I would describe my journey as: having to unlearn and learn what community meant. When I made the decision to attend a community college before my senior year of high school, my high school counselor stopped checking in on me my senior year. I did not have any guidance on what to expect from a community college before I started Rio Hondo Fall of 2013. I received a lot of negative comments from people about my choice to attend a community college; the common “most students never transfer” comment was told to me.

A member from my local Native American community told me that I should apply to the Native American and Pacific Islander Program at CCCP for summer of 2014. That week on campus gave me exposure to mock lectures, classes, hearing first hand experiences from students with similar background of mine. As a Native student that already dealt with uncomfortable situations in the classroom in community college, CCCP gave me the space to talk about the experiences and feel heard. Participating in CCCP as a scholar truly motivated me to keep pushing forward to transferring.

I transferred to UCLA in 2016 for undergrad. With the resources I learned from CCCP in the scholar academic program, I did all I could to be involved on campus. CCCP continued to be a reference point for me when I needed guidance as a undergrad.

I returned to UCLA in 2019 to begin my masters program in the Teacher Education Program.

CCCP helped me find a community on campus that I struggled to find as a first year transfer. I struggled with my mental health the first year I transferred. Summer of 2017 I was a peer mentor for the NPI program and that was a full moment circle for me. I did not want to leave CCCP that summer and asked if there were still openings for the academic year. I then served as the Native Peer Mentor for the 2017-2018 school year. Being a student staff member for my last undergrad year at UCLA helped me to grow professionally in a safe and supportive environment. I truly began to become more confident in myself when I became apart of CCCP again as a UCLA student.

Joining various clubs and organizations on campus made my UCLA experience the most memorable. Although I was involved with CCCP, joining spaces on campus that aligned with my career goals allowed me to meet so many new people/friends. I was a Head Mentor for UCLA’s YoungStory Teller’s College Chapter, tutor for Glendale Learning Program and a tutor for Project Literacy. And of course, I enjoyed spending time with my roommates to attend different campus events.

I currently independently contract with various Native Non Profits in Los Angeles County for educational programming efforts, am a private tutor, and previously taught in LAUSD. I am still an active member the greater Los Angeles Native American Community and spend my time taking my son to community cultural events as well now.

CCCP helps students build their confidence and self advocacy. Even if a staff member did not have an answer to a question I had, they were always able to direct me to someone else in their network who could help me.