Working to Ameliorate Livelihoods Internationally
Advisor: Mr. Aaron Betcher
Internship Location: Youth4Good, Fremont
Onsite Mentor: Lily Zhang
Amid an age full of inequity and global issues, it often feels impossible to make substantial positive change. To illustrate my process of helping the larger global community, I want to make change and demonstrate ways of progress. This project is meant to help low-income children internationally access education throughout their lives. Youth4Good has planned shoe and backpack drives to donate to unhoused individuals in Mexico, and we plan on holding more drives for different products internationally. Through Youth4Good, I will initiate fundraising events and drives to raise money and goods. This will be transported to a nonprofit organization in Mexico. I will document my research, talk to others, and research inequality in other spaces. I plan to expand my worldview by stepping out of my comfort zone to meet kids who live entirely different lives. This project documents my journey to inspire others to take action and find ways to help the community.
Project Blog
Week 0: Introduction
Hey everyone! Welcome to my first-ever blog post! I will be working on fundraising to combat educational imbalance and will be documenting my journey through these blog posts!
Volunteering has always been an integral part of my identity. As a Girl Scout, I was constantly encouraged to make the world a better place. Through our bronze award project in elementary school, my troop and I worked to promote environmentally conscious modes of transportation in our school. Though we just focused on impacting our school, we took steps to better the environment we live in.
As I grew up, I took the initiative to co-found a nonprofit, Youth4Good, that hosts various events, including homeless shelter meals, park cleaning, working at a local farm, and tutoring. With a team of 20 leaders, we work to coordinate these events. This includes training team members on how to lead these events. We have amassed over 600 volunteers and $50,000 in donations.
At Youth4Good, we hold projects to help our international world as well. We have planned shoe and backpack drives to donate to the homeless in Mexico, and we plan on holding more drives for different products internationally. We have helped fund 14 low-income students in China to pursue higher education through SOAR Foundation.
I’ve always been interested in widening my worldview and experiencing the world from different perspectives, which led me to this project.
The wealth inequality gap is arguably one of the most pressing issues in America. These differences are even more striking in families living below the poverty line in countries like Mexico, who experience this issue more intensely than in the US. Through fundraising here in America and taking notes and videos of my experiences, I plan to educate people through a snippet of my experiences and how others live in other countries.
I can’t wait to go on this journey and bring all of you with me! See you at my next blog!
Week 1: Getting Started
Hi everyone! Welcome to week 1!
This week, I contacted schools and community service organizations in Mexico to see what they needed. This information will become a starting point to determine what items I will be fundraising in the next few months.
Why do people feel the need to help others? How do others receive this help? What are the substantial impacts of community service? I hope to answer these questions through this project in the next few months. Simultaneously, I hope to go on a journey of my own, widening my worldview and talking to people around the world about their own unique experiences. There is so much in the world for me to learn and explore, and I hope to approach life with an open mind and a readiness to learn and improve.
In order to conduct my project in Mexico, I want to learn as much as I can before I make my trip. I read Diego Castañeda Garza’s “Moderate opulence: the evolution of wealth inequality in Mexico in its first century of independence”.
After Spain conquistadors established the Viceroyalty of New Spain in 1521, societal inequality was prevalent through systems such as the encomienda system. In the 19th century, when Mexico gained independence, Mexico still encountered political conflicts—wars, governmental change—that left the wealth gap more jarring than before.
Wealth inequality in 19th-century Mexico demonstrates fluctuating patterns with peaks during periods of economic reliance on merchant financiers and valleys during intense warfare and reconstruction. The Porfirian regime in 1877 intensified wealth concentration through cronyism, contributing to discontent and eventual revolution.
In order to go to another country and understand the people living there, I hope to explore the history and culture of the place I’m visiting.
Thanks for reading! See you next week!
Sources:
Challú, Amílcar E., et al. "Patterns of Wealth Inequality in 19th-Century Mexico." Explorations in Economic History, vol. 50, no. 3, 2013, pp. 388-402. ScienceDirect, doi:10.1016/j.eeh.2013.04.001.
Week 2: Brainstorming
Hi everyone! Welcome to Week 2 of my project!
This week, I continued my correspondence with service organizations in Mexico, started brainstorming ideas to raise funds, and gather what they need. Additionally, I intend to showcase my journey through a compiled video documentary at the end of my project, and I started the initial recording and documentation.
