On Oct. 22, D.J. Jigre, ASWEU President, gave The Easterner the opportunity to learn more about him while having dinner with us at El Rodeo.

The Easterner:

Tell me a little bit about your background and what led you to Eastern.

D.J. Jigre:

Originally I was born in Ethiopia, like the horn of Africa. We came to the United States in 1999. When we came to the United States we were in California. We lived in California for about eight to nine years and then my dad got a job in Washington, and we came here in 2004.

In 2004, my family came here but my dad actually didn’t come with us because he had a business in California, so it was back and forth for him while the family was in Renton, Wash.

Between the family being in Washington and my dad being back and forth, it wasn’t working out for him so we just decided to go back to California. We moved back to San Jose and stayed there about a year and half until we came back to Washington in 2006 and this time my dad actually came with us.

He shut his business down, which was a taxi company and he was an entrepreneur. Anything that he sees as a potential business or gets his hand on would be like a gold minefield, its just gold. We came to Kent, Wash., and I’ve been here since 2006. I went to Kent Meridian High School, which I like to consider the best high school in the state of Washington. That is my Royal’s pride speaking right now.

Ever since then I have been in Washington and consider myself a Washingtonian. I love this place and love the environment.

When I first came to Kent, you actually won’t believe it, but I was very shy type. I never talked to anybody I never socialized. I was just very quiet. If you saw me six or seven years ago you wouldn’t recognize me. I wasn’t outgoing.

One day, you know when you’re quiet, people pick on you. Let me tell you, when you are quiet you get bullied and they assumed that I was dumb. I wasn’t smart and I sucked at sports. I got chicken legs, any name you can come up with I was given.

But then one day I just couldn’t handle it. A teacher of mine, I don’t recall his name or anything, but he used a discriminatory term towards me in regards to what I can and cannot do and that’s when I actually spoke my mind and first opened my mouth, butterflies just came out of my mouth. It was like a gospel song out of my mouth and was just so phenomenal. I just couldn’t take it anymore. That was when everything I knew—quiet, shy—got boxed away and I will speak for who I am and from my heart and let people know I am not just a normal individual. So I spoke out.

The Easterner:

When you came to the United States did you speak English prior to that?

D.J. Jigre:

No. Nope. None whatsoever. Zip.

The Easterner:

What was the process like trying to learn English?

D.J. Jigre:

Okay, so, when I came to the United States I knew Hermetic, Arabic, Swahili and Somali. Then I came to the United States I was trying to retain all four of those languages, plus English, which was exceptionally hard. So I said, you know what I don’t think I can do this.

Learning as a child was very difficult because when I came I was like holy cow, this is ridiculous where am I even at?

As far as a civilization goes, Ethiopia, which now is caught up with roads and lights and everything, but back then there was nothing.

So I think that is one of the reasons why I really cherish life because I know the difference between how I grew up and what type of life I have here. I always try to base my life off of what I used to be and what I used to have. My morals and values come straight from my background.

The Easterner:

What made you want to come to Eastern?

D.J. Jigre:

I like to think I didn’t pick Eastern. I like to think it was mutual. It chose me and I chose it.

One of the things that influenced me in terms of choosing Eastern was my mentor in high school. He worked with the College Success Foundation. Junior year there was a scholarship, the Bill Gates Scholarship through the College Success Foundation, also known as the Achievers. It’s for low-income first generation students.

Once I got the Achievers, we got a mentor and started applying to schools. My mentor’s rule was no matter what colleges you have, you automatically have to apply to Eastern. Being able to be mentored by him was like a door, and he knocked on my door and gave me an opportunity. Someone knew Eastern was for me and I am thankful for that.

The Easterner:

What is your major?

D.J. Jigre:

My major is communications with a minor in Intercultural studies with a leadership certificate.

The Easterner:

Why did you want to be involved with ASEWU?

D.J. Jigre:

It all goes back to freshman year. Of course when you are a freshman and you are walking through the pillars going to orientation there was that one student that was standing on the podium and his name was Oscar. Man oh man did I like that guy.

So I said ‘Okay this is fantastic. I want to be that kid that gives that awesome speech.’ That wish actually came true when I was elected president. For me, it was in terms of how can I make this university better.

When it comes down to pride I think I have it and can’t stand when someone is bad mouthing Eastern or its affiliates. I would get offended if someone was badmouthing it. That’s how much I love Eastern. Instead of thinking of how can we make it better, I was thinking in what ways. I thought student government has the power to change and I thought I’m going to go for it.

The Easterner:

What is a personal philosophy you try to live by?

D.J. Jigre:

It’s simple as this. This moment we live, we live for today, because tomorrow is never guaranteed.

So when you wake up, the first thing I do, I say ‘Thank God I am alive’ and from that moment on I am smiling and am happy because this day is what I live for. Every little thing I do, I do to the best of my abilities. I also make sure that I make someone’s day and smile because it is a beautiful day. Have no regrets.

The only difference between us is the way we see things. Cut us open and we have the same blood and the same structure. There is no reason why we should hate each other or dislike each other. Life is life and it’s a beautiful thing. If you always dwell on bad things then bad things are going to happen. Every day is a new day.