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No matter where my travels take me, New York City continues to draw me back.

I am a unity of opposites, as are most of us out there in the world. I'm a work in progress and hope to be for the rest of my life. I guess I'm some sort of combination of laid back and passionate, intelligent but humble, driven but not obsessively goal oriented. Despite some rough and tumble beginnings, life has presented me with with the opportunity to make my home and find new friends and family in a few places(Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina, and Puerto Rico to name a few). Each one has left its mark and shaped who I am today.

My childhood was spent in the projects of New York City. As a teenager I often took the train to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, roaming for hours, my experience shaping a deep belief that there was more to life than my own immediate reality. It also equipped me with a deep conviction that something was wrong with a society that had some living in penthouse towers across from the museum and others living in housing projects.

I do my best to maintain a perspective on the past and future while staying rooted in the present.

I more and less (Think: "Cee-Lo Green and His Perfect Imperfections")than can be communicated on this silly site. I hope you are too...

I have a big heart that despite all the bumps and bruises of life, still has more than enough love and affection to give. I think critically of the world and my own place in it. I care deeply about leaving it a better place than I found it. Something I realized recently was that some people find my energy both attractive yet intimidating. If your interested in getting to know me, send a message and we can go from there.

Anyone who wants to practice Portuguese or Quechua message me as I am always looking to improve! I am also down to practice Spanish but since I'm already fluent I require a drink or ice cream as compensation!

Getting my Phd in History (Latin America and the Caribbean) at NYU.
Also known as losing myself in the murky depths of academia.

Loving loft living in Brooklyn.

Trying to figure out how to be a part of affecting some sort of fundamental social change in our society (I'm not a fan at all of racism, sexism, homophobia, or economic inequality.)

Learning Quechua.

Cooking, Intellectually Stimulating Conversation, Dancing, Rearranging stuff (rooms, books, etc...), watching movies, languages, choosing my own adventure (ask me how!), trying to paint my room, listening, being straightforward and honest about how I feel and what I see.

My height.

My ability to put people I have just met completely at ease.

My smile.

My passion for everything and everyone that is important to me.

My tendency to cut the crap and influence others around em to do the same.

Books: "Drown" by Junot Diaz, "History and Class Consciousness" by George Lukacs, Reform or Revolution by Rosa Luxemberg, The Black Jacobins by C.L.R. James, When I Was Puerto Rican by Esmerelda Santiago (Ok so I cheated with this one. I read it yearly as it is one of a number books that help me remember who I am.)

Movies: The two movie CHE biopic (got to see a sneak preview and it was AWESOME!) Happy go Lucky, Secrets and Lies (an oldie but goodie).... In general I love independent and international films. I also love the occasional blockbuster from time to time.

My principles

My twin brother

My openness to new experiences

My moleskine notebook and a good pen

Good Food and Sweets.

Relaxing

How to stay true to myself in a not so friendly world!

Finding new ways of communicating (I love art in all its varied mediums)!

You?

Spending time with those I care about, good conversation, going out for dinner or a drink. Exploring my new digs (its a bit funky and awesome) Staying in and having friends over. Taking time out for some booty shaking set to music. Movies. Making things. Meeting you?

I miss photography so I have a photo blog where I put up pictures taken w/ my cameraphone.

www.justinorodriguez.wordpress.com

I'm in a pretty interesting place in my life and am excited to explore what lies ahead.

I've been thinking recently about my grandmother (she tends to pop up now and again in my thoughts) She was taken out of school in the third grade in Puerto Rico to help raise her siblings and as a result never really learned to read or write. She came to the United States at 18 and raised an entire family here in New York on a garment workers salary. She took my brother and I in at the age of three and raised us as her own children. I promised her I would graduate college and she would be there to watch them hand me my diploma. She passed away several years ago, never getting to see me graduate. This has affected me deeply. As I work through grad school it is a continuation of my promise to her. The commitment I have made to do what I can in being a part of bringing about some sort of progressive social change stems from values she instilled in me. I wonder what she would say. I hope she would be proud of me.

Your a secure, independent, and honest person who is clear about what they want from life and from meeting new people (whatever that might be!) Being passionate about something would be amazing. It could be anything from corn dogs to existentialism (ok maybe not existentialism!). I think it's important to have something in your life that drives you and helps to enrich your experience of the world around you. Tell me all about it and you'll have my undivided attention.

Very important is a healthy attitude towards intimacy (emotional and physical) and and openness to giving and receiving care, attention, and affection!

You like what you see and read here and feel up to it. Or, you are intrigued with what you have found and want to learn more, meet me, and mellow out over a nice conversation/drink/food/coffee....