To answer one of my core questions, “Why do people feel the need to help others?”, I examined “Why Do People Give?” by Lise Vesterlund.
Vesterlund starts the article with a striking statistic, “In 2000, 90 percent of U.S. households donated on average $1,623 to nonprofit organizations.” According to the Census, the median household income in 2000 was $42,148, demonstrating how Americans donated a significant amount to help others.
On the economic side, individuals are motivated by tax deductions and incentives when donating monetary amounts. Additionally, giving is influenced by various factors, like gender and income. Women are shown to be more price-inelastic, and men are more price-elastic.
Vesterlund also makes the distinction between public and private benefits of giving. Public benefits are the actual impact of charitable organizations. Private benefits are the individual satisfaction or societal recognition that giving provides.
In my opinion, helping others has both public and private benefits. It’s simultaneously rewarding to support bigger causes and feel fulfilled while doing so. Through my senior project, I hope to explore the private and public benefits of community service.
Thanks for getting this far, and I’ll see you next week!
Sources:
DeNavas-Walt, Carmen. “Money Income in the United States: 2000.” Census.Gov, 16 Dec. 2021, www.census.gov/library/publications/2001/demo/p60-213.html#:~:text=Median%20household%20income%20in%20the,of%20%2433%2C447%20and%20%2430%2C439%2C%20respectively.
Vesterlund, Lise. 24. Why Do People Give? Dec. 2017, https://doi.org/10.12987/9780300153439-027.
Week 3: Reflection
Hey everyone!
Welcome to Week 3! Time really flies by!
This week, I worked on filming content for the documentary and resuming my correspondence with service organizations in Mexico.
While filming, it felt like freehanding the Mona Lisa. I had no sketch or structure and was throwing myself at the camera, trying to make sense of my project.
Essentially, I want to learn how service affects others and grow by expanding my life perspective. My parents would regurgitate the classic immigrant narrative of walking five miles to school every day, living in the countryside, and moving to America to give me a life filled with privilege.
In my internal advisor meeting with Mr. Betcher, he advised me to start journaling the process. Following his advice, I started documenting my journey through journaling.
Furthermore, I began organizing fundraising events as part of my project. Stay tuned for some announcements next week!
In the meantime, I’m filming the brainstorming process and I can’t wait to show you all the final product!
See you next week!
Alicia
Week 4: Planning
Hi everyone!
Welcome back to another week with Alicia! Today, I’m writing my blog from the sunny paradise of San Diego, California.
I’m in San Diego for an academic conference and have been enjoying my time so far. Tomorrow, I will be meeting up with the person I’ve been corresponding with for the past few weeks, and I hope to record some of our correspondence for my documentary.
In terms of fundraising, there will be a few things to watch out for!
Easter Egg Hunting Event
Embracing the spirit of Easter, I will be hosting an Easter egg hunt with a small fee for entry, which will fund my project.
Home Bake Sale
I’m going to be selling a variety of baked goods– cookies, cakes, pies — from my own personal kitchen! I will be releasing new items every week, so be on the lookout for that!
A few more events are lined up, so continue checking my blog for more updates!
On a more personal level, I’ve been feeling grateful for the opportunity to work on this project and to be the person with the means to give. No matter how big or small, I think it’s important to make an effort to help the people around you.
Thank you so much for reading, and once again, I’ll see you next week!
Alicia
Week 5: Execution
Hi everyone!
Welcome back to another blog!
As some of you might know, I was in San Diego last week, and I got the opportunity to talk to grab lunch with Cindy, who I had been corresponding with for the past month.
Over a delicious meal of tomato soup and grilled cheese, she talked about her journey with service. She has been driving to Tijuana, Mexico, every week to help the community. She’s dedicated the past 18 years of her life to doing this, and she’s seen these kids grow up and gain access to educational experiences that they would not have accessed otherwise. She has been able to physically see the impact she has made, and that’s what drives her to continue.
Talking with Cindy was incredibly touching for me. She’s dedicated her lifetime to helping others and it’s definitely something I want to bring to my life in the future.
In the meantime, the easter egg hunt event will be on 3/31 at 10:30 am at Always Dream PlayPark (1110 Stevenson Blvd, Fremont). Stop by if you can!
