Posted on December 21, 2016
Project: My community engagement project is The (Blank) Monologues. Inspired by The Vagina Monologues, The (Blank) Monologues is a student written and performed production about social issues facing students on campus. These issues include by are not limited to sexual assault, domestic violence, racism, sexism, homophobia, and more. The target population served is the CSU community including students and staff, as well as our beneficiary, Crossroads Safe House.
Inspiration: I realized that there were so many issues that college students face, and all too often they are told that they should not discuss their experiences and they are swept under the rug. I firmly believe that we cannot solve these issues unless they are talked about in the open and put front and center.
Future Plans for Project: I hope to provide a platform for survivors to share their stories and let others know that if they have similar experiences, they are not alone. I want to ensure that these issues cannot be ignored.
Posted on December 21, 2016
Project: Teaching and mentoring young disabled students in literacy, and other areas of interest while making them more confident entering their classroom. In addition to teaching and mentoring, I hope to inspire those to further their education and getting a degree.
Inspiration: I am inspired by my history, and how I have previously struggled to learn how to read, write, and speak without facing issues of my own.
Future Plans for Project: I hope that I impact the young students I help, and that they see a positive change in their way of reading, writing, and speaking.
Posted on December 21, 2016
Posted on December 21, 2016
Project: Food insecurity is a major issue around the country that is often overlooked within the college population. I am addressing this issue as it relates to the CSU campus and the students and staff who are affected. The transition from dorm life to apartments can be challenging and therefore I am providing healthy and fresh food to students as well as resources to preparing and understanding what they are eating. I have been addressing the issue by installing for a “Freedge” in the on-campus apartments. Freedge comes from the combination of the words free and fridge and is based on the idea of free produce for anyone who needs fresh produce. In the apartments, there are fridges in the main lobby that are filled with fresh, organic, and local veggies grown from the Horticulture center on campus.
Inspiration: Volunteering in the community at food banks, rescue missions, and childcare settings have inspired me to focus on food insecurity. I noticed some of my peers struggling with food insecurity and I wanted to be able to provide a resource so they have less stress when it comes to one of the basic needs in life. There are no specific food resources for students so I wanted to provide a service for students who may be struggling. In addition, organic and local produce is usually expensive which causes students to shy away and buy something not as nourishing which can hinder their studies and social lives.
Future Plans for Project: Providing students with access to free, organic, and local produce and offering cooking classes and workshops are my main goals. Ideally, I would like to expand the Freedges to other places on campus to allow for more access from other students who may be struggling. Food is a simple, but overlooked necessity, and I hope to make an impact towards combating food insecurity on campus.
Posted on December 21, 2016
Project: This year I really want to put together all of my work that I have done the past year. Ideally, I would love to have a consistent schedule or program in which I continue to facilitate parent workshops on the college application process but also include more diversity into the presentation. I would like to have one presentation every two weeks on different topics. One major topic I would like to discuss would be having a safe space to allow for an open dialogue on the current political climate in which parents can feel free to express their feelings. I also want to have one day where an immigration attorney comes and discusses how undocumented immigrants are being affected and how to help the cause. I have come to enjoy doing the presentations but I also want to have an impact and a project that can be sustainable and I can continue doing past graduation.
Inspiration: My family has always been my biggest support system and inspiration for my Puksta Project and life in general. Coming from an undocumented mother and most of my family belong undocumented, I have always felt the need to protect them and involve myself in organizations and activities that support them. I feel have the duty to prove to them and myself that their sacrifice was worth it. As a first generation student I also want to show my siblings that it is possible to achieve higher goals with perseverance, sacrifice and help with the process.
Future Plans for Project: I hope that through my parent workshops there are parents who feel more comfortable in tackling the college application process and feel more confident in supporting their student through their new journey. I also hope that those parents then can help out other parents and students, becoming into cycle. I want to make sure that even though students are supposed to get post secondary education information in high school there is still a lack of support for those students and it is important for them to have a strong support from their parents.
Posted on December 21, 2016
Project: Working to provide guidance, tutoring, and support to students from low-income households, especially on classes focused on STEM. “I Have a Dream” Foundation is an organization that works in the Boulder Valley community. This is an outstanding
organization to partner with and commit to their mission to transform lives through education, especially the lives of our youth.
Inspiration: Education is the key to innovation and development. Our society needs that.
I am one of the lucky ones to have college accessibility thanks to grants and scholarships like Puksta.
I wish I would have had access to similar programs like the “I Have a Dream” Foundation. Programs that can make the transition to higher education easier. I think that I am privileged to be in certain circumstances, so I want to share this with our local community.
“Every generation has the obligation to free men’s minds for a look at new worlds, to look out from a higher plateau than the last generation.” -USAF Col Onizuka
Future Plans: Provide guidance, mentorship, and support to students of similar backgrounds based on personal experiences in college. College life can get challenging, and I’d love to be a part of making the life of even one student easier.
Posted on December 21, 2016
Project: My Puksta Project for the upcoming year is to unite all Colorado campuses and student groups that work with DACA and undocumented students and continue advocating for DACA students.
Inspiration: I myself am a DACA recipient so I have first hand experience on what it feels like to grow up being undocumented and some of the struggles that come with it and i want to facilitate some of those struggles for others.
Future Plans for Project: What I plan to accomplish is to be an advocate for DACA students and unite people in making a change and push acts like Dream Act, Bridge Act, and American Hope Act.
Posted on December 21, 2016
Project: I plan on working alongside laborers and building labor rights trainings for service industry and construction workers in my local communities. This will include working alongside labor rights organizations and lawyers. I also want to organize more translators to work alongside legal councilors.
Inspiration: I work with several undocumented americans who feel cheated by our boss and don’t feel they can properly advocate for themselves because of language barriers, fear of consequences, and lack of education.
Future Plans for Projects: I hope to improve the working conditions and accountability within my own workplace as well as on Pearl Street in Boulder. I want employees to feel confident and satisfied in their jobs and employers to feel a responsibility for their workers.
Posted on December 21, 2016
My Puksta Project will use technology to develop a program that trains students who are under-represented on many campuses to gain admission and compete for scholarships at these schools.
Posted on December 21, 2016
Project: My Puksta Project for this upcoming academic year is to get involved with different social services agencies that promote a change among the healthcare disparities among low-income and undocumented communities. I plan to work along social services agencies that have hands on help or that provide the tools, information, and needs certain communities are limited to.
Inspiration: What inspired to choose my Puksta Project was my own personal and family experience. Coming from an undocumented family and being an undocumented myself I know the struggles and obstacles families face to receive access or adequate healthcare services. In fact, the current policies and social aspects of our society took take this social issues to the attention of others as many people are not aware.
Future Plans for Project: I truly honestly hope to become the start of change and aspirations of future generation to pursue the same passion to make a change within our communities and the healthcare. I defiantly try my best to in fact start a new organization or join any social services that reaches to the community on personal level specially in our current political climate. Help families get access to proper information on payments options, guidance, and language barriers support.
