Three rings

About the Book

A FUNNY, SHOCKINGLY SEXY AND BRUTAL FICTIONAL MEMOIR Philadelphia, PA: Award winning Artist and writer Gilberto González returns to his former haunts in North Philadelphia in the shockingly sexy, gritty and humorous fictional memoir – Three Rings. González ’s book captures the flavor of growing up in the hood with the collection of short stories roughly based on his relationships with women from ages 13-20. They include the Girl with cockroaches in the bathroom to the older woman who surprises the main character with a highly unwelcome sexual practice. González says, “I wanted Three Rings to focus on life in the hood but from the point of view of interpersonal relationships.” Three Rings weaves into the pages design elements and González ’s powerful paintings of urban landscapes to underscore the themes of the book. González escaped the violence that took the lives of many of his contemporaries and Three Rings incorporates some of the brutality he experienced. “I had my head cracked open twice and tainted pot took me to the ER. When you go to a friend’s funeral and you can’t open the casket because his face was blown off – I realized that wasn’t my life.”

About the Author

González serves as the senior graphic designer at the Community College of Philadelphia, where he also functioned as an advisor for the College’s Latin American Student Organization (LASO, 1992-2001). With active branches in colleges across the country, LASO is an international organization that promotes education, understanding, and support all aspects of Latino culture, including history, arts, cuisine, music, and more. As a LASO advisor, González serves as a valuable link between students and the resources available to Latinos.When he is not designing the College’s numerous publications or directing photography for the Web site, González turns the tables and transforms College staff into students. As a member of the College’s Diversity Council, he educates faculty members about the Latino population, and has hosted guests who spoke about Puerto Rican history in Philadelphia. In January 2002, González shared his experiences and successes as a single father to the Philadelphia Workforce Development Corporation’s Fatherhood Initiative Program “Dads Making a Difference.” He stressed the importance of education and refl ected on the hardships faced by young fathers, many of whom are forced to drop out of school in order to care for their children. Education is González’ mainstay and, realizing the need for Latino support systems, he dedicates much of his time to organizations that encourage young Latinos to stay in school and continue their education. He noted that the dropout rate for Latino students is very high, beginning in junior high, but that percentage seems bound to decrease with people like González working to make a change. The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) and ASPIRA are organizations to which González often refers students. Both associations promote the education and development of Latino youth with services such as GED certifi cation, fi nancial aid, career counseling, and leadership training. By providing educational opportunity, LULAC and ASPIRA help young Latinos confront the unique challenges with which they are faced. Born of Puerto Rican parents, González grew up in Philadelphia and understands fi rst-hand the racism and hardships facing the Latino community. “Going through high school was tough. Going through college was tougher,” he said. González did not let adversity slow him down. After receiving an associate degree of fi ne arts from Community College of Philadelphia, he continued his education at University of the Arts, where he earned a bachelor degree in graphic design. In 1989, González tapped his personal motivation and graphic design skills in order to create Cinco Graphics at the Taller Puertorriqueño, a professional training program that allowed high school students to prepare for college or the workforce in graphic design Cinco Graphics was selected from a variety of other Philadelphia-based arts projects to be featured in 1992 on WHYY’s Spotlight, a series that explores local cultures. The 20-minute video segment was produced largely by the students. Many Cinco Graphics participants pursued higher education at local colleges, including Community College of Philadelphia, and one student, directly after high school, secured a job with a national publication company. Gilberto is an award winning designer, has been recognized for his work in the Philadelphia Latino Community, has been nominated 3 times for the Hispanics Choice Awad and continues to exhibit his work in the Philadelphia region.