Alexis Perez: It Takes a Village
The Hispanic Foundation of Silicon Valley (HFSV) is a local organization that works to improve the quality of life of the Latino population in the Silicon Valley through the promotion of education and leadership. This 2018-2019 academic year, I am fortunate enough to be interning with HFSV through the Leavey School of Business’ Community Fellowship program. As an Education Program Intern, I work with the organization’s Family College Success Center (FCSC) – one of the many initiatives of the foundation – which focuses on providing resources to Latino families and students to promote college readiness and an interest in STEM.
It has been four weeks since I began working as an intern at HFSV and I have been lucky enough to work in a number of capacities. My title indicates my involvement in the educational programming that the FCSC offers, which in turn emcompasses so many important roles and responsibilities. I have begun suggesting and implementing new programming for the center, working hands on by attending our classes already in session, and creating a new data organization system to track FCSC success.
When I started at the beginning of this quarter, the Foundation was just beginning its ‘busy season’. FCSC programs are in full-swing during the academic year, and fall commemorates the Foundation’s annual “Hispanic Foundation Ball”. Entering the organization during such a busy time has been exciting and challenging, and I have enjoyed every minute of it.
The most impactful experience for me so far has been the Hispanic Foundation Ball. For one night a year, people from different communities of the Silicon Valley come together to raise awareness about the issues facing the Latino community, promote philanthropy, and celebrate achievements thus far. As I sat in a ballroom with Netflix CEO Reed Hastings, representatives from major Silicon Valley companies, and families of the students who have received support from the Foundation, I realized that it truly does take a village. It takes a village to lift up and support the youth in our Latino communities, and we are most impactful when we are working together to find and implement solutions. The night was inspiring and gave me a renewed energy to be working with such an important organization. I am looking forward to continuing my journey with the Hispanic Foundation of Silicon Valley and be an active member of the community in my role as an intern.