Brianna Rizzo
Brianna Rizzo is a junior at Los Angeles Senior High School. As a part of KORYO, she is excited to attend outreach events and talk to people about opioid use in Koreatown. Brianna feels an important aspect of KORYO is that we go out there and make a change. Brianna is also the secretary of KYCC’s BRIDGE program and volunteers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
Because They're in Your Community
Interview by Ashley Garcia
What is your name?
My name is Brianna Rizzo. My dad named me after a cartoon character, but I don’t know which one.
What school do you go to, and how have you liked it so far?
I go to L.A. High. I am currently a junior. I would say so-and-so. I enjoy studying there, but my issue is that there are so many school fights.
Where is your hometown?
My hometown is Koreatown, and I live there. Koreatown seems like a nice environment to live in. A significant memory I have here is going with my family and walking around Koreatown. We would go to the Koreatown Galleria and eat at the restaurants.
What do you recommend at the Koreatown Galleria?
I recommend the food because it has a unique taste, and I recommend going to the market there.
Where is your favorite place in Koreatown?
My favorite place is Madang. I [have many] good memories there. I recommend Sul & Beans, which has shaved ice with condensed milk. I like the strawberry flavor.
Why did you join KORYO?
I joined KORYO because I wanted to do something during the school day. I learned about it [when] I went to a KYCC outing — it was like a fair — and KORYO was there, and they gave me a flyer. My goal is actually to help someone who is suffering from opioid use.
I enjoyed the KYCC Youth Summit — I got to learn self-defense. I liked it a lot. I would rate it a 10 out of 10.
Why did you find KORYO interesting?
I found [KORYO] interesting because it focused on youth, and I've noticed that most programs bring [substance use] awareness to adults. It's important to bring awareness to youth because they will be the next generation, and if we ignore them, our youth will be limited. I’ve been able to learn more about opioids and how to help when you see someone who may have overdosed.
Have you seen a significant impact on our youth right now from opioids and stimulants?
Only in the news. The biggest impact on me has been seeing the news about the youth dying because of drugs. I know it’s affecting a lot of the low-income community. I’ve noticed many kids who do that tend to drop out of school. It makes me feel sorry for them because they had their whole life ahead of them, but due to their drug use, they had to stop school.
Do you know anyone who has suffered from opioid use or stimulants?
I don't know anyone who uses opioids, but I know people who have done [things] like vaping and [drinking] alcohol. Opioid and stimulant use doesn't affect me positively or negatively since I'm not that close with people who use them, but I’ve seen others who are affected because of it.
Has KORYO impacted your school life and personal life?
It has impacted me because I’ve tried telling my friends to stop vaping — it’s not opioids, but it can lead to opioids if they don’t stop.
Is there any piece of advice that you would like to give them?
“I know you tried to overcome some issues by vaping, but you shouldn’t be vaping; you should seek out other things or therapy.” I would recommend seeking professional help so that they can learn steps on how to stop. I will recommend KYCC because it’s free, and most rehab thingies are expensive.
What have you learned about interviewing?
I’ve learned interview skills, so I know what to say when I have an interview. A hard part of being an interviewer is running out of questions; a hard part of being an interviewee is not knowing how to respond.
What motivates you and aligns you with the goals of the organization?
It’s important to help people because they're in your community, and you’ll always see them. If you see someone hurt, you’ll probably feel sad for them. It’s important to also help yourself, because if I don’t help myself, who will?
Is there anything specific that you would like to do in your career?
I want to be a pediatrician, so I’m seeking to volunteer at the hospital. During my sixth grade year, I enjoyed biology, which made me want to be a pediatrician.
Have you faced any challenges?
A challenge I faced was balancing school with my extracurriculars. I’ve been volunteering at Cedars-Sinai Hospital, KYCC BRIDGE — I’m the secretary — and KORYO. And I’m applying for some internships.
Are there any other roles that you're interested in at KYCC BRIDGE?
I’m interested in being president since this will be my third year [in BRIDGE]. I want to contribute a lot to that organization.
