Oscar E. Cruz serves as the Vice President to Families In Schools, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to involve parents and communities in their children’s education. Previously, Cruz served as Senior Program Manager at the Center for Civic Education. Before joining Zócalo’s panel on teacher rankings, he took our In The Green Room Q&A.
Q. What is the last habit you tried to kick?
A. Not getting a full night’s sleep – I need a healthy six hours.
Q. What surprises you the most about your life right now?
A. I’m surprised I’m working on local education issues. For a long time I thought I would do international development. It’s interesting where your life takes you.
Q. If you could take only one more journey, where would you go?
A. Machu Picchu.
Q. Who was your childhood hero?
A. Martin Luther King.
Q. What do you consider to be the greatest simple pleasure?
A. Moments when you enjoy life and the little things it offers.
Q. Where would we find you at 10 a.m. on a typical Saturday?
A. Running.
Q. What do you do to clear your mind?
A. Exercise.
Q. What do you wish you had the nerve to do?
A. Skydive.
Q. Who is your favorite fictional character?
A. I was always intrigued about Superman’s ability to fly.
Q. What is your favorite cocktail?
A. A dry martini.
Q. What profession would you like to practice in your next life?
A. I’d want to be a basketball player.
Q. What is your most prized material possession?
A. I have a collection of money from all my trips abroad, coins and bills. It gives me a lot of joy to remember the different places that I’ve been.
Q. Who is the one person living or dead that you would most like to meet for dinner?
A. My great-grandmother, who I have learned about from my mom. She carries a lot of the history of the family that I wish I could ask her about.
To read more about Cruz’s panel, click here.
*Photo by Aaron Salcido.