Posted on November 6, 2020
Major: undeclared
Project: A mentoring program that will break the barriers to equitable access to education by creating a safe space for students of color and ensuring that they are healthy, supported, and engaged. In this space, we will help them address their mental health, provide more knowledge of higher education (or other alternatives), help them better understand racial and ethnic equality, and better provide resources for undocumented/first-gen students.
Inspiration: Throughout my high school career (even now in college) I sometimes feel isolated and not very well represented. I didn’t see myself reflected in the staff at my school and felt as if there were many opportunities that I was not made aware of. This made me want to offer that to students who may find themselves in the same position I was in. I want to give them hope and show them that everyone is able to follow their dreams ❤️
Future Plans: I hope to create a space where students feel emotionally, physically, and academically supported. While also, providing them with the information and resources needed to plan/achieve an amazing future.
Posted on October 19, 2020
Project: My work with the Puksta Foundation is centered around telling the stories of both current scholars and alumni through written and video profiles. I hope to create honest, captivating, and inspiring representations of the many young leaders in this family.
Inspiration: I get inspiration from young leaders that refuse to accept the current state of our world. Everyday the Puksta scholars remind me that there is always a way to organize and empower each other despite whatever obstacles might be in the way.
Posted on January 3, 2020
Project: This involves educating myself on the history of Asian Americans in the U.S. Understanding how Asians interact with other POCs and more. The goal of this entire project is how we can increase allyship as a two way street.
Inspiration: The issue not only resonates with me but many other students as well who have been my peers and mentees.
Posted on October 2, 2019
Major: Political Science
Project: Helping immigrants from detention centers
Inspiration: Good space and supporting space to be in.
Future Goals: To help my community in any form I can
Posted on October 2, 2019
Major: Leadership and Community Engagement and English
Project: I actually have no idea where to start, but I know that I ultimately want to work with Latinx families on helping them understand what Black Lives Matter really means and why it is important to let go of the anti-blackness that within Latinidad and “Brown Lives Matter Too”
Inspiration: The current political climate has inspired me and has opened my eyes to the fact that a lot of the elderly Latinx folks aren’t educated on why BLM is so important not only to the Black / African-American population but for other people of color as well.
Future Goals: I hope to be able to educate myself and others on social justice issues but also I hope to build connections and friendships with people because they help influence a more positive world. I care deeply about people individually and I hope to help them learn about the importance of the social justice movement that we are living in.
Posted on October 2, 2019
Posted on October 2, 2019
Major: Political Science
Project: I would like to work with first-generation college students who want to go to college. I would like to mentor these students and help them obtain a higher education.
Inspiration: I am a first-generation college student. I come from an immigrant family and I knew I had to find my own resources to obtain a higher education. The process was very difficult and I know other students are in the same shoes I am and I want to support them.
Future Plans: I hope to increase diversity on campuses and have more first-generation students obtain a college degree.
Posted on October 2, 2019
Major: English (with a concentration on creative writing)
Project: I am working to further disability inclusion in the media (TV shows, movies, advertisements, etc.). It is rare that there ever is a disabled character featured in the media, and when they are, they are often depicted as a source of inspiration to make the main characters feel better about their lives. I would like to change that stigma and increase the thought that disabled characters could be a love interest, funny side characters, or really anything!
Inspiration: As I went through the college application process and toured the universities, they all had a point during their presentation where they bragged about how diverse they were. There would be PowerPoint slides showing their diversity, emphasizing on the different races and ethnicities on campus. But there was never a disabled student. As everyone else would nod in agreement that, yes this is a diverse campus, I would shake my head as I never saw someone who looked like me. So I would like to try to encourage FULL diversity and do so through the media.
Future Plans: I hope to increase the number of disabled characters depicted in TV shows and movies. I think it is very important that all minorities are represented so that younger generations can learn more. As younger generations are exposed more and more to different people, they are less likely to think of them as different and more likely to just think of them as people.
Posted on October 2, 2019
Major: Biochemistry
Project: I want to create a mentorship program that guides students of color throughout their experience in upper-level AP/Honors/CE courses in high schools.
Inspiration: My experience in these courses inspired my Puksta project because I went to a very diverse high school however, the upper-level courses I was in did not reflect the diversity of the school I went to.
Future Goals: My main goal is to encourage students to challenge themselves and make them realize that they have a support system they can go to if they ever need it.
Posted on September 6, 2019
Major: Molecular Biology and Chemistry
Project: My Puksta Project for this upcoming year will have to be to navigate and guide non-profit organizations and schools on how and what youth engagement is. Also to help them create or guide them on how to start up youth boards or have youth join them in there efforts and missions that are around youth or for youth.
Inspiration: My inspiration on my Puksta Project would experiencing the lack of youth engagement in my hometown school district and how youth didn’t have a voice on issues that matter about them. Also seeing a disconnected between students and teachers. I have also seen a lot of organizations that are supposed to be about youth or for youth efforts in all aspects but they don’t have any youth in their organization. So they are just assuming what youth want, which I believe is not okay at all.
Future Plans: I hope to accomplish on making communities and making youth feel like they matter. Also giving youth opportunities through being involved in youth councils/ youth collaboratives that they feel safe, have someone they feel like is their mentor and be able to advocate for what they believe is right and what they love. Also to see that even one has the purpose to lead and be the change for there community despite their background. For the adults, I hope to see that they find that youth are just humans just like them. And they get to collaborate and see what youth can bring to there organization. But also to support them and create a positive relationship with each youth. In order to create a positive youth engagement environment.
