Summer 2015
Olivia RamirezOlivia was born in New Rochelle, New York. She was raised in a single parent household and is a first generation college student. She currently a sophomore at John Jay College of Criminal Justice with a major in Political Science and a potential minor in English and History. After completing her BA at John Jay she wants to attend law school and become a lawyer. Olivia hopes to help underrepresented minorities and help with the many obstacles they may face. Aside from listening to music, Olivia enjoys playing sports, and watching documentaries.
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Wanda BalderaWanda was born in the Dominican Republic but immigrated to the United States at age fourteen. Wanda is currently a junior at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and is pursuing a double major in Criminology and Economics. In addition, she is obtaining a Certificate in Translation and Interpretation in Spanish. Upon completion of her B.A., Wanda is planning to join the United States Marshalls and also earn her Masters Degree in Criminal Justice. Some of her interests outside of academics include watching crime TV series such as Criminal Minds and Law & Order: SVU, reading mystery and romance books and shopping with her sisters.
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Gladys Rivera-MartinezGladys Rivera-Martinez is a first generation and Mexican college student. She is currently an Honors Program Scholar at John Jay College of Criminal Justice pursuing a major in Criminal Justice and a minor in Latin American Studies. She is involved in numerous distinguished programs including the CREAR Futuros peer mentoring program which guides Latino college students to reach their academic and professional goals, the Ernesto Malave Leadership Academy which develops leadership and lobbying skills, the 2014-2015 learning exchange cohort of the Prison To College Pipeline Program which helps individuals at Otisville Correctional Facility take college courses, and lastly, the Latinas On the Verge of Excellence (LOVE) Program which mentors high school girls in Bushwick. She is currently interested in attending graduate school to find a career that tackles immigration issues. In her free time, she likes to read, listen to music, travel, visit museums, and watch shows such as Cristela, Law and Order SVU, Wayward Pines, Empire, and How to Get Away With Murder.
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Lesley FernandezLesley Fernandez was born in Manhattan, but was raised in the Bronx and is the proud daughter of two Dominican immigrants, her father who graduated with an associate’s degree from Bronx Community College and her mother who completed some college. Although her mother has been a U.S. citizen for nineteen years, her father was deported in 2010. She is currently a sophomore at John Jay College with a major in Forensic Psychology and a minor in Latin American Studies. She is on the Dean’s list and was admitted into the Honors Program. Her passion in life is based on human rights; she advocates justice for all. Upon completion of her Bachelor’s degree, Lesley plans to join the U.S Marshals or the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI). She would also like to found her own nonprofit organization to help juvenile delinquents avoid recidivism and reentry. In her free time, Lesley enjoys listening to music, especially Salsa, Bachata, and Bolero. She loves singing and having a good time with positive people.
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Ismary CalderonIsmary Yared Calderon was originally born in Coyotepec, Mexico. The town in which she grew up is located about two hours away from Mexico City. When she used to live there, it was still a quiet small town, but now it is plagued with gangs, robbers and kidnappers at every corner. She is a sophomore currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science & Information Security. After she graduates from college she would love to join the Air Force and upon completion of her service, her goal is to work for the United Nations. Very recently, Ismary found an interest in hiking and it is a sport that she is planning to pursue. She loves traveling, sightseeing and doing new things like skydiving, zip-lining, rock climbing and whitewater rafting. Although she is aware that backpacking around the world may be quite impossible for some time, she is determined to travel even if it takes her years to begin the journey. Most people consider traveling a luxury that one sees as a reward for their hard work; for Ismary, the pleasure of seeing just the tiny portion of the world would be just as fulfilling as building her career.
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Nathaly RamirezNathaly was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. She was raised by her Mexican mother and her Colombian father. Currently, she is a rising sophomore at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and she is pursuing a major in Forensic Psychology with a minor in Latin America and Latina/o Studies. After graduation, she plans to attend Law School and practice immigration or family law. She has a passion for making a difference in the Latina/o community, which is why she spends most of her time working directly with Latina/o youth. Some of her interests outside of academics include spending time with her family, running, dancing, exploring different neighborhoods, and experimenting with makeup.
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