My involvement with the Jumpstart program has truly shown me what it really means to serve others altruistically in our communities.

The needs of these communities are often neglected in science, so I hope to do something in the future where I can advocate for communities that are close to the land, and be able to bridge the gap between social and environment needs.

As a result of my service with Jumpstart, I have confidence in the methods I use when I work with children.

I went into UW thinking I had wanted to become a Pharmacist but when I volunteered as a Jumpstart member, I knew teaching was my passion. After I graduated, I was hired as a teacher at the site I had volunteered at.

ASB allowed children to have a voice, adults to hear those voices and lend resources, and communities to show each other what their homes and journeys were all about.

As part of the fellowship, I worked with a number of different organizations. First I explored local food banks, then a brief internship with Ventures, a non-profit that helps equip people with the tools they need to start their own businesses, then with the Dream Project.

I was initially going back and forth between major and career options, but being a tutor has helped me find a home in the School of Social Work.

Eight years later, I am still close friends with my fellow teammates.

The Ellis Fellowship had an impact on my post-graduation plans because of the service component, which made me more involved in my community–especially the Eritrean Community Center. One of my biggest commitments with them has been mentoring YPFDJ (Young People Stand for Democracy and Justice).

I love the one-on-one work with students, and strongly believe in the value of mentoring young children.

Twelve thousand of our neighbors are currently experiencing homelessness and countless more live with unstable housing due to high rents. My Ellis Fellowship service commitments with Mary’s Place, Pike Market Senior Center, and ROOTS Young Adult Shelter gave me a passion for affordable housing policy and bringing down barriers to housing for our at-risk neighbors.

Being a tutor has definitely opened my eyes to see how important it is to be a consistent person in these kids’ lives.

I’d like to be active in being a part of the change for Seattle’s homeless population and advocating for more mental health resources.

As a young woman of color, I researched and have experienced how historically and in present-day communities, People of Color have been intentionally kept out of decision-making on important environmental issues.

My experience gives me hope for the future, because I know that there are people out there, such as the ones at CELE who are trying to elevate under-privileged communities and their youth and bringing us closer to equity in not just education but all aspects of society.

As a fellow, I participated as a Union Gospel Mission front desk assistant, a youth tutor for the Seattle public library (Delridge branch), a Somali Community Services tutor, and a Juvenile Detention Center activity facilitator.

I joined Jumpstart because I wanted to keep working with children even though I was pursuing a non-education major.

The majority of my time was spent organizing events, working on the curriculum, and getting more mentors onboard. We were also placed in special storytelling and community classes together, which were pretty amazing…some of the most interesting topics I’ve ever been presented with in college.