Frankie Quintero

Student

“I love counseling at the Latino Center because I know the streets these kids are coming from.”

Frankie Quintero has virtually got a career under way helping other people from his community. “I grew up with a lot of gang members from Santa Monica,” he says. “And I’d like to see them getting back into school, taking Chicano history classes or African American history. I was as turned off as most kids in the gangs when I was in high school,” he recalls. “But I really got it turned around when I got to SMC.”

Frankie counsels in a program at John Adams Middle School which is coordinated by the Latino Center. “I spend a lot of time with junior high kids who are at risk or hard-core gang members,” he says. “They know where I’m coming from because I know a lot their older brothers who’re either in prison or out there getting shot. They respect me because I can relate to them.”

Frankie is studying political science at SMC and plans to use his political savvy to continue to help his community. “I’m not quite sure if I’ll practice law or go into government,” he says. “But I’m only 21, so I’m in no rush to make decisions.” No matter what direction he takes with his career, he knows he’ll always have some all-important backing. “My parents have always been behind me,” he says. “They always encourage everything I do.”

It’s just possible that Frankie is a born politician. “Ever since I was a little kid I was interested in politics and was always reading the papers,” he says. ”And getting involved with student government let me travel to Washington to represent SMC and meet with Congress. That kind of experience,” he adds, ”makes a strong impression.”

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