Fear is a perfectly valid response to the recent immigration raids across the country, especially in light of all the trauma that undocumented folks have had to endure to survive in this country. As is power. Our community is one of great resilience. They’ve survived...
Upon being admitted to Pomona College, I knew that studying at this institution carried a lot of weight. I did not understand just how much until applying to the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship. MMUF, for short, is an undergraduate fellowship program that is...
I have mentioned in previous posts that when I came to college, I came at a time when I felt like I needed my own space. I had lived in the living room of my grandparents’ house since I first came to this country, and was excited at the thought of having a space to...
I remember the excitement I felt from learning about the many campus talks and lectures about social justice topics throughout my first year of college about as well as I remember the heaviness I felt in listening to those talks. From climate change and Black Lives...
I am blessed to have been chosen to be part of the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship, a program my college recently joined, which is meant to diversify academia by increasing the number of professors from marginalized identities(especially people of color). As a...
I came to college around a time when I felt I needed my own space. I wanted space in the sense of physical space (after living in the living room at home for most of my life, a room to make my own sounded pretty fantastic) and space to myself, space to learn more...
Well, for one, I recently got back from a two-day retreat with the IDEAS (Improving Dream Equality Access and Success) Club at the Claremont Colleges, the undocumented student and ally, advocacy and support group for immigrant struggles. I realize that I am extremely...
As someone who underwent severe anxiety, loneliness, and I would venture to say, depression in high school, I’ve come to understand the importance of taking care of myself, especially in the midst of the world of academia. I attended a direct action training this past...
After a full year of agonizing over STEM classes that I wanted to convince myself I liked, I decided to make a change and be involved in things that I actually care about, and that have some sort of significance in my life. Having grown up as a part-time translator...
As my first year comes to a close, I realize there have been too many opportunities I have not taken to leave things I did not want to do. Example: I came in totally thinking I was going to be a mechanical engineering, and going to a liberal arts college meant that...