Evonee Castillo

ES: How do you feel about sexism in the army and in your everyday life?

EW: Though, women in the army is nothing new, there is always going to be a communication imbalance between females and males especially when it comes to strength and authority. It’s unfortunate but it is what it is. The key is adapting to the communication method of the opposite sex.

During my experience in the army, sexism was heavy. I have a couple of stories but there is one that always stood out to me. I remember the day my drill sergeant made me PG (platoon guy/leader of the platoon). He yelled, “Wilkins! I want you in front, take us back to the barracks”. As I stood in front and called the platoon to attention, the females were down but the males instantly thought I was a joke. At that point, I knew it was going to be a journey to get my respect.

As a leader, there would be times I would have to tell a male soldier to drop and give me x amount of pushups but he wouldn’t listen. So I thought, “Why won’t they listen? I have the title, I have the authority”.

I learned that males communicate differently. You have to learn how to speak their language. They like to be challenged, especially when it comes to their strength. One day, we were in the barracks, and one of the male soldiers spoke out of turn so I made him drop, but this time I dropped with him. We pushed, and of course he did more than me, but when we rose and dusted ourselves off, he reached out his hand and we shook up. It was an unspoken gesture that I had gaged his respect.

ES: Was being a Latina in the army a different kind of challenge if a challenge in general?

EW: I can’t say being a Latina brings challenges, because the challenge for me is people not knowing I am Latina and “proving” to them that I am. This challenge extends beyond the army, it is with Latinos.

They don’t know I am Latina unless I start speaking Spanish, I wear my hair naturally curly, or I tell them. I have lived in Logan Square for 23 years, and for the past 8 I have been going to Jiminez every other week to order my favorite dinner. I almost hate going now because even there I’m still proving to them I am Latina.

There’s a new guy working there every year but it’s the same question, “Que es su orden?”. My answer is always the same, “Flautas solamente...crema y queso, salsa verde, y horchata mediana”. Sometimes I get a stare, sometimes they ask me where I’m from, but most of the time they want to challenge me. I may not be able to hold a conversation but I can understand your every word, and I can recognize when you’re speaking disrespectfully.

It upsets me that we can be so ignorant of each other, when we know Latinos come in every shade of the spectrum.

ES: Your are totally right. Latinos come in all shades, colors, hair textures, etc. How have you embraced your differences of not fitting into the mold of what a Latino is “supposed” to look like?

EW: I am who I am. I don’t conform to the stereotype of what a Latina is “supposed” to look like, but I definitely embrace my Mexican heritage whether that’s through dancing, playing or listening to the music, attending or participating in festivals, getting tattoos, the cars I drive, and even how I dress. I do take the time to explain it to people if they ask me to open their minds a little bit more, even if they just find it entertaining. It’s not expected of me, but I do it anyways.

I remember one year on Mexican Independence Day, I was walking home from the train on Fullerton and Pulaski. I had on my mom’s Mexican soccer sneakers, my red nike sweats, the flag wrapped around my chest, my face beat up like a straight chola, and my hair wrapped in a bun with a little Mexican flag coming out from it. I had crossed paths with this older black gentleman, and he stops me and asks, “Are you really Mexican?”. I answer proudly, “Yeah! My mom is Mexican and my dad is Black”. He laughs as he walks off.

It made me upset at first, but it didn’t change how I felt or who I was proud to be.

ES: How do you want to make a difference in your field of study?

EW: I already feel like I’m on the path of making a difference by demonstrating that graphic designers do not have to follow the traditional route from high school to a college or university. I have shown people you can chart your own path, and explore or actively look for opportunities to grow and shape your career.

ES: Can you give me some examples of what you’ve done so far?

EW: You have to stay relevant. In order to stay relevant you have to stay in tune with your industry or field and that requires constant learning, practice, and networking. Whether that’s asking someone to be your mentor, keeping in touch with your former manager, taking extra online courses, looking for internships, freelancing, and even offering up your skills or services for free. I have done all of these things to develop my growth and manage my talent.

