“It takes a leader to be able to produce or help to develop other leaders.“

“I would say that the biggest thing was to provide hope. Being optimistic, the compassion. Those aspects are what I’ve seen as a big thing for community-based organizations. Providing those aspects to help them to see that you can still go to college. You can still pursue the dream that you want. You can still be able to navigate different career choices or be able to visit a college to see what is best for you.”

“…about (CUNY) ASAP, It’s like, OK, I’m already here. I’ve been enrolled. I’m in the program now. I’m able to see that I can make it to the finish line. I do have the help and the support that I need while I’m here in the ASAP program to help assist me to make it to my end goal.“

“Everybody wants a snack, everybody wants something. You know? I think that was important. The CBO helps to provide food for those who are in need, there was a time frame when I needed and knowing that the CBO provided that, and I was able to go to college campus and they provided those things too, some necessities.“

“Counseling and therapy sessions as well. Those are some things that were actually beneficial to me. I found that having this connection in college really helped me to get to the finish line because I had support in the community that I was able to depend on when I needed.“

“I’ve received this assistance as a student. I would now like to work to help to assist those with what I’ve received. And then moving forward and being able to work in ASAP, everything actually ended up being a correlation. Every dot ended up being connected because by the time I went to ASAP it was the same thing. Being able to be transparent and share a little bit on my journey. Because once I was once in their shoes, I once needed some help and assistance. I once needed some support. I once needed some guidance, so being able to have that compassion or empathy to say alright, I once was in your shoes. “

Marshaya Smiley

Participant, Peer Mentor, Advocate Counselor

Marshaya earned her BA in psychology from Medgar Evers College. While in college, she worked as a peer mentor at both the Medgar Evers CUNY ASAP Program and Brooklyn Lifelink. She now works as an advocate counselor at the Boys and Girls Young Adult Borough Center (YABC) in Brooklyn. 

Irma Cruz-Encarnacion

Participant, Intern, Peer Mentor, College Success Counselor, College Success Manager, Academic Advisor

Irma earned her BA in human services from New York City College of Technology (City Tech) and her MA in social work from Hunter College. She has served as an intern at the Goddard Riverside Options Center, a peer mentor at the City Tech Crear Futuros Program, and a peer mentor, college success advisor, and college success manager at Good Shepherd Services: Brooklyn Lifelink. Irma now works as an academic advisor in the College Discovery Program at Bronx Community College. 

“…just the presence of someone telling you, I’m listening, tell me where you want to go. That really had an impact on my life for sure.”

“…she (City Tech Professor and Crear Futuros Coordinator) realized, hey, you’re a great advocate. Did you know that? And I was like, well, no. She’s like, you really are because you were advocating for yourself, you were advocating for your peers, and then that’s when she invited me to become a peer mentor. From there, everything became so natural because I was already doing it for myself.”

“I think that’s something important about advocacy: being understanding, compassionate, empathetic, and resourceful. So, if the student is not going to college, is there an alternative? Is there an internship? Is there a certification program that can help them continue to build those skills? And building relationships where, even though I was a peer mentor, I still connected with the students if they were in. school or not.”

“These spaces are really teaching you. They’re guiding you. They’re providing information on the different paths and options that you have. They’re also providing resources like a metro card, like being able to buy your books. I feel like those are the things that community organizations are best at and just giving you a space, listening to you, being present. I think there’s so much power in that, just the presence of someone telling you, I’m listening, tell me where you want to go. That really had an impact on my life for sure.”

“I think that’s the beauty of the work that we do. It’s just, here’s the information, take this home. Because that’s what happened to me. I was able to get a bunch of information that I was able to bring home and educate my parents about their rights as immigrants, go to my aunt and uncles and tell them about it, and then also be the first one in my family, not just my parents and siblings, but uncles, cousins. Because I was empowered, and I received so much information, I went home and said that to my cousins, and now they’re in college, and now they’re graduating from college. My younger siblings were able to receive more guidance. That really came from the community spaces that I was in.“