BIOGRAPHY

   My name is Andre Christopher Rivera. I was born in Manhatten New York on December 9th 1992 in Metropolitan Hospital. I was raised in the Bronx but i currently reside in the Bronx River neighborhood located in the Soundview section of the South Bronx. I  live at home with my mother and my stepfather, I have a sister and rumors of another sister and two brothers. I have two nephews and one niece and im sort of a family guy. I like to have fun and experience lots of things. I am a graduate of Herbert H Lehman High School and im currently waiting on college to be a freshman.

   I am a Youth Organizer in the South Bronx. I work for a faith based, not-for profit organization that is youth led. The name of the organization I am part of is called Youth Ministries for Peace and Justice (YMPJ.ORG). At Youth  Ministries I work on many Environmental Justice projects. One of the projects I work on is called the Sheridan Campaghn and my role is to support and come up with many solutions and ideas of what to do when the Sheridan Expressway is decommissioned. I  also work on rain water retention projects. The projects are ment to use rain water sustainably for plant growth, they are called rain gardens, green roofs, and street tree pit stewardship. I also do canoeing on my free time on the bronx river. When im not helping out with the enviornmental work im either supporting the educational capghn or working on other projects outside the office.

  success to me is basically being happy with what you have and what you fight for, everyday I see my community in some form of way different then the other day. What the hell does my community have to do with my success your probably wondering why I would say such a thing being from the Bronx and all. Well it has to do with alot of reasons for what success looks like to me. To me it looks like you have your family and your job , your doing what you have to do to sustain yourself. my community and family and friends have motivated me in ways that I couldn't imagine possible when I was younger from being the child always in something he shouldn't had been in to being the person who is  impacted many decisions and other life's.When I see the druggies and the people who just sit around and complain I look at them and say to myself I dont ever want to be that way I am a leader and no matter what anyone says or does nothing will change that.

  Thought Garden was created because I wanted to use this to get across many things that you wont find out there, I want to used it as a resource for others so when you have to do a Google search you wont have to dig deep you'll be able to find it here. The blog is meant to be used as an open dialogue for everything and anything. I've decided that I want to share my experience so that its out there and open for everyone. Now im not always going to have the best comments to things because it is an open space and one that should be used as that but I will respect peoples beliefs because I believe in safe space.