Rick Puente:  

The people in my community have become a part of my family, and I have been incredibly grateful for being raised on the Southside. I learned respect, humility, empathy, giving, and a strong sense that there is nothing we cannot accomplish together. My neighbors & classmates are some of the hardest working, family oriented, diverse, and most generous people you will ever meet. Growing up on the Southside often meant that we did not have a lot. What we did have was grit, a hard-working ethic, a can-do attitude, a love for our family, and a desire to help out our neighbors and friends. We had the ability to push for change, and lift each other up during hard times. Look. By now you know that life is about constant change, uncertainty, good times, and bad times. Success is measured differently by every individual. For some it's fame, money, wealth, simplicity, or even survival. We have...Expand for more