From doubt to determination

Carlos Medina Jr. built his life determined to prove others wrong. 

Growing up, Carlos would constantly hear doubts about his future. From teachers to classmates and even his own father. At an early age, he decided he would not let these words define him. 

“I’m going to show you,” Medina said. 

After decades in business and public service, Medina recently wrote a memoir reflecting on his journey. This stems from rural poverty, entrepreneurship, and his long continued career with the Chicago Fire Department. Proceeds from the book will fund a scholarship for a first-generation student at his local high school. 

Born in Chicago and raised for part of his childhood in rural Durango, Mexico, Medina grew up with no electricity, running water, or indoor plumbing. He grew up with dirt floors and worked on his grandfather's farm before his family returned to the United States.  

Back in America in the 1970s, he was placed in a separate building that kept kids whose first language was Spanish, segregated from the others. They were housed in portable trailers that were outside the main school building. He was physically apart from many of his peers.

At 12 years old, he began working at a grocery store to help support his family.  After high school, he tried to join the military but was rejected for having bad eyesight. He faced low expectations from those closest to him and he says there was very short list of people who believed in him.

“Nobody," he said. “Just me.” 

That mindset followed him into adulthood. 

At 21, he bought his first home. By his mid-20s, he purchased his first Subway franchise. That led to expansion into multiple businesses, including car washes and landscaping. He spent nearly 39 years working in the film industry and served 27 years working with the Chicago Fire Department. 

For more than three decades, he worked three jobs at once. 

There were setbacks. At one point, Medina accumulated nearly $5 million in business debt. Rather than declaring bankruptcy, he sold assets and worked until it was paid off.  

“I decided young,” he said. “I’m going to prove you wrong.” 

Those words carried into the firehouse. 

During two warehouse fires early in his career, Medina became disoriented in heavy smoke after responding to a call one late night. For a brief moment, he froze. He thought about his wife and children before relying on his own training. He dropped to the floor and followed the hose line out by touch. 

“You see people on the worst day of their lives,” he said. “It changes you.” 

He said part of his motivation for writing was to push against negative narratives that surround immigration.  

“You know how they say America runs on Dunkin'," he said. "It should say America runs on immigrants."

Medina still works in the fire department and in the motion picture business to this day. He comes to ocassionally spend time in Las Cruces, where his wife’s family has lived for generations. 

“Las Cruces reminds me of Mexico, but in America,” he said. “I love the culture. I love the mountains. I feel like I'm at home with my people.” 

He still thinks about the words that followed him through his childhood. 

“Words carry weight,” Medina said. “That can either make someone or break them.”