People of Chelsea: Luis Monga – Chelsea Senior Center – 2019

The following is one in a series of sneak peeks at the upcoming People of Chelsea additions by Chelsea Photographer Darlene DeVita. The new work will ultimately appear on the fence of the Chelsea Public Library (CPL) Spring of 2022 a collaboration between the People of Chelsea project and the CPL.)

By Darlene DeVita

I came [to Chelsea] in 1974 to visit my sister for vacation, and I loved it here, and I decided to stay. I got married here to my first wife. I have two children. They’re already older than me! I ask my daughter sometimes; I don’t understand how you’re going to be 41 when I’m 45? No pop, you’re 65 now! 

I love Chelsea. I’ve seen a lot of changes. Cultural changes. There used not to be many Latinos here, not too many Spanish-speaking. It changed. Everybody is Latino in Chelsea now. It’s beautiful. I see many good things here. New Housing, new Projects, the Silver Line. 

I’m retired now, but I was a butcher. My specialties were special meats for gourmet. I worked for many places. I was with the Ritz Carlton in Boston for 10 yrs. Then I moved ahead to different places. 

My kids grew up here and still live here, and I have four grandkids. My daughter works for 911 in Chelsea. 

The senior center helps me look for housing. I live on two floors, but I want to live on the 1st floor, so I came here looking for help, and they invited me to lunch. There are nice people here.

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