JSI Profile Archives - Page 4 of 4 - Evans School of Public Policy & Governance

JSI Scholar: Avalon McAffrey

Tell us about your story

I grew up in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and was homeschooled my entire life along with my older sister and younger brother. My childhood was spent participating in robotics, Girl Scouts, playing guitar, and becoming an electrical apprentice while working alongside my dad. I started volunteering for environmental causes in middle school and spent my Silver Award for Girl Scouts co-writing a children’s book about the environment. Those experiences changed the course of my life.

What path did you take when you first started college?

I started college as a classical guitar performance major, but soon realized that I wanted to focus on more than just music. I switched to an individualized major so that I could focus on topics that had become most important to me—nonprofit leadership, sustainability, and communications.

What made you consider a career in public policy/public service/international affairs?

Helping people—helping them find their way, helping them foster connections, helping them create community, helping them learn how they can protect the environment, helping them find ways that they can serve and support others—is what I am passionate about.

There are so many ways to help make the world a better place and I am still seeking to find my best path to do exactly that. I think that, so often, people simply don’t know where to turn and I hope to bridge that gap in some way with my career—strengthening and building communities through environmental education and an appreciation of the arts.

Who inspires you to think about public service?

I am inspired by many nonprofit directors or presidents who spend so much time working tirelessly for the people they serve. Specifically, the president and vice president of an Oklahoma nonprofit organization called the Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute, Julie Cohen and Emily Claudé, were the initial inspiration for me to begin to consider a career in nonprofit leadership. This was the first time I had seen two women in charge of a large, successful nonprofit endeavor that made an enormous impact on so many kids’ lives and it really caught my attention.

What are you most excited about the JSI program at UW?

Making new connections with other students and professionals in the field, learning about new topics, and experiencing life in Seattle is what I am most excited about!

JSI Scholar: Luz Escobar

Tell us about your story

I am a Nicaraguense immigrant living in a community where white supremacist culture persists and is memorialized in the namesakes throughout our city, streets, and schools. My hometown of St. Rose is part of an 85-mile stretch of chemical plants that pollute my home and community. Being at Villanova has opened my eyes to the impact of these injustices. Better aware of the depth of ignorance pertaining to these injustices and the inaction that persists, I recommitted to learning about the racial state and its impact on Latinas and how to efficiently empower Latinas to create change. My classes fueled my curiosity and taught me the power of fostering dialogue, a first step in bridging divides. Over the past three years, I have intentionally used my voice to build bridges and understanding among students in the predominantly white environment of my university. I began by facilitating dialogue that touches on privilege, power, and identity to hundreds of students at my university through the Villanova Diversity Skit. Through the Center for Access Success and Achievement, I am currently leading discussions on the lack of diverse art on our campus, as well as the fatigue students of color feel because of continued stereotyping and microaggressions. Simultaneously, I lead initiatives for organizations like Poderistas and Latinas Inspiring Furthering Education that increase Latina civic engagement. As I phone banked to help 2,000 Latinx voters register to vote in the state of Georgia, created designs that reached 100,000 people that inform and celebrate North Carolina Latinas, and marshaled a voting event for Latinas during the 2022 election, I began to see the beauty and power in our community. The impact of the work I initiated and assisted in shows me the change and justice I seek in Louisiana are possible, something I did not believe in before.

What made you consider a career in public policy/public service/international affairs?

I am considering a career in public policy because of the impact policy and public service has on marginalized communities. I desire to learn about solutions that tackle the underrepresentation of Latinas in elected offices and the need for more programming for Latinas in Louisiana. I see myself leading national nonprofits that are providing campaign resources, enhancing political networks for Latinas, and addressing the barriers that deny Latinas access to state and local offices. I dream of building a strong statewide network that will generate policy change that ensures Latinas who want to hold political office run successful local, state, or federal campaigns.

Who inspires you to think about public service?

I am inspired by the work of Latina leaders like Yadira Sanchez, executive director of Poder Latinx , whose work and commitment are showing the country that Latinx voters matter and we can determine elections.

