Summer 2021
Amber GonzalezHello everyone, my name is Amber Gonzalez. I’m a first generation American and college student. I was born and raised in the Bronx with proud Dominican roots. I’m an upper sophomore at John Jay majoring in Law & Society with the hopes of graduating with a certificate in Spanish Legal Translation and Interpretation. Upon graduation, I hope to attend law school and be the representation and voice for the neglected and silenced in our society. Growing up in a hardworking Dominican female dominated household, I quickly realized that the world I would later interact with wouldn’t appreciate it as much as I did and still do. At the age of 13, my mother left the Dominican Republic leaving her loved ones and memories to experience the “American Dream” which she would later give it a new meaning. Now my mother’s dream is for all her children to be happy and successful in whichever way we define it. Indirectly giving up her own dreams for the completion of our own, my mother is a trailblazer and embodies a true role model. At my placement site, in the Safe Passage Project, I hope to be at least half the person she is, keeping the lives of the people as priority. |
Diana Gonzalez
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Monica HernandezMy name is Monica Hernandez, and I am a junior majoring in Latin American Studies and minoring in Political Science. I was born and raised in Queens, New York, with Mexican parents. I grew up in a mixed-status family. As a result, I have seen firsthand the struggles of undocumented immigrants. Growing up with immigrant parents fueled my interest in law, politics, and civic engagement. I aspire to become an attorney in the future and hope to help and support marginalized groups of people. In the future, I also hope to empower and provide resources to Latinx youth. During my free time, I love binge-watching new tv shows, re-watching my favorite tv shows, watching movies, and listening to music. |
Salma MendezMy name is Salma Mendez. I was born and raised in The Bronx, NY, with proud Mexican roots. I am a first-generation college student pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Latin American and Latinx Studies. I am adventurous, a risk-taker, and love to network with people.
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Christopher PeñaMy name is Christopher Pena, and I'm from the Bronx, New York. I'm going to John Jay in pursuit of a degree for Computer Science; being open to any changes in regards to what I studies. Currently a sophomore, I'm using my free time in order to expand my view of the world, in order to aid and understand other people. Being able to know that my work can change the lives of others is the push that brings myself to work for the sake of others. |
Lessley PerezHello! My name is Lessley Perez and I am the first person in my family to attend college. Currently, I am a sophomore majoring in Forensic Science, looking forward to pursuing my concentration in Criminalistics at John Jay College and also plan on minoring in Psychology. I was born in New York City and raised in a Mexican household. As a young child, I was told about the difference between being raised in the United States and being raised in Mexico and that it was my job to be better than my parents, academically speaking, as I had great opportunities here. As I grew older, I heard how much my mother struggled in life, how much my father had to go through in order to get to where he was and how all of that came together for them to meet and start a life in the United States. As the oldest, I want to not only let them live their dreams through me but also set an example for my brother. I also like to read or run errands for our home. I also enjoy going on bike rides along the Hudson River. I also enjoy spending time with my friends and family and visiting new places.
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Rosario RosalesMy name is Rosario Rosales and I was born and raised in California. I moved to New York City in 2017 to attend John Jay College. Even though my major was Criminal Justice, almost all of my classes focused on injustices when it comes to social rights and opportunities. Coming from a small border-town in California, I was able to witness a lot of injustice to my community. I had always been passionate about empowering youth and underrepresented communities.
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