When I was 16, I decided that I wanted to be a DJ. I’m not the type to sit in front of a computer to learn, I need hands-on training. That following summer, I was on the hunt for a mentor but no one would give me the time of day. Finally, in the fall of my junior year, one of my girlfriends sent me the email of a DJ, who was teaching classes at the Silver Room in Wicker Park. His name was DJ Moppy, of Cutz On Cuts. I shot him an email, and he encouraged me to take his class. I attended 2-3 of them and asked if he could personally be my mentor. Through him, I learned the fundamentals of scratching, mixing, and blending. Through him, I was able to learn how to perform, build my brand, and gain connections.

Towards the end of my internship at Chicago Public Schools, I spoke to my supervisor constantly about pursuing a career in design, and I couldn’t find an internship anywhere. After talking to a few people, she was able to send me to work for Grace, the Design Principle. We grew a strong professional relationship, and she became my mentor. During this time, I took up an interest in Architecture and she gave me my first huge assignment: designing the exterior signage for 2 of CPS’s satellite locations.

I remember on my last day, the team took me out for lunch at “Inspiration Kitchen” in Garfield Park. As we sat down, and a short but obnoxiously loud woman comes in the door, recognizes my manager and gives her a hug. I was so curious to who she was. One of the other team members leaned over and said, “That’s Christy. She owns her own landscape company in Humboldt Park. I’ll take you after lunch”. Her husband was one of the landscape architects. It was one of the most amazing offices I’ve ever seen, LEED-NC Platinum. I said to myself, “I will work here one day”.

A week later, I was sent off to boot camp. When I came back home 5 months later, my alma mater, ChiArts, was looking for a graphic design intern to design their exterior and interior signage for their new location. I submitted my application and got the job. It was a short internship but I wanted to to maintain a client relationship, continue my practice, and build my brand. I decided to freelance for them, but I needed to make sure they thought I was worth it. I did this by proposing new ideas, and pitching a new logo. They adopted it, and I still design for them today.

That same year, I was on the hunt for a new job, and Christy Webber Landscapes was always the first place I checked for an opening. There was an opening for an HR Admin, which is my speciality in the Army. I kept in contact with Grace during my time at bootcamp, and she used to work for Christy, so I reached out to her. I got an interview, and unfortunately I didn’t get the position but I made a lasting impression. I got a call back from the Vice President of Business Development, Kelly, who wanted to interview me for their marketing team. I put together a small portfolio, and she thought that I had a lot potential. She was able to find a place for me on the team as a Graphic Design Intern. Because I exceeded beyond the scope of my role, I was given a permanent position as a Marketing Associate.

Almost a year later, Grace reached out and we met up for lunch. We caught up and discussed what my next steps were. I told her I have my eyes set on working for an architecture firm called “Cannon Design, and she says, “Why work for Cannon Design, when you could work for me again at Stantec”. Now, I work at Stantec Architecture.

ES: Explain how school is important to you and what advice do you give younger girls who may across a bump in the road with school, rather it’s due to money issues or personal.

There is no straight path to success.

EW: I agree, there is no straight path to success, and there is no straight answer for the importance of school portion of your question. In all honesty, I’ve been struggling with the decision to go back to school for a year now. I feel like I was able to make it this far into my career without a degree... might as well keep going.

One of my closest friends, Chris, is graduating in May with a major in graphic design, so I asked him if it is worth me going back to school and if they will teach me anything different. He said himself, “no, you’re already ahead of the game, but by not having your degree you’re going to struggle with getting the salary you want and deserve”.

I may have experience, I may have a kick-ass portfolio, but because I don’t have a piece of paper that tells an employer I have a fundamental understanding of the art, I won’t get the paper. I have experienced this in a few of my past jobs, especially when I felt it was time to ask for a raise. I’m comfortable with where I am but it can be difficult when I want more.

Everyone defines their own success and you take the steps you have to, to get there. So, if you want to enjoy the work you do and get paid the appropriate market value of your skills and experience, then get the paper to get your paper. You feel me?

To the girls who will run into obstacles with school, whether it’s financial or personal, you make it your priority to go back and finish. Yeah, you may be getting older and you may have to start over, but look at the trade-off: 4-6 years for the rest of your life of comfortability.

ES: What is a quote you live by?

“You can, you will.” - Joel Osteen.

This quote is short but straightforward. Motivating, encouraging, and ambitious. It gives me faith.