New York City Event
College Readiness and Access
On a Monday in June, 16 clients ages 14 to 19 attended a day-long in-person career and college education event organized by KIND’s New York City office, with three additional clients attending virtually. In the morning session on college readiness and access, New York State Youth Leadership Council and City University of New York (CUNY) staff spoke to KIND clients about different college programs and financial aid options, including a CUNY program for undocumented students.
Culinary Career Inspiration
In the afternoon, professional chef Alexis Aquino, also known as Chef Lex, spoke to the kids about his career path in the culinary world. Alexis is the executive director of Brownsville Culinary Center in Brooklyn, which provides free culinary vocational training for Brownsville residents and partners with other local organizations to promote health, wellness, and economic development to the Brownsville Community. Chef Lex shared with clients how cooking in his home as a small child with his parents and other family members helped foster a passion for cooking. He spoke to the kids about being a chef and many other career paths in the food industry and gave a live cooking demonstration on how to cut vegetables, which the kids loved. Afterwards, a student who is going through the CUNY program for undocumented students gave a talk on entrepreneurship and steps to create your own business including how to network and raise funds.
Safety and Workers’ Rights Presentation
Staff Attorney Maria Romero presented on work authorization, and Social Service Coordinators Lupe Camacho and Luis Enrique Jacquez – the organizers of the event – discussed safety in the workplace and workers’ rights, using a presentation designed by KIND’s Child Labor Exploitation Prevention Program. “The kids were really interested in the topic,” Lupe said. “There were lots of questions and many kids shared stories about things they have seen or times when they have not felt safe in the workplace.” Because there was so much interest, Lupe and Luis plan to organize a follow-up event on workers’ rights in New York City for additional clients.
Panel Discussion
The day ended with a panel discussion of people with diverse career paths including KIND Staff Attorney Maria Romero, KIND Social Service Coordinator Argelia Tlatelpa Perez, Dropbox employees Angelia Li and Caroline Dupraz-Ibarra, and Felix Perez, a client whose case recently closed when he received his green card. Felix works at a deli and is taking classes at CUNY to study accounting to become a bank teller. Panelists shared stories about their first work experience and gave college and career advice such as tips on how to prepare for your interview. Luis shared: “The message to the kids, most of whom have not yet worked or gone to college, was, ‘we were also there, trying to figure out how to work and study. If you are thinking about pursuing your career or education you can do both, there is a way.’ It was very relatable for kids.”
Event Conclusion
To close out the event, a volunteer professional photographer took headshots of the clients. They walked away from the event equipped with a professional headshot, new information, and inspiration. One participant said that the event motivated him to get back into school and complete his GED.
Northern Virginia Event
KIND’s Northern Virginia and Boston offices also recently hosted career and education workshops for clients titled Pensando en el futuro, Planning for the Future. At KIND’s Northern Virginia office, KIND clients 17 and over gathered to explore their educational and career options and gain knowledge and inspiration for setting and achieving their goals. Similar to the event in New York City, activities included a job and education talk, a presentation on workers’ rights, and a panel of community members including a current KIND client who is pursuing higher education. The client thanked KIND Social Service Coordinator Blanca Castillo for the support and encouragement she provided to the client through her college, in-state tuition, and Dream.US scholarship application processes. Participants gained valuable information, enjoyed their peers and a tasty lunch, and had a chance to ask questions and get ideas about their career and education paths.
Boston Event
KIND’s Boston office staff hosted their second annual Pensando en el Futuro event, which followed a similar format, providing clients information about workers’ rights and opportunities for higher education, and hosting a career panel. Photos of this event can be found here on KIND’s LinkedIn page.
