Velarde has combined his personal experience as a Chicano from El Paso, Texas, with the insights he gained from sociology to cultivate a sociological imagination that he brings to bear on his efforts...

Velarde has combined his personal experience as a Chicano from El Paso, Texas, with the insights he gained from sociology to cultivate a sociological imagination that he brings to bear on his efforts to help the residents of East Harlem improve their lives. He urges others to similarly bring the sociological imagination to bear on their own goals and circumstances. His advice? “Connect to the material from your own social location and life experience.”