Carleen is 37-years-old and was born in Chester, PA. She went to Upper Darby High School, graduating with the class of 2002. She then went to Delaware County Community College for three years, where she studied early childhood education. While at college, Carleen worked at Wawa and became a mother. She focused on raising her children, four boys and one girl. Carleen enjoys cooking, doing hair, singing, and dancing. Carleen has been a practicing Buddhist for the past eight years and takes her spirituality seriously, citing it as a big support in her life. Most of all, she enjoys spending time with her friends and family, and being with her children.
“I chant Nam Myōhō Renge Kyō for world peace”
Matt: Do you feel like your faith has helped you through it all?
Carleen: Oh, yes, most definitely.
Matt: Okay, could you describe a little more about how it helps?
Carleen: It calms me, even though I’m a Buddhist I chant Nam Myōhō Renge Kyō for world peace. So I tried to tell other people about my practice, you know, to change their karma for good karma other than bad karma. You know, this is part of me being right here. Me not paying my rent. That’s one thing, why I’m here. And then I had to start from the beginning, do it all over again. I was in the shelter before, that’s how I lost my house, not paying my rent. And I was at my previous house for nine years. But yeah, this pandemic is crazy. Making everybody in the world go crazy, and it’s not a good crazy, it’s very bad.
Matt: Yeah.
Carleen: That’s why I try to remain humble, or try to be. But I’m a human, too. So I have emotions too, just like everybody else.