默认字体大小图标

聚光灯: Luz埃斯特拉达

Luz埃斯特拉达

"Getting involved in a club changes 你的生活. You will build relationships for life, you will become a pillar of the community. Understand your boundaries, it’s ok to say no, and work your way up. Just do what you love doing.  For new students, don’t be afraid of stepping into those new roles and don’t be afraid of asking questions. The more you ask and the more you are willing to be in those spaces, the better."  - Luz埃斯特拉达, ASWVC 总统 and Vice 总统 of QSA

Please introduce yourself:

 “My name is Luz埃斯特拉达. I am a second year student here at WVC. Currently, my leadership positions are in student senate as the president and I am also involved in the Queer Straight Alliance here on campus as the vice-president.”

 What motivates you to be a student leader?

 “For me it’s been about wanting to create positive change. 我的意思是 making this campus a more inclusive and safe space for all people. 我有太多了 friends that don’t feel safe where they are at, so 对我来说, to be able to be in these positions of power and be able to do that for them is my biggest motivator. 被 president of senate and having people able to see a face that is not normally represented as a leader is super important for me. I also do this for my little brother. 他是 such a sweet kid and I just want him to know that just because he is a presenting brown male, he can still do whatever he wants, just like I have. 他十三岁。 他爱我. He looks up 对我来说 a lot. He won’t say it, but I know he does."

 How has attending 皇冠8868会员登录 Valley College impacted you?

“WVC has impacted my life because of the community I’ve built. I started here in winter of 2017 and the first year I was not involved at all in any clubs. 实际上我是 超级难过. The following fall I volunteered to be president of the QSA and it just 有点像螺旋式上升. It has made my life fuller, better and more fulfilling. 我必须 meet so many friends that I would have never met in any other place. 尤其是其他 queer people here on campus. I know so many and we have our own community – we are like a family and those are friendships that I will carry on for the rest of my life. It’s the same for senate.  I’m so glad I’ve been given the honor and privilege to do those things and it’s not only here at the college, it’s also within the community. It has just made my life better."

 What are you plans for the future?

"I think a lot about my future. Somebody I really look up to is Erin Tofte (Associate Dean of 皇冠8868会员登录, Equity & 包含). You know, she’s my mentor and an inspiration 对我来说. I aspire to be at least 1/30th of the person she is and I would like to do something like what she does here at WVC. I would love to work at a foundation or be a founder of something that helps low income people of color who are queer and that directly impacts and changes lives 往好处想. Especially something that helps queer youth – that would make me the 最快乐的."

 Have you benefitted from scholarships while enrolled at WVC?

"I have received College Bound and also I have FAFSA and the Washington Apple Education 基金会奖学金. It completely covers everything. 我真的很幸运. 的人 there are really amazing and I would tell anyone to apply for it."

 What advice would you share to a new student or one who is not involved in any clubs?

"I think from personal experience I can say that getting involved in a club changes 你的生活. Just get involved, it’s worth it. You will build relationships for life, you will become a pillar of the community. Understand your boundaries, it’s ok to say no and work your way up. Just do what you love doing. Don’t get involved in something you are not passionate about. For new students, don’t be afraid of stepping into those new roles and don’t be afraid of asking questions. The more you ask and the more you are willing to be in those spaces, the better."

 

This interview was conducted in 2019.  Read a current spotlight:  2023 Spotlight on Light Estrada Gonzalez