Passions

Community Design

It took SO long to find the words for my greatest passion- but the words community design feel so right. I believe so strongly in the power of community and am excited to live a life dedicated to building better ones. Whether through intentional events and gatherings, advocacy and policy change, we can build better, more empathetic, and stronger communities.

Leadership

I was introduced to leadership originally through high school student council, but I quickly learned leadership was much more than planning a high school dance. After attending MASC/MAHS Leadership Camp after my sophomore year of high school I started to see leadership through a new sense. Following camp, during my junior year, I brought an organization to my school funded through Special Olympics Michigan, at the time called Project Unify, and now named Unified Champion Schools. My leadership capabilities exploded here when I discovered my meaning of leadership was using opportunities given to you, to create opportunities for someone else.

Disability Awareness, Education, and Advocation

Project Unify, as mentioned above, brings general education students and special education students together through sports, community service, and spreading awareness to end the “R” word. I have become passionate about working with those with disabilities, as well as advocating against the use of offensive language and behavior, as well as creating motor job opportunities for individuals with disabilities. Though I had to leave my Project Unify days in high school I have been able to get involved in Best Buddies and the David Garcia Project here on campus at Central. I am hoping to grow within both of these organizations and become an even louder voice for these individuals.

Potluck

Travel

I was so fortunate to be able to travel in both high school and college with immersive cultural experience. One with a home stay in Peru to help develop and practice my Spanish skills and the other while studying in Italy for 5 months during my Sophomore year of college at CMU. These experience open my eyes both to how different doesn’t mean strange, or wrong- simply different. It also helped me to recognize the rose-colored glasses I tend to wear when looking at other countries. Everywhere has its flaws, and there is no escaping the harsh truths of our world. Instead of trying to find the place where these flaws don’t exist- we need to work to make a world a place with the changes we are constantly searching for.