We met on a frigid snow-filled February morning at the library.
Dr. Robert Renteria was born October 13, 1960 in a barrio of Los Angeles, Calif.. It was a difficult childhood with drugs and gangs, an absent father, and abuse. He ran away from that environment and lived on the streets as a homeless man.
“The Army saved my life,” he began. “I was able to obtain my GED and spent over seven years honorably serving as a non-commission officer ultimately spearheading the reactivation of the 3rd Special Forces at Fort Bragg (N.C.). I served with the paratroopers. The Army gave me confidence, discipline, and the value of teamwork.”
“I moved to Lisle, Illinois in 1990 and sold washers and dryers to laundromats in the area for five years. In 2001 I started my own business as a distributor to laundromats. When two young people asked me what was the secret to my success, I told them it was simply hard work. I told them to write that down and remember it.”
“It took me 18 months to write (the book) From the Barrio to the Board Room and now I know my journey was just beginning. In 2008 a curriculum based on that book became available to classrooms. The curriculum meets the Illinois State Library Standards. A Graphic novel, Mi Barrio, and the Activity coloring book Little Barrio both demonstrate that dreams can be realized through education, determination, perseverance and hard work.”
When I asked him what motivated him and what were his guiding principles that had so dramatically changed his life, he replied that God is using him as a symbol and all that he did was faith-based. When his mother, Martha, now 80, attended an award dinner in his honor, she took his face in her hands and told him that this was not about him and that it was about serving God and his fellow man. They both knew he was to remain humble in the face of all his success and achievements.
Robert has worked with Mutual Ground, Hesed House, Wayside Cross, in Aurora, and East Aurora schools, Kane County prisons, and others in the community to promote what he terms a cultural calm that will lift children up and improve their self-esteem by his message of hope. He wants our children to fly like the angels so that diversity and inclusion become the norm.
His message has resonated with more than 25 million people world-wide and his books are in 25 countries, including in Africa, Spain, Mexico, Pakistan, Columbia, China, Spain, and Europe. He has been the keynote speaker to tens of thousands through Zoom. He is in discussion with Netflix for a docuseries.
“I think God chooses his disciples, his warriors. “Tell your story so we can all be healed. Give others a hand-up not a hand-out. Texas schools just purchased 5,000 copies of ‘From the Barrio’ and I print the books on demand. There are 26 Illinois State prisons with copies both in English and Spanish. I am now in talks with the federal bureau of prisons also to help address the recidivism.”
Robert’s awards are prestigious including an honorary doctorate degree for his outstanding leadership in academics, social projects and contributions to the improvement of all humanity. He is the only Latino in the world who has received two National Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Awards for his work as a civil rights leader and a Latino voice in educational reform. He has been the first Latino in the world receive an international Outstanding Humanitarian Award for promoting global peace and education.
Robert’s exuberance and drive, his commitment and promotion of youth empowerment is outstanding. “Black lives matter. Latino lives matter. All lives matter,” he said in conclusion. To learn more visit www.fromthebarrio.com.