Nery Pop, 23, is a native of Guatemala who lives with his family in Kingston. He’s a 2020 graduate of Kingston High School. Pop is fluent in Spanish, English, Portuguese and Kʼicheʼ, an indigenous language spoken by the Mayan people of Guatemala’s highlands. He puts his language skills to use working at the Broadway Bubble laundromat and neighborhood center, which serves Midtown Kingston’s large Central American community. He also studies fashion design at Ulster County Community College. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Kingston Wire: How did you or your family come to be in Kingston?

Nery Pop: My dad came here when I was three years old, my oldest brother came when he was 15 and my other brother came when he was 13. They lived here like 18 years, I came here in 2017. When I came here, I knew some words in English, but not so much because in school in [Guatemala] they teach you some English, but they don’t teach how to pronounce a word, they teach you how to write it. When I came here English was different and I had to start learning it here. All of my friends and family are here and my childhood friends and neighbors that I grew up with [in Guatemala]. That’s so amazing, I’m surprised because 90 percent of the people of the people who speak K’iche’ here know me.

KW: What do you like to do in Kingston?

NP: I like working [at the Broadway Bubble] because I like helping people if they need me. I like playing soccer at Dietz Stadium. When I don’t have anything to do I like learning things about forensic science investigation, DNA, things like that.

KW: What would you like to change about Kingston?

NP: I have no car right now and I walk, many times it will happen to me that some people don’t respect the sign that says they have to stop, they just run it and that makes me crazy. It could be a little easier and safer to walk. I like walking. I have my license, but I don’t use it.

KW: How has the pandemic changed Kingston?

NP: The pandemic changed a lot of things. I have my friends who are struggling with sadness and depression. One of my friends tried to kill himself because he lost his job and he was fighting with his parents at home. It’s been hard for my family too because I have a little sister and little brother — they couldn’t go out to play so they just started fighting with each other. It was hard because we had no job at that time. But now it’s better. My family works hard and I work hard.