Personal Narrative: Why I Volunteer At BLCI

I volunteer at BLCI because I know the challenges and barriers that come along with being a Latina and first-generation college student. My hope is by volunteering, I can help minimize these challenges using my academic and personal experience. I have been involved with BLCI since the 6th grade. I volunteered at college panels, assisted with fundraising events; I tutored students, reviewed college applications and scholarships. During college, I was able to gain the necessary experience and resources to further serve the families at BLCI. I spearheaded and developed a yearlong community engagement project called EmPOWERing Youth. The partnership was between SDSU PowerSave Campus, a student-led energy efficiency program and BLCI, a 3rd -12th

grade after-school program for prospective first-generation college students. This initiative included hands-on activities that educated students on energy conservation, sustainable practices and career opportunities within the environmental field. For example, students built mini-solar cookers and produced their energy using a bike generator to cook food, specifically s’mores. Throughout this project, I oversaw a $2,500 fiscal budget, 5 paid interns and 20 unpaid interns. After this partnership experience, I knew that I wanted to continue assisting the community of Barrio Logan. Therefore, since January 2017 I have volunteered as the Parent and Family Services Intern at BLCI. I directly work with families to find low-cost resources and services relating to health, food, employment, and immigration. I plan workshops and manage one-on-one appointments with parents and the students in Spanish and English. I also network with other community organizations in order to find the best services and programs for our families. Throughout my service at BLCI I encouraged families to continue to be involved in the community, take on leadership positions and use the services and resources available to them.