especially sci-fi ones like the entire Alien(s) series and John Carpenter flicks. I was a closet nerd because being an open nerd meant getting beat up where I went to school. I also suffered from bouts of depression at times due to being exposed to childhood trauma. I teach an elective course at my school, and every year, I share my trauma story with my students. Suffice it to say, the anxiety I also suffered from shaped my coming of age a whole lot more than my depression.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.matrimonymaestroofficiant.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matrimonymaestro/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/matrimonymaestroofficiant
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cosvaldogomez/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/cosvagomez
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@teacherhomieg
