Alright, so, today, we have an interview with Abel Morales, from the City Heights community, and these are a few questions that I have for him.

So, Abel, tell me, how does City Heights fit into your current lifestyle here in San Diego?

A: Well, I currently reside, I live in Chula Vista, but I work here in City Heights, and I wouldn't say that just because I don't live here, I don't feel part of the community, because working here at the YMCA, I can interact with so many teens, and not even teens, I interact with kids from ages 3 to 5 too, and I grow connections with them, we talk about how things are going at home and whatnot, so personally the way I feel, that the people who actually live in this community, the way they make me feel, it makes me feel like I live in this community as well, so it fits into my daily lifestyle based off of, everday I come over here, and I learn about how these kids, how they live here, how it fits into their lifestyle, and I kinda just adjust myself to it.

Would you say, are you originally from here? From San Diego?

A: Yeah, I was born here. Born and raised.

Would you say that its been most beneficial to you?

A: Working here? Yes. Because I went to elementary school, and college, and high school, all in the Chula Vista area, and coming over here, into the City Heights community, um, I don't know anyone at all, I didn't know anyone at all here. Now, after working here at the Copley Price YMCA for about a year I have so many friends not even just through staff but members here at the YMCA that are actual members of the community here. So, it was something different, it was something I wanted to do, I wanted to get out of my comfort zone, and coming here, I don't regret it at all.

So why did you decide to work at the Copley Price?

[Several minutes of explanatory conversation]

Final question: based on what you've been hearing from the media, whats your general thought on what they have of this community?

A: Well my personal opinion on the media is that they will exploit all the negativity. They dont thoroughly research, I'd say. They find something bad and they'll make it breaking news, top of the hour news, and I feel thats why a lot of people look down on this community. It's cause they do go off what the media says and I don't agree with it. Obviously wherever you go youre going to have those people who commit crimes who do theft, robberies, everywhere you go youll find that from here to La Jolla, anywhere, but I dont think this community is like that at all. If they would actually come in, here into this YMCA and meet some of the people that actually live in this community, they would definitely think differently of city heights, and I think that City Heights would get a different approach from people. It's unfortunate that people, you know, think down upon this neighborhood, but I think they have to do a little more thorough research and actually come meet people from the community, instead of meeting someone who just committed a crime from this community.

Well, thats all the questions that I had, so thank you for taking the time to do this interview.

A: Thank you.

And that's it.