Like many of our nation’s restaurant industry workers, Citlali Cruz was feeling vulnerable and frustrated during the COVID-19 pandemic. He had dedicated years of his life to restaurants and suddenly his was closed, open, then closed again.
“In Los Angeles, people weren’t taking the virus seriously,” explains Citlali. “I wanted to do something where I was helping people who cared more about my health.”
While searching for opportunities, JVS SoCal’s MediWork$ (formerly CarrerWork$ Medical) program caught his eye. It prepares participants for non-clinical positions in hospital and clinic environments as a first step on the career ladder in healthcare.
“I thought why not go to work in a hospital where the pandemic is taken seriously and I’d be able to help people going through it?” he recalls. “I gave it a shot and now I’ve been working at Cedars-Sinai for a little over a year.”
Citlali liked that his MediWork$ class was small, and most participants were lower income like him. They shared fascinating stories about wanting to work in healthcare—from a grocery store manager who wanted to use her management skills in another way to a woman with a daughter with disabilities who was inspired to help others.
The program prepared Citlali for everything from how to dress for a job interview to how to administer CPR and first aid, stuff he didn’t learn while earning a B.A. in English at UCLA. His favorite part was learning medical terminology. “I love words and etymology (the study of word origins),” he says. “I just love knowledge, so I was really excited about this.”
One critical piece of knowledge was how to be more empathetic and treat people who are acting out. “Customer service is difficult in a restaurant where people are mad because their order is wrong,” he explains. “In a hospital, it’s because they’re worried about a loved one or going through a challenging time.”
Citlali landed a job as a steward serving food to patients at Cedars-Sinai, which he found very satisfying as he was able to show kindness and empathy to the patients. His dedication brought smiles to the patient’s faces and thank-you’s at a time of need.
While working at Cesars-Sinai, he felt that he needed to involve himself more with patients. He moved to a mental health institution, where he became involved in case management, a position he holds at present at a social services agency in Los Angeles. There, he works with patients who have mental and substance abuse issues.
“It makes you feel that you’re making a difference in somebody’s life,” adds Citlali. “I think it’s a way of helping uplift people in the community who need to be uplifted and how satisfying is for you to see that the people you’re helping go ahead and succeed.”
His work as case manager has motivated Citlali to consider working on a master’s degree and maybe a PhD. After all, he believes it fits right with his English Bachelor’s Degree he already has.
“English is about like other people’s stories. So, what I’m doing is I’m just listening to a lot of stories here and helping write, helping them write a new chapter,” explains Citlali.
He’s inspired by authors like James Baldwin, due to his ability to write about the humanity of the marginalized. “I’m brown, queer and trans, so I like to write about the voices that aren’t always heard in our society,” he shares.
Citlali’s outreach work during the pandemic included packing food, providing access to mobile showers, and distributing hand sanitizer.
Citlali is thankful for the JVS SoCal program that helped put him on a better path in life.
If you’d like to help others like Citlali, take part in life-changing career training programs, please consider donating here.