Local public policy leader reflects on move to America

Dr. Dante Gonzalez served as Corpus Christi’s assistant health director, before moving over to the city’s parks and recreation department.

ANIMATION***HERITAGE ANIMATION**}{***TRIPLSVO**}HONORING HISPANIC HERITAGE MEANSNEVER FORGETTING WHERE YOU CAMEFROM.THAT’S DR. DANTE GONZALEZ’SLIFE’S MOTTO.HE SERVED AS CORPUSCHRISTI-NUECES COUNTY ASSIANSTHEALTH DIRECTOR..BEFORE MOVING OVER TO THE CITY ’PARKS & REC DEPARTMENT.IN THIS NEXT HISPANIC HERITAGEMONTH FEATUREGONZALEZ SHOWS US HOW HE WAS’HECHO EN MEXICO’...OR MADE IN MEXO.IC{***PKG**}{***SOT FULL**}01:26:45;01 - 01:26:48;14GONZALEZ: "My heritage is stillwith Mexo.ic"HERE, DR. DANTE GONZALEZ WASKNOWN AS POLLITO..OR BABY CHICKEN.HE HATCHED IN MEXICO CITY.{***SOT FULL**}01:12:45;16 - 01:12:47;13GONZALEZ: "The epicenter ofMexi."coGONZALEZ SAYS HE AND HIS FAMILYLEFT MEXICO FOR THE U-S IN 1999,WHEN 12 YEARS OLD.{***SOT FULL**}01:13:47;01 - 01:13:51;21GONZALEZ: "I was ready to starta different chapter.

I had justfinished sixth grade."THIS POLLITO EVENTUALLY LEARNEDENGLISH.THEN, FOUND HIS WINGS.{***SOT FULL**}01:15:04;23 - 01:15:20;20GONZALEZ: "When I became a U.S.citizen, it was the same daythat I graduated high school.

Iwas here in Corpus Christigetting my citizenship and Idrove back to Bloomington, TXwhere my family is so atth Icould graduate and walk thestage."GONZALEZ LATER WALKED TWO MORESTAGES:FOR HIS BACHELORS IN SCIENCE..AND P-H-D IN NEUROSCIENCE ANDGENETICS.HE THEN IMMEDIATELY FLEW BACKHOMETO WORK FOR THE CITY OF CORPUSCHRII.STIN THE LAST SEVEN YEARS HERE,HIS ROLES WERE ASSISNTTADIRECTOR OF PUBLIC HEALTHAND IDEPEMIOLOGIST AND PUBLICHEALTH ADMINISTRATOR.GONZALEZ HELPED GUIDE THIS CITYTHROUGH THE COVID PANDEMIC.{***SOT FULL**}01:19:58;15 - 01;20:;1052GONZALEZ: "One of the stthings I did there was makginsure we had every silengresource available to us."THAT MEANT A LOT OF GRANTWRITING.THE BIGGEST ONE AWARDED FROM THESTATE AT 18-MILLION DOLLARS.THE MONEY ALLOWS THE CITY TOHAVE MULTIPLE COVID VACCINATIONVENU.{***SOT FULL**}01:21:07;19 - 01;21:;014GONZALEZ: "We’re inching moretowards 60/70% vaccination rate.That’s what we really want."THESE DAYS, GONZALEZ ISRESHAPING HIS MISSION OF KEEPINGCORPUS CHRISTI HEALTHY.HE’S NOW THE INTERIM DIRECTOR OFTHE CITY’S PARKS & RECDEPARTMENT.{***SOT FULL**}01:28:04;21 - 01:28:11;24GONZALEZ: "Go out to a park.

Youdon’t need a mask when you’re ata park, right?

Be with yourfamily.

Play some soccer, goenjoy our basketball court"s.NATS: OPENS BAGOR PLAY LOTERIA!{***SOT FULL**}01;28:37;07 - 01;28:40;20Gonzalez: "You’ve playedloteria, right?"I DEFINITELY DID THIS DAY.GONZALEZ SHARED THIS GONZALEZFAMILY TRADITION -WHICH ALSO SERVES AS A REMDERINOF WHERE THEIR ROOTS LIE.{***SOFULLT **}01:31:21;03NATS: CARD SHULEFF{***SOT FULL**}01:33:45:24 - 01:33:48;15GONZALEZ: "Aiglrht, let’s see."THERE WASN’T MUCH TO SEEBECAUSE I WON THIS RNDOU{***SOT FULL**}01:34:50;04 - 01:34:55;03GONZALEZ: "La estrella, and youwon!

Loteria!"THE REAL BEAUTY OF IT IS - ALLYOU HAVE TO DOS ICLEAR THEBOARD, TO START AGAIN..IN THIS GAME OF CHANCEAN THIS GAME OF CHANCED LIFE.HIS BROUGHT HIM TO CORPUSCHRISTI- WHERE HE HOPES TO STAY.{***SOT FULL**}01:18:32;02 - 01:18:35;25GONZALEZ: "The city, to me, hasfound its place in my arthenow."{***SOT FULL**}01:19:26;16 - 01;19:29;1Gonzalez: "I’m really proud tobe a Corpus Christi resident."{***TRIPLSVO**}FOR GONAZELEZ, THE U.S. MEANTOPPORTUNITY -AND IT STILL DS.HE DOESN’T THINK HE WOULD V’ACCOMPLISHED AS MUCH HASIF HIS FAMILY STAYED IN MEXICO.NOW, ON HIS TO-DO LIST ASINTERIM DIRECTOR OF PARKS ANDREC..HE HOPES TO INSTALL W