RISE Philadelphia/ Together For Western Philadelphia

Student Intern: Karl Kamanousa

Karl Kamanousa

For this storytelling project, I interviewed a member of the community where I live. I was fortunate to interview him as it was a good opportunity to learn more about West Philadelphia and the people who live here. He is an older man who has lived in West Philadelphia since he was born. He does not use much technology and has been living alone since about 2017, which causes him to feel lonely at times. Because of this, he said he was happy to have this interview done and to have someone to talk to and I was happy to listen.

I began my meeting with him by asking him how he was doing. He told me that he has been having problems with acid reflux and that he hasn't been able to drink or eat all day. This led me to ask about this problem and other medical issues he may be having. I found out that he lives with medical complications and 5 years ago he was diagnosed with diabetes and hypertension. Ever since his diagnosis, he has been very careful with what he eats, which is hard for him as he does not regularly have people to help him pick up his groceries. Nonetheless, he has managed to stay healthy and manage his diabetes the best way that he can. He also sees a cardiologist for hypertension management regularly and is thus very aware of his cardiovascular health. I asked him about his hospital experiences and his general opinion on medicine. He told me that he is nervous at times to go in because he is worried about bad news but when he is in the office (typically his cardiologist’s office) he starts to relax and is pleased by the progress that he is making.

I transitioned to asking him about his life in West Philadelphia starting with his childhood. He was born near 56th and Market and told me that while it can be a dangerous environment with his family’s support it was not a bad experience. As a teen, he worked odd jobs to help his parents pay for rent, which added to the stress of his environment. He was even tempted to join a gang at a young age. To help manage the stress and have a form of escape, he found music. He played guitar and started a band. He played a variety of music and traveled throughout the city to play with his band.

When asked what he wants people to know about his community he told me that people should know that it is a volatile environment with a lot of violence and drugs but there are a lot of people who are just looking for a simple quiet life with their friends and family.

His story tells me a great deal about himself and the community. It tells me that he is a hardworking man who values his family deeply. It also tells me that he has overcome an enormous deal of adversity to get to this point and become the person he is today. I was glad for the opportunity to speak with him and grateful that I was able to hear his story.