I Love My Community: Joel Reyna

Joel Reyna, Jr. of Stockton, California, senior field representative for California state senator the Honorable Jerry McNerney, 5th Senate District, recently discussed his appreciation for our community.

HLM: How long have you lived in Stockton, and what do you love about it?
JR: I am a Stockton native, and after university and some time in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Oakland, I returned to Stockton in 2000. I love Stockton for its history, its present and especially its potential! We are home to the third-oldest continuously running symphony, have the deepest inland port west of the Mississippi, centrally located between the ocean to the west and the Sierra Mountains to the east, the state capital to the north, and Yosemite to the south. We are producers of vast fortunes of agricultural produce and chock full of possibilities.

HLM: What do you find most gratifying about your current career? 
JR: Based in the state senator’s district office, I am honored to work every day to connect residents to resources and help find resolution to their concerns with a state agency. Whether it’s helping a senior couple in Manteca get resolution from the Franchise Tax Board or assisting a new graduate with a pending job offer obtain their nursing license from the nursing board, I find it very gratifying.

HLM: What career accomplishment are you most proud of? 
JR: I have a sense of pride in that I’ve made my parents proud. I worked to bring dignity and support to those living with HIV/AIDS in the bay area in the early 1990s. Later I worked to bring educational opportunities to migrant farm-working youth. I am happy to know that young people have gone on to become educators, small business owners and even Ph.D.s researching cancer. And I continue to work and volunteer to bring resources to the community in which I reside. I volunteered as Arts commissioner for the City of Stockton and helped bring the first Stockton Poet Laureate Program to fruition.

HLM: When serving the community, where is your heart most inspired?
JR: I suppose I’m most inspired by the arts. The arts allow one to create and envision something that didn’t exist before, whether it’s a painting or a sculpture, a dance or a music composition. I enjoy seeing an original piece of art at a museum or art gallery. And if I am able to support an artist and bring home a piece of art that is the only one in the world, now that’s a real kick!

HLM: Outside of work, where do you find yourself enjoying life?
JR: When not at the office, I’m usually at the family home. Not long ago I moved into the house I grew up in to help keep an eye on my mother. We’ve been focused on making the house easier to navigate as my parents move through the house with ease. Now that it’s just my mom, it’s my goal to keep her comfortable and in her home for as long as she is able. She loves her gardens and her pets and the new generation of family that come to visit.

HLM: I hear you enjoy shopping and supporting local artists. Locally, what are some of your favorite artisan spots?
JR: To balance the seemingly never-ending renovations at home (new roof and new paint this summer), I love Stockton Civic Theatre outings, exhibits at the Mexican Heritage Center and volunteering with Tuleburg Press and the San Joaquin Fairgrounds, where I serve as member of the board. The Goodwin Gallery on the Miracle Mile is a favorite, as are In the Gallery at Tracy’s Grand Theatre Center for the Arts, Lodi Community Art Center and Delta College’s Horton Gallery.

HLM: What is a key event that has had a great impact on your life?
JR: I think self-acceptance is crucial for well-being or at least striving for well-being. Humans are complex after all, yes? For me, coming out as gay in a rather traditional Mexican American family and finding acceptance is rather impactful and affirming in my existence.

HLM: Do you have a bucket list, and if so, what are your top three that you’d like to check off?
JR: I don’t really think of bucket lists because I think I try to live with some purpose. Whether it is to be a contributing member of society, being of assistance to family and friends, to travel far and wide, I try to do it.

HLM: Do you have a favorite quote? 
JR: “There are the living still to work for, while mourning for the dead.” I think I read that in a book attributed to Mrs. Rose Kennedy, mother of President John F. Kennedy.

HLM: Are you reading anything interesting right now?  
JR: I carry a book in my car and book bag that I reach for when I get out of the office for an errand-free lunch hour. At present I am reading “This Much Is True” by Miriam Margolyes, the British and Australian actress. She is a hoot and tells it like it is. Always!

HLM: What is your favorite food, dessert and/or restaurant?
JR: Well, I like the kitchen at my mom’s house or those of my aunts’ homes. Otherwise, I love Thai food so in any city I find myself you can bet I’ll try a Thai restaurant. And if I have a dessert, it’s usually lemon meringue pie. Dinner out, anyone?