| Recipient |
Response |
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Nicole Calande
MFA Creative Writing
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“As a queer writer, I’ve often been concerned with voices on the margins. Going back
to school to get my MFA in creative writing was as much about being connected to diverse
peer writers and artists as it was about finding my own voice. With my previous experiences
in independent podcasting and book publishing, I’ve seen the potential to shift power
and resources towards underrepresented voices and artists. I hope to continue this
passion through creating platforms that directly serve artists and community members
in a variety of ways—always with accessibility and empowerment in mind. This year,
being involved with Reed Magazine and the CLA will allow me to get the leadership
experience in community arts programming that I hope to implement on my own after
graduation.”
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Jo’Leysha Cotton
Master of Urban Planning
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“The impetus for my passion to make a difference is because someone before me had
the courage to make a difference, so I could live a more fruitful life. In particular,
these people include my enslaved ancestors, civil right leaders, community activists,
community members, and my parents and other family members. Making a difference is
not always easy, the best way to pay homage to our ancestors is to pay it forward
to generations following us.”
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Mitchell Hawkins
MS Occupational Therapy
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“I think what has contributed the most to the passion I have to make a difference
is simply having my eyes opened to the suffering of others and the injustices they
face. What started with me taking a single Sociology course on race and ethnic relations
has transitioned my entire way of viewing the world and my place in it. I have always
wanted to help people and make a difference in the lives of others, which is the main
reason that I am currently pursuing my Master’s in Occupational Therapy. But after
taking that Sociology course, I am aware of the daily injustices people face that
I can not ignore. I feel empathy for all of those suffering, and I believe that it
is my responsibility to help as many people as I can for as long as I can. It is no
longer my goal to seek to help only individuals but to seek social justice for all
of those who need it. This scholarship will help me as I push to pursue a Ph.D. in
Sociology. With that degree that I hope to use to create change and impact our [country’s]
healthcare system to better serve those that it currently neglects and to serve those
that it currently ignores. Everyone deserves an equal opportunity for a happy life
and we have the power to help make that a reality.” |
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Huy Le
Counselor Education
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“My greatest passion for making a difference in the world stems from my educational
experience toward higher education. As a first-generation, low-income Vietnamese American
man, I grew up in a single-parent household where I, as the eldest son, had the sole
responsibility of taking care of my family while my mother, a Vietnamese immigrant,
worked incredibly hard to make ends meet to put food on our table and keep a roof
over our heads. Although I successfully became the first in my family to graduate
from college, my journey toward achieving this goal was not easy due to my low socioeconomic
background and not having the navigational assistance to steer me toward higher education.
Through my own educational journey and my work as a Counselor Intern at West Valley
College in EOPS, I realized that students like me are often challenged with attaining
their educational goals due to various circumstances that make it difficult for them
to do so. In fact, achieving my educational goals of transferring to a 4-year university
and earning a college degree was something that I initially thought was out of reach
for someone like me.
As a future community college counselor, I am keenly determined to decrease these
unequal, recurring rates by closing the achievement gap among first-generation, low-income
college students from diverse backgrounds so that they can attain their educational
goals. I strive to use my education to provide opportunities for college students
from underserved communities to help them achieve their dreams and aspirations through
higher education, ultimately fueling my passion and drive to continue making a difference
for humanity and in the world entirely.”
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Katherine Reyes
Public Health and Recreation
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“As a graduate student and public health worker, I am guided by my personal experiences
as someone who was incarcerated as a young person. I am resourced by those who have
paved the way for generations before me, fighting for the rights of Black, Indigenous,
disabled, immigrants, women, trans people, and other oppressed groups. I believe public
health as a field has an important role and responsibility to support marginalized
communities in our fight for dignity and liberation. Specifically, I believe that
racial justice is central to public health and envision a world where public health
is a leader in addressing structural racism through bold action such as divesting
from carceral solutions and investing in community-centric efforts like housing and
healthcare for everyone and universal basic income.”
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Taylor Zavala
Masters of Social Work
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“It is my passion to see others succeed and live a life that is authentically theirs
that drives me to make a difference. Witnessing the special moments when someone is
at their best are truly touching. It is in these moments that anything is possible.
That is what I want for everyone in this world to be able to experience: moments of
endless hope, peaceful contentment, and unbridled joy. While working with youth in
schools, the LGBTQ+ community, and juvenile detention facilities alongside adults
suffering from mental health issues, substance misuse, and experiencing domestic violence,
sexual assault, and human trafficking, I have learned that humans are extremely resilient.
We are able to traverse the most debilitating and frightening corners of existence
and still find hope, a reason to get out of bed to show up for ourselves as we strive
for a better life. I know I am one person, and I may not always make a difference,
however, if there is a chance I can possibly help one of these individuals get to
a place in their lives where they are self-sufficient and free from abuse, then I
will continue providing support by showing up however I am needed. We all deserve
to feel safe, heard, understood, and loved. As I work toward receiving my Master’s
in Social Work at San Jose State University, I know I am learning the tools I need
to help others feel exactly that. It is time we all live authentically. It is my passion
to help others learn how so they can shine!” |
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