What are you most excited about the JSI program at UW?

I am most excited to meet everyone in this year’s cohort and confront challenges together as a group of passionate leaders who want to create change within our own communities but as a family as well.

JSI Scholar: Alex Roque

Tell us about your story

I grew up in Manila, Philippines and migrated to Seattle in 2019 to be with my family. Aside from the two pieces of luggage and one backpack I carried with me on the journey, I also brought my passion for law and public service. Having grown up with a lot of relatives who worked in the field, it was something I was always interested in but could never solidify– it was after my family’s migration experience that my passion for immigration started to grow. My first few years in Seattle were surrounded by community members who showed me the breadth of the migrant experience and how much we needed to do (and how much could be done) to move toward migrant justice.

What path did you take when you first started college?

The ability to receive a college education in the United States was one of the strongest factors in my family’s decision to migrate– and is a decision that I do not take lightly. I spent my first two years in community college, which showed me how powerful education could be and how accessible it should be. Working, studying, and bonding with people across all ages and backgrounds was a formative experience because it helped shape the lens through which I would see my new home, Seattle. Additionally, the smaller classes and flexibility of community college allowed me to form deeper connections with my community not just within an educational setting but also in community-based organizations and volunteer opportunities. The combination of CC and community involvement early on helped me realize exactly what I wanted to learn and do with my education, which is a clarity I bring as I work toward my Bachelor’s Degree in the UW.

What made you consider a career in public policy/public service/international affairs?

I’m drawn to public policy and public service because of the desire to help immigrant families directly by navigating systems or finding necessary resources, as well as affecting change in immigration through public policy, starting at a local level. However, when I first moved to Seattle, I was willing to set aside my passions and interests for “traditional” and “stable” career paths. I thought that working in public policy and public service was just a dream that I’d eventually have to let go. But through working with organizations like OneAmerica or interning with the offices of Senator Murray and the City of Seattle’s Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs, I realized that it was actually possible to pursue my passions as a career— that, in actuality, voices and stories like mine had a place in such fields.

Who inspires you to think about public service?

My father.

What are you most excited about the JSI program at UW?

I’m looking forward to diving deep into the statistical tools and research methods that would best help us create, implement, and evaluate policies and programs. I’m also so excited to meet peers from all over the country, to work and learn closely together for seven weeks, and to enjoy Seattle’s beautiful summer together! Everyone is excited to finally meet in-person and it will for sure be a summer to remember.

JSI Scholar: Frederick Lu

Tell us about your story

Growing up as a second-generation Asian American in a predominantly white neighborhood, I struggled with identity issues. I did not want to be associated with the Seattle Chinatown International District (CID), even though I spent much of my formative years there. However, when I began taking college-level courses, I took an Asian American Studies (AAS) class focusing on Chinese American History. Not only was I reflecting on my identity issues I struggled with in the past, I was becoming more aware of ethnic issues and my cultural heritage. This inspired me to take more AAS classes, connect with my professors by going on field trips, and eventually become an intern for OCA-Asian, Pacific American Advocates of Greater Seattle (OCA-GS). As an intern, I became more involved with the CID community and informed of the issues plaguing the community. An example of an issue related to public policy in the CID is the decision on whether to put the Sound Transit light rail station on 4th Ave or 5th Ave. Many advocates and residents of the CID have expressed many of their concerns with putting the station on 4th Ave such as an increase in violence in the community and the displacement of businesses. By advocating and representing community members, I have learned how influential public policy and public policy decision-making can be on communities—especially communities with underrepresented populations. I am interested in public policy, especially its roles and effects on ethnic communities like the CID.

What path did you take when you first started college?

