‘It gives me a peace of mind to help people out in similar situations I was in’
On April 26th, Arthur Mathurin attended an event at Rutgers University, hosted by NJ Spark. He spoke about his living situation with his mother, Thelma Mathurin, who I interviewed earlier in the semester as part of this project, as well as other issues on his mind.
This profile is part of the series, “The New Jersey 37” which focuses on residents making up 37 percent of households in the state that cannot afford basic needs such as health care, housing, food, childcare, and transportation.
Scott Jagarnauth: I know you got kind of emotional when you started explaining your living situation at the event. Did anything else trigger it?
Arthur Mathurin: Yeah, I didn’t think I was going to get like that. I thought I would tell my story and be fine but I’ve got a lot of pent up emotions inside. I’ve always been emotional but my recent outlook on life has been making me open up a lot more. I think the other guests at the table made me emotional as well. It made me realize I’m not the only one whose got problems and that everyone’s dealing with something.
SJ: What were you like before the recent DUI charge and arrest?
AM: I was wild (he laughs). I was driving around on a suspended license, getting pulled over every minute. It was always my fault though, speeding and other bullshit. I wasn’t taking care of myself and putting other people’s priorities in front of mine. It all caught up with me though. I think getting locked up helped me see things and help me better myself.
SJ: What did you learn from your past experiences?
AM: Well, for one, I stopped driving around with no license! I also volunteer at a food shelter. It gives me a peace of mind to help people out in similar situations I was in. They are also good people too, so I like talking with them. I’m heavy into working out too now so that gives me peace of mind. I also start playing chess and that’s helped a lot too. Makes you think and it’s fun.
SJ: I know we talked about child care in relation to your mom, but where do you see yourself when you have kids?
AM: Well right now, I’m not worried about having kids. I do want some when I’m older and well established. I just want to have my own self-happiness and success for right now. When I have kids, I’ll make sure that they’re comfortable and have everything they want. I’m going to spoil the hell out of them, but make sure that they know that everything in life doesn’t come for free and you got to work for it.
SJ: What’s your dream job?
AM: Well, I’ve got so many things running through my head. I want to start up my own gym promotion, but I’m still working on the name for it. I want to start a brand or something, be an entrepreneur, but I’ve got to work on one dream at a time. I think that’s my problem. I’m trying to achieve so much right now but I’m not focusing on one thing. I’ll get there though.
