Intern Introductions Summer 2013 HEP CAMP Association HEP CAMP Association Interns 2013 Summer HEP CAMP Association Name: Bianca Castillo Hometown: Chualar, California University: California State University - Fresno Major: Criminology Sponsor: HEP CAMP Assoication Placement: Office of Rep. Xavier Becerra (CA-34) Bianca N. Castillo 4909 N. Backer Ave. #215 • Fresno, CA 93726 • (831) 578-5059 • bcastillo [email protected] OBJECTIVE Use the education that I have received at California State University, Fresno to help the unrepresented communities of migrant farmworkers and raise their political awareness level. SKILLS • Excellent interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills • Bilingual; writing, speaking, reading, Spanish and English language • Community Organizing • Able to work independently, as well as team member • Experience using technology, Microsoft Office, MacIntosh EDUCATION California State University, Fresno Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminology, Expected May 2016 Gonzales High School Diploma, June 2012 RECENT EMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE Student Assistant, California State University Fresno, Fresno, CA, 2012- Present • Complete administrative tasks, answer phones, photocopy, and file documents for the Chemistry Department • Advise students academically • Coordinate working agendas, seminars, and staff meetings Childcare Provider, Multiple Families, Salinas, CA, 2010 - 2012 • Managed over 6 children of various ages for over 6 hours per day • Coordinated meals, medicine consumption, and extracurricular activities • Executed clean up duties Elections Clerk, Monterey County Elections, Salinas, CA, 2011 • Operated poll site on Election Day- assisted voters and translated for Spanish speaking citizens COMMUNIlY INVOLVEMENT Migrant Student Alliance (Member), California State University, Fresno, 2012-Present • College Mentor Committee (Member) • Assisted Roosevelt High School students with college applications Gear-Up Program Volunteer, Gonzales High School, Gonzales, CA, 2009 - 2012 • Gave presentations to middle/high school students informing them about the Gear-Up Program • Communicated with employers participating in career fair about event logistics Migrant Program - Gonzales High School, Gonzales, CA, 2010 - 2012 • Organized student meetings, community fundraisers, and events Office Clerk Assistant/Tutor -- St. Theodore Catholic Church, Gonzales, CA, 2010 - 2011 • Provided general office support by making copies, reviewing files, and answer phones • Tutored 5th grade catechism students HONORS & AWARDS President's List, Fall 2012, California State University, Fresno National Honor Society, 2010 - 2012 Bianca Castillo HEP CAMP Association Intern Chualar, California Criminology, California State University - Fresno Placement: Office of Rep. Xavier Becerra (CA-34) HEP CAMP Association Intern Biography Bianca Castillo is the daughter of two humble farmworkers from Chualar, California. Bianca is a first-generation student who also works as a farmworker during her free time. Bianca is a student at the California State University – Fresno. She is studying criminology, option law enforcement. Bianca is supportive, active and an advocate for the Latino communities. Bianca is involved with the CAMP program in her school as well as in the MSA program. The MSA program focuses on helping migrant students apply and succeed in college. Bianca is aware of the necessity that her family and community undergoes. Therefore, Bianca is excited to take full advantage of the HEP CAMP internship. She plans on using the knowledge that she gains in order to improve her community. My name is Bianca Castillo I was born and raised in California. I am the daughter of two humble farmworkers who reside in a small town in Chualar, California. I am the oldest child of four children as well as the role model for my entire family. With pride and honor I will state that I have toiled the fields of the agricultural Salinas Valley in California. Summer 2013 is the first summer that I will not spend working in the fields side by side with my parents and younger brother. It was very hard to make the decision of leaving my family but it is for them that I have dedicated my entire life struggling and making great efforts to continue my education. I attend California State University, Fresno and my major is Criminology with the option of Law Enforcement. I hope that through this internship I will be able gain more knowledge about the government that controls the lives of everyone residing in the United States. I have always wanted to go into the political field but I have also wondered if such a field of study is appropriate for me. With this opportunity I hope to interpret my real feeling towards the political ground and maybe perform a double major in Political Science and Criminology. More than anything I