hile people may search for their destiny in many places, most of their search is in vain. Destiny is not discovered by actively pursuing it; it is something stumbled upon when least expected. Just ask photographer Jose Galvez, who discovered his destiny one evening while on the floor, covered in dirt, shining shoes.

Elizabethtown College was lucky enough to have Galvez speak on campus on Sept. 18 in Brinser Lecture Hall. Organized by the Modern Languages Department, this event gave students the opportunity to learn from Galvez first hand and celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month in an exciting way. Students from all majors came to the event, and for good reason: there is no better advocate for this cause. Galvez not only lived through unthinkable hardships, but he also continues to live through his artwork.

Galvez is a world-class photographer specializing in black and white film. Like all good photographers, he uses his pictures to tell a story and capture a deeper meaning than what briefly meets the eye. The story he chose to tell was from his own past, which illustrates the struggles and hidden beauty of Mexican-American culture.

It takes a unique kind of person to reach the level of success Galvez has achieved. Growing up in Tucson, Arizona, Galvez was no stranger to the struggles that many Latino people face. “Our entire family slept in one room,” he explained. “My father, who died when I was 12, worked many jobs to keep our family afloat.”

Unfortunately, such troubles did not stop at family life. School during the mid 1950s was not very accepting of the Latino population. “All of the teachers were white,” Galvez said. “We would get punished for speaking Spanish in class.” With English as a Second Language (ESL) or extra help unavailable to these students, it put kids like Galvez in a tough position.

One story in particular expresses just how much Galvez’s past sculpted his future in photography. It came while he was shining a business man’s shoes on the street. The man looked down at him and called him a “poor little Mexican boy.” Galvez used that unfair condescension as motivation. Immediately after hearing that, he thought, “I may be poor, but I am going make something of myself.” He would go on to become the first college graduate on either side of his family.

While most kids were playing and living carefree lives, Galvez was starting his career. “I am a natural born hustler,” Galvez said. “I sold anything I could as a kid. Bottles, books, recycling, anything I could to make some money for my family.” His favorite job however, was still shoe shining. “Shoe shine for only a dime” became his staple saying, which would surprisingly lead him right into what he was born to do.

A reporter from the local newspaper wanted his shoes shined one particular night, so he called Galvez over. “When I opened the door of the newsroom, I was opening the door to my future,” Galvez said. “I found my destiny that evening.” After that, he was hooked, and like a kid in a candy store, he was in every day trying to help out. “Sometimes I just sat and watched,” Galvez explained. He said that sometimes the best experiences comes from sitting back and paying attention.

An old piece of advice that people give to new writers is to “write what you know.” Galvez took this advice and applied it to his own life. “I photographed what I knew,” he said, understanding that he was able to put his soul into his work because it was something he was passionate about.

Galvez was witness to many movements, boycotts and war rallies. “I was kind of the unofficial movement photographer,” he said. “The Chicano movement gave me identity and made me proud to be who I was.”

During his career Galvez broke down his goals into two main categories: to capture Latino beauty and to educate people. Capturing the beauty was the easy part. It’s much harder to educate people, especially those who do not have a first-hand view like he did. “My job is to capture it all,” he said. “It is my life long advocacy. I strive to challenge old habits and empower the Latino population.”

For most people, their journey in search of their destiny is relatively short. They believe that after a certain age it is too late, so they get stuck in the routine of life. The only ones who truly understand their destiny, like Galvez, realize it is a life-long process, one that has no guarantees and plenty of room for failure.

When asked what is most important, Galvez had a very simple answer. It was not long or over-thought. He simply said: “Shine. Be a light. And while doing that, remember to serve others and always honor your past.”  Galvez has discovered what it truly means to shine, and it certainly has nothing to do with shoes.