By Teren’e Chambers
My name is Teren’e. I am 22 years old and I’m a student at Santa Monica College. I have dreams of making it in film, a journey that is only beginning. ROSIES is providing me with opportunities to develop my skills and abilities to augment those dreams, a benefit that I continue to utilize.
After high school I was out there in the real world finding a part time job, and it was difficult because of Asperger’s Syndrome, with which I was diagnosed. The only thing I really dislike is to put on a “normal” mask to get the job and apply for jobs that do not fit me. “Fake it to make it” is not my motto and I will not deny that I have Asperger’s Syndrome. I was unemployed for three years, but I did have work as a non-union background extra, though it was not everyday work.
Before walking to a job interview, I was walking down the streets of Culver City and I found ROSIES Foundation out of the blue and their slogan caught my eye. I met the CEO and Founder of ROSIES and I received more information about the organization. I said to him, “I have Asperger’s, can I work here?” I was told to come back for an interview. Then after visiting ROSIES, I went into another job interview. After the interview the manager said, “We’ll call you the next day.” The next day, I did not get a call back. True story, I have been through all the job interviews that are entry level positions for which I apply. After the interviews, I never got one callback and I always got an immediate rejection via email. What did I do wrong?
Finally, I began my employment with ROSIES. I started by doing training with the hot dog cart and the ROSIES Bus that sells frozen treats. Additionally I passed the food handler’s test on my first try. I learned how to provide quality customer service and handle money. I love it here because I get to gain professional job skills and experience.
ROSIES creates original jobs for people with diverse abilities. I told my boss, Lee that in the future I want to become a filmmaker as my career. Guess what he did? He hired me as a filmmaker to create a commercial that would engage the audience to book the ROSIES food truck for their next event. While creating my masterpiece, I learned to receive and accept feedback from others in order to make the video better and to make sure that the video showed a good message.
Currently, I am in a process of transferring to a university to participate in a film program. Also, I am in a film internship as a director intern to shoot and edit videos. Meanwhile, I am working on a film sample, critical essay, and a personal statement to get admitted for admission. I am considering a number of top California institutions. We will see! Fingers Crossed!