want to learn more about the United States Government system. Initially before the commencement of my internship with the HEP/CAMP Association I was terribly nervous and anxious. The internship brought to my family an immense wave of pride. I was not only the first one on graduating from high school and attending college, but also the first one to participate in something such as an internship with a congressman. I was very happy to know that I had been selected for the internship but the sole idea of traveling to a totally different area of the country where I was going to be alone terrified me. Sunday June 9th: Day after our arrival to Washington D.C. we went together with Patrick to check out the location of our internship offices. That same day we also had our first trip using the Metro transportation to Target. June 8th was the day I departed from the San Francisco International Airport to Colorado and from Colorado to Washington D.C. Once I arrived to the airport in Washington D.C. I did not know what to expect, gladly Patrick Doone was already waiting for me. Immediately I became aware that I was in good hands. After meeting Patrick I got to meet the rest of the interns with who a great family bond instantly was born. Every one of the interns pertained to a different state in the nation. All of us with our own personal “American Dream” and cultural background, the bond that connected us was the hunger and ambition of attaining a better life for our families. The support I received immediately from Michael, Laura, Jessica, Gaby, Brendali, and Areli made me stronger and comfortable with being in a new different intellectual world. I can assure that like never in my life I had felt such a great family connection with anybody but my fellow interns. Since the first day we met every night has consisted of holding a meeting in our corridor. Talking and laughing about our day adventures. Before beginning our internship, us the HEP/CAMP interns shared a whole week with the interns of CHCI getting prepared for our placements. The week consisted of workshops in which we learned how to introduce ourselves appropriately to others, use the appropriate utensils when eating, write memorandums, and use media resources such as Facebook or Twitter appropriately. In that particular week I had the opportunity to interact with the interns of CHCI whose ethnicities were much more diverse than the HEP/CAMP interns. Individuals coming from Florida, Texas, New Mexico, Puerto Rico, and many more states of the nation were all sharing the same room and experiences with me. I was amazed by the experiences and knowledge of all my fellow interns! June Tuesday 11 Today we did not meet with the CHCI interns due to the fact that they were going to do the ropes course and us the HEP/CAMP interns had already done it with our individual CAMP programs. The day consisted of visiting our placement cites and a lunch meeting with Irene Bueno. Today I was able to meet Juan Garcia, my internship director, in person. I was so nervous at the moment I entered Congressman Becerra's office that I totally forgot all the questions I was supposed to ask. When we left the office my heart and mind were full of doubts, fear, and happiness; all the feelings at once. My biggest fear was transportation, I had never used the metro before arriving to Washington D.C. I was afraid of getting lost. After Patrick had taken all of us to oversee the locations we were going to be working at we went to Irene Bueno's office. We met Irene, who to my belief is very sweet, and smart women, and the rest of her staff. As we were having lunch soon after we had ate our sandwiches, and in the middle of our introductory conversation, el Señor Arturo Rodriguez who is the president of the United Farm Workers Association (UFW) walked by. All of a sudden we all became super excited! Here was a man who had been working together with Cesar Chavez and now is the leading head of the organization. All the HEP/CAMP interns come from migrant farmworker families therefore we knew that this man is someone very important in our lives just like Cesar Chavez. We immediately introduced ourselves to him and talked about the situation that concerned us as interns about our parents’ jobs back at our home states. We all exchanged our business cards with Mr. Arturo Rodriguez. We also received our first UFW pins! I am really looking forward to working with this important organization in the future. June Wednesday 12 It is early in the morning and all the interns have to be look formal because today is the photo shoot with CHCI. We met the CHCI group of interns in front of the Capitol. While waiting to take our pictures I had the pleasure to greet and take a picture with one of the candidates to the Presidency of Honduras, Mr. Mauricio Villeda! I became super excited to meet such a figure. I finally realized that being in Washington D.C.