most matter to them with the best interest of the community at large. A Changemaker is able to bring folks with them as they collaborate to pave the path forward. My high school counselor always said, “As you make your way to the top of the ladder, always bring people with you, because the top is a very lonely place without anyone there with you.” To me that has always been how I chose to lead but also why I chose to take a step back and be a passenger in the car that is being driven by BIPoC womxn.

Can you tell us about the work you do and why it’s important for you?   

As an Equity and Family Engagement Facilitator for ten different K-12 schools in the Redmond Learning Community, I have been able to connect families with local organizations and work with school staff to promote positive family engagement. For the 21-22 school year, I organized and led the first ever Students of Color Conference in LWSD. This was a huge accomplishment as it was the first big event in the district that focused primarily on BIPoC students facilitated by BIPoC educators. Another aspect of my role is creating and collaborating for affinity spaces such as La Cima LWSD, The Black Room, The Latinx Café, and a young men’s healing circle consisting of 8^th grade Latino boys. And as a program facilitator for the Equity Institute, I also support Latinx youth on Lopez and Orcas Islands. Affinity space programing to me is a vital part of the work that I do because it tells BIPoC youths that they are worthy of receiving tender loving care from one another in spaces that have traditionally not served the students in the ways they should be served.

What is a project or effort you are working on right now that you want to share with this community? Why is this effort important to you?   

La Cima Bilingual Leadership, to me this was one of the most powerful experiences that I got as a young Latino kid who really had no idea what power my words, actions and decisions had. La Cima was able to expose me to other educators around the state that not only looked like me but also shared very similar stories to me. This effort is important to me because not only do students get to see and work alongside other bilingual staff of color, but they get to explore education pathways in spaces they don’t normally get in their schools.

What gives you hope in this moment?   

It will always be the youth. Although I have come to terms with the work that I engage in being generational work, I don’t think we can advance in our current state without amplifying the voice of the youth. They are the experts in their experience, and they should be given seats at the table as the experts they are.

 

 

 

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The first time I was called a “Changemaker” I found it hard to grasp because I had never seen myself that way. For myself, I thrived in community, bringing people together, and reaching back to help others, understanding that the opportunities I’ve received weren’t just for myself. It’s easy to reach new heights in life or career and forget about those who helped along the way. For myself, I believe being a changemaker is about always reaching back, remembering those who have helped me along the way, and helping to create opportunities for others.

What has brought you to this point in your journey as a Changemaker?   

The biggest move I’ve made in my journey thus far was going to Highline College. In high school, being a first-generation college student wasn’t easy, but I navigated the best way I could. On that journey, I met Tanisha Williams and she helped me choose Highline College. It was at Highline through many experiences and communities that I truly felt I found my voice. From there I was accepted to Seattle University to study Strategic Communications and learn from an incredible community called the Alfie Scholars Program. Upon graduation and starting my first job, I was reconnected with the Discovery Center and I’m forever grateful. I can’t wait to see what my time at the foundation has in store and the incredible work we will be able to partner and do together.

Can you tell us about the work you do and why it’s important for you?   

I currently have two jobs, my first as an Executive Assistant for a Nonprofit called World Relief Western Washington. THere we work with incoming refugees and asylees and aid them in their resettlement journeys as they make their new home in the United States. As an Executive Assistant, I do everything I can to support my boss as he leads our organization.

Additionally, I work at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Discovery Center as an Associate in the Communications and Public Programs department. This work is equally important because I believe in the stories and programs that the Discovery Center showcases. I especially love working with the 100 changemaker program because I'm learning from other people and hearing their stories. Through communication, we can connect with people across the globe on various social media platforms to hear and tell stories.

Which organization nominated you? 

I was nominated by the Young Educated Ladies Leading (YELL) Female Summit at Highline College. I first learned about this program in high school and began involvement in early 2017 as I finished my first year of college. The YELL Female Summit is a space where women of color gather from high schools across the United States and share in the community. Through this program, I volunteered, served on panel discussions, and eventually, MC'd my last YELL Summit in 2019.

What are you reading, watching, or listening to right now?

I am currently watching Atlas of the Heart on HBO by Brene Brown.

What is something you do to relax and/or for self-care? 

I enjoy going up to Whidbey Island to hang with friends and be by the water to relax. 

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important for you?

In my day job, I work with diverse communities from all around the world from Afghanistan, Somalia, and many more. I work to help provide their kids with opportunities in communities such as camp, and swimming classes while exposing them to the variety of opportunities available for them whether they are in elementary or in their last year of college. 

