UCLA CENTER FOR COMMUN!TY COLLEGE PARTNERSHIPS

CCCP SCHOLARS PROGRAM 2021-2022

Can you feel the Power? The Power is with!n you!

Saturday, August 7, 2021

Power to the

FOSTER YOUTH/ FORMER FOSTER YOUTH

Transfer Student Exper!ence Web!nar

Power to the FOSTER YOUTH/ FORMER FOSTER YOUTH

Transfer Student Experience Webinar

If you are having any technical difficulties logging in, call (310) 267-4441

You can download Zoom backgrounds from the following link: P2TT: FOSTER Zoom Backgrounds

https://tinyurl.com/P2TT21FOSTER

FOSTER ZOOM RESERVATION

AGENDA: Saturday, August 7, 2021

(Click on picture below to get PDF version)

KEYNOTE ADDRESS

Meet our keynote speaker!

TANISHA SAUNDERS

Tanisha Saunders is a passionate advocate who is guided by curiosity and a desire to empower others to be the change they wish to see in this world. Born and raised in Compton ,CA she has overcome facets of adversity such as foster care, homelessness and gun violence. She graduated from Los Angeles Pierce College with an AA in Child Development and earned her Bachelor of Science degree in child development from California State University, Dominguez Hills. In her current role as a THP Resident Coordinator for Transitional Age Youth experiencing homelessness, she uses her education and lived experience to contribute to ending youth homelessness.

Tanisha has been recognized as a community advocate for using her skills to empower others while advocating locally, state-wide and nationally around issues that are close to her past. She has worked as a community organizer with the National Foster Youth Institute, a servant leader with the Children’s Defense Fund, and recently served as one of the Foster Youth Voice Representatives for the Los Angeles County Office of Education. Tanisha has also completed fellowships in the office of LA City Councilwoman Nury Martinez and the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority focusing on ending homelessness through community capacity building. Her advocacy efforts have been featured in Cosmopolitan Magazine, Teen Vogue, Spectrum News: In Focus, Dominguez Hills Today Magazine, and other media outlets. In the future she would like to continue her education with a focus on public policy while continuing her efforts to end homelessness and transform public systems.

ME-SEARCH PRESENTER

Meet our presenter:

Jerikka Thomas

Jerikka Thomas is an Education and Social Transformation Major with a double minor in African American Studies and Applied Developmental Psychology. She is a member of Bruin Guardian Scholars and is currently doing research under Educators for Tomorrow about the effects of community engagement on foster youth academic achievement. She plans on becoming an elementary school working in low-income school districts primarily serving students of color and foster youth and hopes to create programs in her future school district that will further promote the academic achievement of all foster youth.

COMMUNITY PANEL

Elizabeth Prudente

Hi, my name is Elizabeth Prudente. I was raised in the city of Alhambra and eventually moved to the city of Rosemead. I attended schools such as Emery Park Elementary, Northrup Elementary, Macy Intermediate, Bishop Conaty-Our Lady of Loretto High School, Alhambra High School, and Options for Youth. Growing up as a former foster youth, I felt that oftentimes high school teachers and counselors discouraged from pursuing higher education and encouraged me to pursue a certificate program. In 2014, I enrolled in East Los Angeles College and ended up dropping out after a month. I came back in 2015 with the support of my parents and by 2017 to UCLA. I recently graduated from UCLA with a major in Political Science and a minor in Labor Studies. Thanks to CCCP, I was exposed to resources, support programs, and a community for students like me.

Juan Bran-Gudiel

Hello my name is Juan Bran-Gudiel. I was raised all over LA county as I was part of the Department of Children and Family services and had to move about 15 times. I am a Non-Traditional Former Foster Youth, Formerly Incarcerated, Guardian Scholar, Underground Scholar, EOP Scholar and a parent to two beautiful kids. Education wasn't for me when I was younger yet I found a home at Los Angeles Valley College where I received my AA-T in Sociology. Thanks to CCCP and EOPS I applied to 13 different universities and got accepted to 10 of them. I ultimately decided to transfer to the University of California, Santa Barbara where I have switched my major to Chicana/o Studies and will be minoring in either Liberal Studies or in Education. I recently got hired by UC Santa Barbara to be in charge of doing research for the Underground Scholars Behind the Wall Project.

Sherry Bradford

Hi everyone! My name is Sherry Bradford. I have just graduated from Los Angeles Southwest College and now I am a student at UCLA, my dream school. My major is Pre-Education and Social Transformation. I want to use the knowledge from my classes to end up pursuing a Doctorate degree. I am a former foster youth so I participate in many organizations that cater towards that demographic, and I am able to help with any resources you may need.

Jazlyn Villalobos

MENTAL HEALTH PRESENTER

Meet our presenter:

Mitzi Milliner, MSW

Mitzi has worked in the field of human services and Education for over a decade. She is driven by her passion of working with young people to reach their full potential and addressing social justice issues. Currently Mitzi is a Psychotherapist at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Substance Use Prevention and Treatment program within the Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, serving young people between the ages of 12-25. In her position, Mitzi works with individuals with co-occurring Substance Use and Mental health Disorders. Fun fact: Mitzi was a UCLA CCCP Scholar and Mentor back in the day!