IDENTIDADES 1 ENGLISH IDENTIDADES 7 ENGLISH | Page 21

cuts hair at the Barbeparque took our
course; today, she has her license and earns
a living cutting hair. The young man who
sells ice cream at the park has a criminal
record and served time, but has proven himself, so we found him a job. Between the
two of them, they pay the person who cleans
up in the park, also a member of the community.”
Papito, himself, has generated employment
at his salon, where there are four young men
working, each one of them paying his own
taxes. The fact that the social project has
also grown has generated jobs, too. His wife
managed to establish a restaurant on the
same street and also contributes to generating social benefits.
“I believe that that social benefits have an
impact on the economy. In the world today
there is an economy that involves solidarity,
from microcredit lending and popular banks.
My theory is about economic solidarity. I
start with human capital and social commitment. Here, what we have is a non-profit
‘Economic Solidarity Commission’: those
who us who have private businesses pay the
old man who sweeps the street. We support
anyone who wants to start a business, and
they don’t even have to pay us back the
money. My whole family lives in the United
States; I travel there, but always come back.
I believe this is what I have to do for my
time, my country, young people, children.”

Papito takes pride in not needing economic
help from his family abroad. “It makes them
feel good. People should be where they want
to be. I don’t see anything wrong with emigrating, but I wouldn’t like for people to
have to continue to leave due to economic
problems.
Yet, some of them are coming back now for
economic reasons because they are seeing
that there are possibilities of doing things
here.”
Papito has participated in national and international hairstyling events, but more of them
are Patrimonio’s national and international
events. He has been invited to share his experience in Spain and Mexico. Before I take
leave of him, I ask him what he prefers: barbering or hairstyling. “Hairstyling. Barbering is more complex, but women are more
demanding.”

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