I participated in the Running Start program at Bellevue College for my junior and senior year in high school. When I did this, I originally became interested in Economics because I believed Economics was a pathway to make an impact on my community. I was rejected in my freshmen application to the University of Washington, so I stayed at Bellevue College for another quarter until I transferred. Once I transferred, I took Asian American and ethnic studies classes and became an intern for OCA-GS. Through these two opportunities, I discovered how I could incorporate my previous interests in Economics, Writing, and American Ethnic Studies toward reconnecting with my cultural identity and heritage and making an impact on my community.

What made you consider a career in public policy/public service/international affairs?

After speaking with Dr. Connie So, a professor of American Ethnic Studies with a background in public affairs and public policy, she informed me about the public policy field. She also recognized my interests in economics, writing, and American Ethnic Studies, and encouraged me to consider pursuing a career in it. After volunteering as an intern for OCA-GS in the CID, and encountering many policy struggles within my community, I also developed an interest in learning how—and to what extent—public policy can make an impact on my community. As I continued my academic pursuits, I also realized how integral policy is to the disciplines I am studying. This motivated me further not only to progress my studies in those disciplines, but also my desire to pursue a career in public policy.

Who inspires you to think about public service?

Many local heroes of the CID and Seattle have fought hard for public policy goals and services that I and many others use. I used to take these services like the International Community Health Services and Chinese Information Service Center until I learned what went into fighting for these “ordinary” services for people of color. Groups like Asian Family Affair, including Alan Sugiyama, Kathryn Tagawa Sugiyama, Diane Wong, Francisco Irigon, Felicita Irigon, etc., inspire me through their fight for the preservation of the CID. Another person who inspires me to think about public service is Dr. Connie So, a professor of AAS at the UW. As someone who struggled with identity issues in the past, learning about Asian American history and contemporary issues—topics I have not been able to study until attending the UW—was integral in reconnecting with my ethnic identity and community. She also introduced me to the field of public policy and informed me of the various ways I can apply my education towards helping ethnic communities.

What are you most excited about the JSI program at UW?

While I have previously engaged with my community, I am thoroughly interested in learning how policy decisions are made and how they directly or indirectly impact the community. Initially, economics was my passion because I viewed it as an avenue towards making a substantial impact on my community. I am excited about the JSI event because I will get to apply my knowledge and interests towards making an impact on my community with public affairs and public policy. I am particularly interested in how policy decisions affect ethnic communities like the CID, because of how the history of these communities all over the country have all been influenced by policy—whether it be local or federal. Therefore, I look forward to expanding my knowledge and understanding of public policy and their effects on ethnic communities.

JSI Scholar: Kamryn Pryce

Tell us about your story

My name is Kamryn Pryce and I am so excited to take part in the Junior Summer Institute this summer. I was born in Denver, Colorado, but moved to Baltimore, Maryland when I was younger. I have always been drawn to public policy and public service because I have a strong affinity for people, connection, and making a difference. I have been an athlete my entire life, but it was my time as a student athlete, here at UW, that helped me recognize just how far reaching public policy is. It is because of policy, like Title IX, that I get to play the sport that I love at one of the highest levels possible. The ways public policy has positively impacted my life inspired me to continue exploring the field. A career in public policy and public service is a direct way to connect my commitment to equity and accessibility to my strong passion for diversity and advocacy.

What path did you take when you first started college?

I have always wanted to major in Political Science, but as I continued on that path, I realized public policy was my passion because I knew I wanted to make a tangible difference, similar to the way it did in my life.

What made you consider a career in public policy/public service/international affairs?

A main thing that made me consider a career in public policy is that I have felt the positive effects of it firsthand. Along with this, my strong passion for social justice really drove me to further consider a career in public policy. Living in Baltimore during the height of Black Lives Matter protests, I saw how public policy can be so polarizing. Seeing this sparked my desire to continue exploring public policy and see how it can be used as a uniting force, rather than as a dividing one.

Who inspires you to think about public service?

My community at home inspires me to think about public service.

What are you most excited about the JSI program at UW?

I am most excited to be a part of a diverse group of students, who all share similar interests but come from different backgrounds. I am so excited to engage with and learn from one another, while also learning more about effective policy making and what goes into it.