Bipeds of Brookland: Gidey Teferra

Bipeds of Brookland: Introducing the people who make Brookland their home, one step at a time.

Gidey Teferra learned auto skills from his next door neighbor in Ethiopia, “I actually knew names of tools and parts before I even started kindergarten. I was probably five or six when I did my first brake job.”

Gidey came to the US from Ethiopia when he was in eighth grade. “When I was 16, I would work on my own stuff in the back yard” in Virginia. Eventually he had so many cars parts stored behind the house, he had to move out and rent a storage unit to do his car repair.“I almost took a job at a big auto repair company once.  But then we didn’t agree on their style of sales. I’m against these auto repair services that are not honest with the customer. They would want you to convince the customer, ‘You should do it now’ but that customer might not have the money at that time, but if they hear from a mechanic telling them something bad like that… I never liked that, so I didn’t take the job.  The way they approached me it wasn’t honest customer service, so I didn’t do it. ”

Gidey moved into Brookland six months ago and does handyman jobs as his business. “Brookland is very nice.  It’s a quiet neighborhood. Especially at night, you forget you’re in DC. The biggest job I am doing now is here at Askale Café for my parents. . . The ultimate goal is to open my own auto shop and do the honest job, and tell the customers the truth.”

When asked about his long-term career plans Gidey responds, “Future mayor. I think I would have been the president if I was born here.”

Interview and photo by Tom Sabella