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Local Hispanic of the Month¡Aplauda Hampton Roads!b  y Idalia Rosa-MartinezMay 2007 “The one thing I have always been told I was gifted at, I was a natural at was writing,” said Ivan Sanchez, Hampton Roads’ own and published author. Ivan Sanchez, 34-year-old Bronx born, dropped out of school in the 10th grade later to complete a GED and further accomplish an AA in Computer and Information Science. Now he caps himself a May 2007 University of Phoenix graduate with a BS in Management. Challenges have been part of Mr. Sanchez’ life, but overcoming those challenges has also been his destiny. A few moments with Ivan Sanchez, a second generation Nuyorican (a colloquial term for Puerto Rican born in New York) and you know he is a Latino on a mission. Read on into the life of Mr. Sanchez as Sabor Hampton Roads interviews and records history in the making for this father of three and resident of Virginia Beach for over a decade. Any book, movie, song or poem that impacted your career choice? Why? It wasn’t so much a book that impacted my career in writing. It was more the support that I got from teachers, family and friends. The one thing I have always been told I was gifted at, I was a natural at was writing. So when the time came to write I had an overwhelming confidence that was placed in me by all those people. Favorite Hispanic personality? Why? I respect all Latino’s who contribute positive work in any area. I love to see Latino’s empower themselves and support one another. I have met so many wonderful and powerful Latino’s as a result of my book being published. Right now several Latino TV and film producers and actors have option rights for a film and audio project on my book. Among these you’ll find Lee Davis, Casper Martinez, Labid Aziz, Luis Guzman, April Hernandez. A song, word, or phrase that describes your life: At this point in my life I’d have to say Sam Cooke’s A Change is Gonna Come… I often draw on the words of that song to give me the strength and hope I need to believe in my abilities as one man to make the change I believe needs to be made to society today. As crime statistics begin to grow in gang related crimes right here in Hampton Roads, I understand I have a responsibility to my children and to my community to make sure a change happens now. I will not sit by and watch what happened in the streets of New York and California happen here. There is no room for senseless crimes in our community and it is going to have to take the entire community to ensure things don’t get out of control. I’d like to see a positive change in the way our youth view life because too many times I’ve seen just how little they care about their own lives as well as the lives of others. When did you know you were a writer? In the second grade when a poem I wrote was published in the Catholic Archdiocese Newspaper. I liked seeing my name in print and people always complimented me on my writing so I held on to that. To this day I hold on to that. It just goes to show that your words can both encourage and discourage a young person from chasing a dream or finding their calling in life. Truthfully, my career as a writer launched after the Twin Towers 9/11 incident. I wrote a few editorial commentaries for the Virginian Pilot about my years working at the Towers. Through this writing, I was able to collect money for the families of deceased fire fighters and hand these donations over to the families personally. Then I continued to write for the Port Folio magazine on music events in the area. Titles of your books: My first book is called Next Stop: Growing up Wild Style in the Bronx. It is a memoir about my life, mostly from 1987 to 1993 when the neighborhood lost its innocence and the crack epidemic flooded the streets with drugs and crime in the Bronx as well as other urban neighborhoods across the nation. My second book will be a fiction offering titled The Murder Exchange; I am about three quarters of the way done writing it and look forward to submitting it to my agent by the end of the year. My third book will be the memoirs of DJ Disco Wiz who is a Latino pioneer for hip-hop and the younger generation wanting to break into the music business. Published books: Bohemian Griot Publishing in Virginia Beach first published Next Stop. The founder, Max Nomad believed my story needed to be told and he helped me take the book to the next level. I just signed on with Touchstone Fireside / Simon & Schuster and they will be re-releasing the book. I never allowed myself to dream that I would sign with a major publishing house the first time out but it just goes to show what an interest there is Latin literature. Was there a moment in growing up that defined a cultural difference between you and your peers? Growing up in the Bronx allowed me to experience every culture known to mankind. I grew up with African Americans, Albanians, Italians, Irish, Polish and Hispanics. I was never exposed to racism until I moved to Virginia Beach. I was actually in Military Circle Mall the first time I experienced racism and it was a very deflating experience. At the end of the day the only cultural difference I see is when we sit down at the dinner table. We might eat a little differently but we are all just human beings and people need to remember that message before they sit down and try to judge people. Compare a difference from how you were raised and how you raised your children in Hampton Roads. New York is very fast paced and no one ever slows down to smell the roses. I grew up with that do or die mentality, only the strong survive. Out here my children can focus on education and not worry about getting their chain snatched off their neck walking home from school. They can enjoy the beach and a much calmer existence, that is the way life should be. How well do you think the United States in general, but Hampton Roads in particular, have done in creating opportunities and accommodating Spanish-speaking people? I believe the United States definitely caters to Spanish speaking citizens and Hampton Roads is no different. I believe as the years move on corporate America is beginning to stand up and pay attention not only to the fact that we are more educated today but that we demand quality and good customer service in order to retain our business. As the largest minority in the world there isn’t a corporation in American not paying attention to our spending power and it is up to us as a people to make sure they do the right thing by us. There is power in numbers and we have the numbers not to take advantage of any situation but to ensure they treat us right as customers. And if we are not treated right we have to address those issues and make sure those injustices don’t go unchallenged and unchanged. What influence do you think the Hispanic population has had on the Hampton Roads community? I believe we’ve had a very positive impact on the area. We are very hard workers and very passionate about our families and the success of our families. I think huge majorities of Hispanics that have come to this area have come in search of a better life for their children. Higher paying jobs, better schools and safer neighborhoods. But we have to remember that it is also our responsibility not to bring that outside mentality out here and allow our children to destroy the peace and tranquility we have come here for. I have seen neighborhoods in Florida that look worse than the Bronx. We are sometimes guilty of not only transporting our good traits but transporting our bad habits as well. When we bring teenagers out here it is our responsibility to make sure we don’t bring in that street mentality. I was very guilty of behaving that way when I moved here… I walked around with a chip on my shoulder and spent way too much time asking people “what the hell they were looking at?” It took me a while to realize people actually said hello and greeted you with eye contact. Of what life achievements are you most proud? I’m most proud of graduating college and becoming a productive member of society. There were times in my life I just wanted to die because I didn’t see any future for myself. My mother gave me every opportunity in life to succeed but I chose to take every opportunity in life to fail. It wasn’t until my daughter was born that I realized I owed her better than my father gave me. I changed my entire life around to offer her a better existence. I can preach college to all of my children without being a hypocrite and that is my greatest achievement in life. How do you see yourself giving back to the Hispanic population of Hampton Roads? I’m working with the Virginia Beach Police Departments Gang Unit on an anti-gang initiative program. I want to honor the memories of all those friends I lost to violence in the Bronx. I want them to rest in peace knowing that they did not die in vain and I am using their story to educate these kids about gangs, drugs and violence. I am using Virginia Beach as my base of operations and I plan to move on to Norfolk, Portsmouth, Newport News, Hampton and all the outlying areas to spread a message of change. What is your favorite cultural dish? I love grilled chicken with yellow rice and beans. If you give me a side of plátano maduro and empanda’s I’m a happy man… And Sabor Hampton Roads knows Ivan’s wife, Stormy, will keep him a happy man as their lives open to a new chapter of opportunity. Continued updates on Ivan Sanchez and his literary work can be found at ¡Aplauda Hampton Roads! |
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