Hugo Garicia

What is Hugo Garcia’s connection to the San Gabriel Valley?

Hugo feels as though he has a connection to every aspect of the SGV. When Hugo was just 6 years old, he moved to El Monte. He went to El Monte High School and held multiple jobs in the area, such as the West Covina Mall and the Rosemead In N Out.

 

Where did Hugo go to college?

Hugo attended ELAC, East LA College, and earned his associate’s degree in Criminal Justice

 

Where was Hugo’s family from before they moved to the SGV?

Hugo Garcia’s parents were living with his grandmother and a few of his uncles. Hugo comes from a huge family with five brothers and five sisters. 

 

What was it like growing up in El Monte?

Hugo felt that he was exposed to a lot of danger that he didn’t really realize at the time. There were a lot of friends who were not from the best parts of town who didn’t always have the best intentions. However, Hugo’s parents instilled exceptional values and morals in him, which kept him on the straight and narrow.

 

Were there a lot of gangs and drugs where Hugo Garcia grew up?

Yes, unfortunately. His elementary school was exposed to the projects. Even during recess time there would be people approaching the school that shouldn’t have been around. When it comes to the nature as to why these folks were hanging around schools, Huge assumes it was to adopt these children into their gang lifestyle. 

 

Did Hugo feel removed from these lifestyles or gang temptations?

Huge certainly was not removed from negative impacts. For instance, one of Hugo’s closest friends ended up in gangs and others found themselves in jail. Due to his closeness to these friends, Hugo realizes how easily he could have slipped into that sort of lifestyle were it not for his parents.

 

What were Hugo Garcia’s parents like?

They were excellent parents. They were very loving, have been together for 37 years, and grew up Catholic. Just about every Sunday they went to church. Hugo has a brother that is three years younger than him and a sister who is eight years younger.

 

Did Hugo Garcia play any sports?

Hugo was involved in Karate for about three years. He also played basketball, and football, and ran cross country and track and field. 

 

Was Hugo unsure of where he wanted to go with his career?

In Hugo’s experience, within the Hispanic culture, it is more common for work to be pushed rather than education. And sooner than later. For instance, Hugo started working at 14 years old to help his parents. They were relatively low-income, so any additional money to help with bills was a major benefit.

 

What did Hugo Garcia want to do in college?

Before attending ELAC, Hugo had a passion for graphic design. He was enrolled into a Graphic Arts Academy. However, he ended up losing interest in graphic design. This led him to attending ELAC for nursing. The reason he chose nursing is because his best friend’s older brother had become an RN and Hugo noticed he always had some type of exciting new toy, like a car or bike. Unfortunately, he discovered he did not have a passion for nursing, either. 

Where does Hugo’s journey go from here?

While attending ELAC for criminal justice, he discovered that Monterey Park was opening up a 24 hour fitness. He ended up applying to work there, he realized it was a fantastic fit. Working with clients was an amazing part of Hugo’s life until the COVID-19 pandemic. Not being able to work consistently while his wife was pregnant was a major burden on the family. 

 

So what did Hugo do?

Hugo decided to go through the certification process to become a firefighter. He enrolled in an EMT class and did his physical assessment test. During this time, and even after as he continued personal training, Hugo realized he had an unlimited amount of discipline and drive because everything he was doing was in the best interest of his daughter and her future.

 

What kind of parent did Hugo want to be?

Hugo truly diagnosed what it meant, to him, to be a role model, a father figure, and a proper masculine presence in his household. He was constantly absorbing information and trying his very best to provide for his daugther and lead his family. 

 

What is a normal day for Hugo?

Hugo wakes up around 3 AM. He leaves his house and works about 30 miles away from his home. He works out and does some journaling, essentially giving himself 10 minutes or so for reflection and gratitude. This is a typical wake-up time and the beginning of Hugo’s day. He begins his own personal workout around 4 am before everyone starts arriving at the gym around 5 am. Hugo’s first client will arrive at 6 am, and he works until 5 pm. He plays with his daughter until she goes to bed around 8:30 pm, and then Hugo is typically in bed by 9:30 pm. 

 

What does Hugo plan to do in the future?

Hugo plans on expanding into an online space so that he can help even more people. It will also provide more freedom for him to spend time with his wife and daughter. Eventually, they want to buy some land out of state where they can build a house and have some level of self-sustainability. This includes collecting rain-water, having chickens and some cattle, and instil proper morals in his daughter.

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Music Credits

Intro
Like it Loud, Dyalla, YouTube Audio Library

Stinger
Scarlet Fire (Sting), Otis McDonald, YouTube Audio Library

Outro
Indecision, Dyalla, YouTube Audio Library