During the last three years of his life, Modesto E. Ellano, Jr. (Mo) wrote this inspiring story of a troubled youth who eventually became a productive and fulfilled man as a university professor, instructing others in the subject and ethics of social work. Growing up in the Depression at a time when Filipinos and other ethnic groups were often oppressed, he found his way without his blood family, educating himself on the streets of the Logan Heights barrio. Mo wrote this book for others who may also want to make a connection with their past, when the time is right for them. They will see how he came to know himself and his heritage through images from the past presented in this work derived from his experiences, studies and observations. This book provides a study of the history of life during the depression, the cultural world of Filipinos in the 20th century U.S., the world of farm labor, and development of cultural identity. It can be read as a memoir and is appropriate for cultural and historical studies learning. This book will motivate young people to dig deep to find their own inner strength, to make wiser choices about with whom they keep company, and how they spend their idle hours, to reach for the top rung of the ladder, even if they are the only ones to believe they can get there.

During the last three years of his life, Modesto E. Ellano, Jr. (Mo) wrote this inspiring story of a troubled youth who eventually became a productive and fulfilled man as a university professor, instructing others in the subject and ethics of social work. Growing up in the Depression at a time when Filipinos and other ethnic groups were often oppressed, he found his way without his blood family, educating himself on the streets of the Logan Heights barrio. Mo wrote this book for others who may also want to make a connection with their past, when the time is right for them. They will see how he came to know himself and his heritage through images from the past presented in this work derived from his experiences, studies and observations. This book provides a study of the history of life during the depression, the cultural world of Filipinos in the 20th century U.S., the world of farm labor, and development of cultural identity. It can be read as a memoir and is appropriate for cultural and historical studies learning. This book will motivate young people to dig deep to find their own inner strength, to make wiser choices about with whom they keep company, and how they spend their idle hours, to reach for the top rung of the ladder, even if they are the only ones to believe they can get there.