The road map to our existence has always fascinated me, from my early years of Sunday school in church, curious about the human beings in the Bible, to my discovery of poverty and its effects—specifically within the lower socioeconomic communities in which I grew up.
As early as 8 years old, I was quite aware of my surroundings and the bitter sting of having less than what we needed as a family to get by. But despite the challenges and obstacles I faced growing up, nothing ever made me feel as complete as when I could be instrumental in making someone else’s life a little better.
Transforming curiosity into a rewarding career
I took my first classes in the field of child and family education in my early 20s at a community college in Los Angeles.
Initially, I was interested in public speaking as a major, because I had this crazy adolescent idea that public speaking meant that you would always have a platform to make people listen, and they’d have to if you had a degree that made them. After taking a few courses, I soon began to long to learn more about what I was always passionately curious—the study of people.
This curiosity about the human condition was always innate within me—why and how some people were poor while others were rich. Everything that I witnessed and lived around growing up led me to want to understand and explore the physical, cognitive, social, intellectual, and emotional growth of people.
After returning to major in child and family education, I obtained a Child Development Teacher Certification, which enabled me to teach in early childhood education under Title 22 while continuing to complete my associate degree.
Somehow, this platform began to foster within me a desire for social change on all fronts, both in education and communities. As an early childhood teacher, I served families, many of which were severely underprivileged. I taught in preschool programs that were located in underserved areas, and it placed me right at the forefront of being a part of something worth fighting for. I began to truly understand that social change happens from the ground up and that I would be a fundamental part of the grassroots of that change.
Years later, I started a family daycare business to serve working mothers who did not qualify for subsidized support, yet couldn’t afford childcare. I attended conferences and platforms to promote education for all children. I sat on council and oversight committee boards within the Lancaster School District, among others.
I was instrumental in launching one of the first English Language Learning kits for Latino mothers who simply wanted to support their children’s education. And I even received California legislature recognition on leadership for the program “Vision y Compromiso” and worked with “Building Stronger Families” as a community ambassador.
My Road to Pacific Oaks
After already accomplishing so much, I knew that I could do more to promote social justice through community engagement and education by obtaining a college degree.
I was ready to make an impact in the areas of educational advocacy and community empowerment—but as a mother, working woman, and advocate that would be a challenge in a traditional college program. So I found my way to Pacific Oaks College, where I was able to gain college credit for my life experience. The Credit for Learning from Experience Program enabled me to obtain a bachelor’s degree in human development much sooner than I would have elsewhere.
The Pacific Oaks community is about empowering students to make connections with other people. I traveled more than 120 miles to campus each week just to experience the full impact of the Pacific Oaks classroom.
The tables are arranged in a way that invite everyone to participate and engage one another as a community. Our discussions were based on well-purposed course subjects that integrated societal considerations into each concentration. We learned collaboratively, sharing our real-life stories and testimonials, which was one of my most memorable experiences at Pacific Oaks.
Obtaining my degree launched me into my current career–one that I enjoy—working as a behavior interventionist using applied behavior analysis in therapy sessions. I work with children and adults who have Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other clients who do not have ASD but have trouble managing behaviors that affect them day to day.
I have also chosen to further my education by pursuing a master’s degree in human development from Pacific Oaks. I chose to return because of the lasting impact the Pacific Oaks community has had on me. The door was always open for me, no matter what. I always felt supported and empowered by someone, even if it was just a staff member passing by in the hallway.
I also returned because of the content contained in the coursework, which is taught with an emphasis on diversity and inclusion. This enables students to learn how to value people and allow everyone to have a voice. Because I have chosen to continue pursuing my education in the field of human development, it is very important that the integrity of the college in which I attend has those values infused into its overall agenda.
I look forward to what my future holds, and through the support of Pacific Oaks, I am now well-positioned to continue my journey of supporting the causes I am passionate about.
Learn more about Pacific Oaks College
If you would like to learn more about the human development programs available at Pacific Oaks, fill out the form below to request more information, or you can apply today through our application portal.
