Posted on December 21, 2016
Project: I will be working on helping organize a program for Muslim Women that will embody some of their greatest needs, including working on inclusivity in mosques as well as a mentorship program for young Muslim Women that will be paired with other women already successful in their dream field, hobby, or lifestyle.
Inspiration: Being a Muslim Woman, lack of support systems is a common theme in my own community, and after discussing it with other women, it seemed that it was high time for a program like this in the Denver community.
Future Plans for Project: I hope to make even the smallest footstep towards a better future, a better world for the next generation. Even one small act of civic engagement can be the domino that kicks off massive waves and social change.
Posted on December 21, 2016
Project: With my project I am aiming towards mending the relationship between law enforcement and the black community. Through this African-American male leadership program called Brotherhood I go into schools and help teach young high school students lessons around social justice, identity and the importance of higher education. We also held community forums and local schools that served as open spaces for parents, community members, teacher and students alike to voice their concerns about the issues going on in their neighborhood to police offers, members of city council, the DA’s office etc.
Inspiration: My life changed on June 22, 2010. That was the day Micah, my older brother and male role model, was shot. My Puksta Project is informed entirely by what happened that day and in the days since—that’s why I’m devoting myself to ending violence in neighborhoods and areas where it’s prevalent today… and make it history tomorrow.
In these last 4 years over 500 African-American males have been killed by police and law enforcement. We are often misrepresented in mass media as thugs murderers unintelligent and pathetic. These types of ideals add in to why police perceive us as dangerous. I want to dismantle these type idealistic views.
Future Plans for Project: I hope to open the eyes of Black youth and help them understand their potential and embrace their culture.
Posted on December 21, 2016
Project: Provide programming to community members at Munroe Elementary to raise higher education access awareness.
Inspiration: Munroe is my former elementary school and it is also located in the community where I grew up.
Future Plans for Project: Change the community, change the perception of college!
Posted on December 21, 2016
Project: This year I just plan on focusing on the research for my project. My hopes are to not only become an expert on my topic, but also discover what it is exactly I want to do for my project.
Inspiration: Having done some research in the past about my topic, I wanted to continue my research. Coming from a family of refugees, access to education was definitely not the easiest journey. This is a universal issue that affects immigrant families. When going through the college application process myself, it was super hard to navigate. Whether it was finding a college campus with an Asian American community, finding a college campus that provided resources and support to Asian American students or even finding scholarships specifically for Asian Americans, it was something I was required to research on my own. I want to be able to do my family’s story justice and provide other Asian American students with resources so that they don’t have to go through the same experience I did.
Future Plans for Project: I hope that I will be able to provide some sort of representation for Asian American students within higher education. I want to be able to provide students with some access to resources about how to navigate the college experience from an Asian American perspective, scholarships and more.