What do you like most about BRIDGE?
What [I’ve] enjoyed the most is the diversity. Koreatown has different cultures, and I also got to know more about and meet new people, which I enjoyed. I volunteered in first-, second-, third- and fifth-grade classrooms. I prefer the third and fifth [graders] because they tend to listen more than the first and second graders.
I’ve also been able to learn leadership skills. Since [I’m around] children, they tend to listen to me when I tell them, “Don’t do that. It’s going to hurt you.”
Do you have any silly stories from those experiences?
I do. Some kids would ask me if I had a crush on someone, and then they would point at someone. It was awkward for me because the person was there.
Have any of your strengths and weaknesses impacted you while you were there?
It did. [It was] mainly my weakness because I was really shy. I didn’t talk to anyone, but I overcame that, and now it’s my strength to be talkative. I would also say that one of my strengths is being flexible.
Was there any time you went above and beyond at KYCC or any other place, and why?
I participate a lot at school. Teachers will like me more, and I can have a good recommendation letter when I ask them for it in my junior year.
What's your culture? And is there something that you value about your culture?
I’m Mexican. I value our language and our beliefs. Compared to other cultures, my family is really open with each other.
Is there anything from your culture that you don’t like?
Probably something [I don’t like is] machismo [culture] because they think men are superior. I've seen in my family that we are working that out because now my stepdad is cooking instead of [only] the women.
Is there a dish that he cooks that you like?
Probably carne asada (Mexican and Latin American grilled beef). I like it when you make it in a taco and [with] avocado. I rate it an eight because sometimes his meat is too burnt. My mom cooks enchiladas verdes (enchiladas in a green sauce), which I like too.
What’s your favorite cafe to study at?
I enjoyed studying for AP tests because I got to study at cafes. My favorite cafe to study at is the Little Bean Cafe, which is only three minutes away from my house. Recently, I haven’t gone because I haven’t had work, but since school is starting, I’m starting to go there more. I’d recommend the honeydew boba!
What are some things that you [and your family] enjoy doing?
We enjoy going out to eat. We most often get açai bowls. My favorite toppings are strawberry, mango, Nutella, and a Brazilian peanut thing (Paçoquinha — peanut powder). I usually go to Ubatuba in Koreatown.
Are there any self-care things that you recommend or that you do?
If I feel pressured, I take a bath. I recommend sleeping or reading a book.
What is your favorite book genre? Or movies?
I like graphic novels, and my favorite movie is “10 Things I Hate About You.” My favorite character is the main character because she speaks her mind. I resonate with her. If there is a problem, I tend to share it with my parents or my family. They are very supportive.
I also resonate with Devi from “Never Have I Ever” because my pursuit is to go to college since I’m first generation — even though she wasn’t first generation — but you can see she pursues college, and I do too. I’m planning on going to a four-year university. My dream school is Brown [University] because it has a good pre-med program and environment.
Do you have any pets?
I have two cats. One is named Yoongi, which my sister named for some reason — that’s a BTS member — and then my other one is [named] Mango. I don’t know what type of cat they are, but Yoongi is white and brown, and my new cat is orange. We got Yoongi from a friend because her pet had babies, and [the other] one from my teacher — she was giving out cats. My favorite activity to do with my cats is just laying with them. We’ve walked Yoongi at a park in Colorado [during a family trip].
Are you from Colorado? Is there something that you like about it?
No, I’m not from Colorado. I enjoyed the landscapes. I also went to Yellowstone, which is in Wyoming. I went [there] when I was in Colorado, and I enjoyed the beautiful mountains. I prefer city life because if you lived the country life, you wouldn’t even [be able to] do anything. I like city life because you have things to do during the day, and you won’t get bored.
What is your favorite thing to do on the weekends?
I enjoy staying up late and going out with my friends. We often go to Little Tokyo, which I recommend if you have never been. I like Suehiro Cafe. I've been eating there since I was little, so I have good memories of eating there with my family.