After reading Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave,” Philosophy instructor Manny Raya was able to change his life for the better.

Despite only completing one semester of High School, Raya has achieved a Masters degree from San Francisco State University in Philosophy.

“I took Joe White’s Intro to Philosophy course,” said Raya, after his Drug and Alcohol Counselor encouraged him to take some classes at City College. “It completely changed my trajectory from going to prison to becoming a philosophy professor.”

Students in Raya’s class can hope to learn many ways to “move forward in life.”

“Philosophy, why do that? You don’t get any answers, but when in life do you ever have any answers?” asks Raya.

Raya likes to begin his classes by asking a question, rather than by giving his students definitions and basic ideas of philosophy. He wants his classes to be engaged with the material and have a discussion.

Philosophy professor Marc Bobro spoke about Raya’s affection for “The Allegory of the Cave” and how individuals have to question and challenge preconceived ideas and live life in the most meaningful way possible.  

“He doesn’t often work with a set agenda,” said Bobro. “He’ll ask a provocative question…and student responses set the agenda for the class. He truly believes that the material is relevant to one’s life.”

As well as working actively with his students, Raya works with a non-profit surf camp, the Homie Turf to Surf Program, to help troubled youth in the community.

“When did you ever think you would be surfing,” he muses about the kids he helps. “And imagine all of the other countless possibilities that you have never fathomed…”

Raya takes his job as an instructor seriously, and encourages students to go the extra mile. If they are doing well in his class he encourages them to become a tutor and understand that “philosophy is a social process.”

“Fortunately I got the opportunity to teach at City College, its one of my dreams, I want to be able to speak to kids … I am able to live the dream.”

That dream seemed unreachable as Raya grew up. He was born in Santa Barbara but shortly after moved with his family to Mexico where they lived in poverty for many years.

“That was life. For me that’s all I knew, so when I came over here it was a different world to me,” he said. “There was no one in my family who went to college… that was never a goal.”

At age 7, Raya moved back to Santa Barbara and by the time he was 13 became involved in local gangs.

“The friends that I met were the first Spanish-speaking kids and we just funneled into gangs together…I had no expectations for what life would be,” said Raya.

We didn’t have this mal-intent to go hurt people or cause harm in society, we were just all friends and we all hung together… we just happened to be rebelling and we had come from nothing… I picked up a case and kept getting in trouble until I was 18,” he said.

After going in and out of prison, Raya decided to come to City College to meet new people and began working on becoming “the best person” he could be.

“I read the Allegory of the Cave and that is what changed everything for me… [It] allowed me to take my blinders off.”