On the side, I research refugee migration and I have a focused effort on helping South Sudanese refugees in the camp and those in transition through my research and also my small business which works with a local nonprofit back in Juba that assists in increasing educational opportunities for South Sudanese.

 

Why are you inspired to do this work?   

I know there’s a lot of work to be done but I’m inspired by all the technology rising and how caring people have evolved to become. We’re way more understanding than we were 50 years ago and the increase in technology has allowed us to see how others around the globe live and work. It closes the gap of difference amongst us ad allows us to see how similar we are regardless of our zip codes.

 

What are you reading, watching, or listening to right now?   

I’m currently reading “Bamboozled by Jesus” by Yvonne Orji.

What gives you hope in this moment?    

Tiktok, in the fact that it opens up this opportunity for those who didn’t have much to be raw in their content and share with the rest of the world. I get to see how everyone else lives around the world, what inspires them, and things that are not seen in mainstream media. I feel like it's given a voice to those who are otherwise voiceless.

Two examples of youth programs:

https://alasummer.org/the-gsp-difference/

https://www.bezosscholars.org/impact

 

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important for you? As a college student majoring in Political Science and Communication, with a concentration in Film and Media Studies at Pacific Lutheran University (PLU), I’ve been involved in various community building opportunities on campus over the years. During my first year at college, I worked as a First in the Family Advocate in my residence hall council where I organized events sharing resources and opportunities to help first generation college students succeed and feel supported, such as a “FAFSA and Scholarship Night.”  From there on in my second year, I worked as a Resident Assistant for a Gender Inclusive Wing on campus where I implemented queer programing aimed at diversity, justice and sustainability for my hall.

For three years of my college experience, I also worked as a student journalist and former section editor for my school newspaper The Mast.  I aimed to highlight stories that would open a greater dialogue on campus, such as the Washington State Senate Debate, college voter turnout, Special Olympics at PLU, food insecurity, students navigating disability, etc.

Back during the 2018 midterms, I encouraged civic engagement and voter turnout as a Lute Vote volunteer at PLU and as a summer fellow for The Washington Bus, a non-profit that builds political power amongst young people.  While at The Washington Bus, I worked alongside a dozen other fellows to phone bank, knock on doors, register voters, and gather Pledge-to-Support cards for the ‘Get Out the Vote’ campaign and for tuition free or college support initiatives, like the Seattle and King County Promises.

In 2020, I also got the opportunity to work as a communication intern for the Tacoma Housing Authority where I created a booklet on how to write accessible content for the web and photographed the summer Hilltop Business Crawl.

What is a project or effort you are working on right now that you want to share with this community? Why is this effort important to you? Why are you inspired to do this work?  

Currently, I’m in my last semester of college and working on my Political Science and Communication capstone in which I’m trying to produce a short video on how the Sikh American community in the U.S. mobilized after a rise in hate crimes post-9/11. With this video, I aim to highlight different Sikh civil rights organizations and leaders that advocate and provide educational/support resources for this South Asian community.

Such projects that spread greater awareness about the unique issues facing certain vulnerable communities through journalism/media are important to me because they show the power representation holds in uplifting voices for good.

 

Which organization nominated you?  

Back in the summer of 2019, I was nominated by a non-profit organization based in Seattle called 21 Progress where I interned as a Bold Summer Fellow alongside four other young fellows.  While with 21 Progress, I attended workshops and connected with various social justice organizations in the Chinatown-International District (CID) that focus on addressing issues within the community, such as low-income housing, AAPI representation in the media, healthcare facilities for the elderly, etc.  Throughout my time there, the rest of the fellows and I had the opportunity to learn more about the history of civil rights and action in the CID by meeting with local leaders and visiting places like the Wing Luke Museum.  Later in the summer, the five of us fellows worked together to organize a ‘call to action’ teach-in for an immigration rally supporting undocumented civilians and helped lead a story circle with high school students in the ‘Summer Take Action Workshop’ at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

 What gives you hope in this moment?   

Hearing the stories of activists from older/past generations gives me hope because it reminds me of the good in the world and how far we have come thanks to their efforts and sacrifices.

Additionally, watching film/TV that centers BIPOC and queer leads experiencing joy and love gives me a lot of hope as well.

What are you reading, watching or listening to right now? 

Recently, I re-watched one of my favorite shows, Avatar the Last Airbender. I really appreciate how this show perfectly mixes themes of healing and struggle with some more light-hearted moments.

 What is something you do to relax and/or for self-care?  

Part of self-care for me is taking time out to catch up with my friends by going out to eat or hosting a game night together.  To relax, I like to drink tea (matcha or chai), listen to music, use facemasks, read a comic, or watch a Studio Ghibli movie.

 

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