To many of us, he hid under anonymity as Flamante, the hilarious face of what once was Confesiones 2.0, a Facebook page where gallitos and jerezanas could post anonymous confessions. To others, he’s a former candidate of the PPD as a representative in Aibonito. But, altogether, he’s more than just a public figure. He’s the guy you can count on to make hard choices, a born leader. Many of us failed to listen to who he was because he was so busy learning about our struggles during his Flamante days. Now he’s the one we should be reading about. Meet Brian Sánchez.
Trigger Warning: During the interview, there are certain topics mentioned such as suicide and house abandonment.
Name: Brian Sánchez Rolón
Age: 21
Major: Finance and Economy
Classification: Fourth Year (Senior)
Hometown: Aibonito
Nickname: Flamante
HCUPR: Tell us about yourself.
B: I am a full-time student, currently a politician. People consider me a student leader and a public figure among other things. I moved in, without making any deep thinking of how things would turn out. It’s like I’m skipping stages in my life. I currently have a job, and I’m a person who tries to improve each day.
HCUPR: How did the idea of Confesiones come to you?
B: The idea was originally from a classmate from Generales. Started as a hobby, that grew exponentially. People liked my sense of humor. When the page reached 3,000 likes, I needed to start recruiting people to help out. For some reason, the followers started treating me like I was some sort of god. I met a lot of people that still call me to this day. People started using the page as a method to reach out. They wanted to be heard.
HCUPR: What’s the story behind the name of Flamante?
B: Flamante is actually an adjective. It’s how they started to refer to me, “el Flamante Administrator”. El cheche. I guess my comments were seen with lots of flames. And, the idea to be referred as with an adjective seemed very compelling to the viewers.
HCUPR: What impacted you the most during your time in Confesiones?
B: The fact that many people needed help, via anonymity. There was this girl that got kicked out of her house. Sent me photos as proof. I told her to stay with me. Little by little things improved. There was another individual that sent me photos of him cutting himself. They needed someone to reach out, and they chose me.
HCUPR: Why was the page deleted?
B: A former admin made the mistake of not revising every confession with precaution, and she posted one that involved a phone number. So, the page was reported. I understood why; I just couldn’t understand why would someone do that.
HCUPR: Why did you leave?
B: I started politics. There was another way I could help others. If I wanted to make an impact, I had to start from zero. And, in a way, the page would somehow have a negative accountability. It was an important decision. I had to be more ethical.
HCUPR: An old life closed, a new one rose. Describe your political life.
B: I was certified as a candidate in Aibonito for the Partido Popular Democrático. In January starts the legislation for the place that saw me grow. My boss told me that I had just signed my sentence letter. People would give blame because of affiliation. I lost a good amount of friends, including people I once helped under the pen name, Flamante. It was a hard chapter due to the circumstances. But, I got a lot of it because I got to visit a lot of parts from my childhood. Even though I didn’t win, it helped me to shape up for a future chance (Fun fact: he lost by 200 votes and was the youngest candidate to enroll).
HCUPR: You’re the current president of the Chapter of College Democrats. How did this happen?
B: Carlos Amaya started the movement. It was slow at first because no one wanted to be president, so I stepped up and took charge. Due to la Gran Huelga, our calendar was canceled. We had a hard time at first (as an organization) because people wanted to use this to fulfill their hidden agendas. I specifically asked for this during my time: to leave our affiliations aside. Even though it is a political association, we asked for variety. We want it to be inclusive and clean.
HCUPR: You mentioned that you ran for the PPD. Why?
B: Even though I’m not currently happy with how things are going, I feel proud representing their ideals. But, we must change in order to prevail. We must let the eyes of future generations help reshape things to be in its former glory.
HCUPR: What’s the best thing you got out of Confesiones?
B: I met people who genuinely care about me.
HCUPR: What are your future goals?
B: Finish my BA in Finance and Economy. Aspiring to have a Ph.D. and become a senator. I want to be inserted in public service. My ultimate goal is to be in the legislative area of my country.
HCUPR: Describe yourself in 3 words.
B: Powerful, confident, and empathic.