Even if you can’t make it, feel free to donate: gofund.me/bef4f23c.
Thank you so much, everyone! And in the meantime, I have to fill some eggs with candy!
Alicia
Week 6: Summary
Hey everyone!
Welcome back to the blog!
The easter egg event went super well! Seven volunteers came to my house to help fill the eggs with candy and goodies. After hours of working on the eggs, we were ready for the event!
On Easter Sunday, I woke up bright and early to go to the park and set up. We worked with around 10 volunteers to distribute the easter eggs around the park.
When the time came, many families arrived at Dream Park for the easter egg hunt! It was super fun and rewarding seeing everyone enjoy their time!
In the end, we raised $425 and acquired 6 backpacks and a few pairs of shoes.
Thank you so much for reading and I’ll see you next week!
Week 7: Reflection
Hi everyone!
Welcome back to another blog!
Coming into this week, I had raised $400 from my Easter egg event and was looking for more opportunities. My Girl Scout troop has a few thousand dollars left to donate to a charitable cause, and I’m currently applying for a grant from them. Adding everything up, I will have raised $1,000 so far and a few backpacks and shoes.
Compared to my original goal of $5K, I need to catch up on my original goal. Initially, I imagined the easter egg event to be much more profitable, and I still urge you to donate: gofund.me/bef4f23c.
Although I have grounded myself in knowing that it’s a privilege to be in the position to help, I still feel a little disappointed that I haven’t earned a specific numerical value quite yet.
However, I think it’s important to acknowledge that it’s essential to do whatever you can to help others, big or small. Even though I only have a fraction of my intended goal, it is money that will go to others, and knowing that is good enough for me.
Again, bringing back one of my essential questions, What are the substantial impacts of community service?, I realize that you don’t need to check off a box or earn a certain amount to make a positive impact. Going forward, I should concentrate on pushing a net good into the world instead of focusing on monetary goals.
Thank you for reading!
Week 8: Updates
Hi everyone!
This week, I worked on planning a new event: a College Admissions panel session. With an entry fee of $20, we plan to give insight into the college admissions process to high schoolers in our community, and all funds will go to the kids in Tijuana.
I worked to gather panelists to present, made a flyer, and will be holding the event on May 15th.
Next week, I will be traveling to San Diego again to meet Cindy (the person I’ve been corresponding with), and we will be traveling to Tijuana for the Kid’s Day Event.
In our last correspondence, she talked about the transformative nature of these visits. She detailed her missionary trip to India, how that shaped her perspective, and how she lives her life dedicated to service. After that trip, she started a non-profit organization and dedicated her life to service in Tijuana. I am super excited to visit and see all of the kids!
Her experiences have genuinely stuck with me and serve as an example of a lifetime dedicated to service. She has seen the tangible impacts of her contributions, which have motivated her to continue helping others. I hope to catch a sliver of that passion, and I can’t wait for next week!
Thank you so much for reading, and I’ll see you next week for more updates!
Week 9: Meeting Cindyana Jones
Hey everyone!
Welcome back to another blog!
For my documentary, I contacted leaders of volunteer organizations in the Bay Area and beyond to schedule interviews. I met Cindy this week and recorded our conversation about her service in Tijuana, and I have scheduled two more interviews!
This week, I made my trip from San Diego to Tijuana! Cindy picked me up in the morning, and we drove an hour to the border, another 30 minutes to get the kids' goods, and another 30 minutes to the lunch service place. I helped distribute potato chicken tacos, ice cream, cake, and fruit. It was Cindy's birthday, so we celebrated with her!
After lunch, we played games with the kids: bracelet-making, slime, bubbles, and airplane-making! The kids were so kind and so adorable. None of them spoke English and I couldn't speak Spanish, but Cindy helped translate when needed, and I felt super connected to the kids. I enjoyed being there and meeting everyone!
After that, we drove up to the border and waited in a long line to re-enter the United States. It's just a line on a map, but it's so different on both sides, and that really shocked me. In Tijuana, we drove on bumpy dirt roads and we saw an abundance of stray dogs on every corner. The dogs there aren’t sterilized so there’s a large influx of dogs licking the ground to find food. Compared to the dogs that my friends own, who are treated with an immense amount of care and effort— organic non-GMO doggy treats, constant trips to the vet, and doggy cones around their heads— the dogs in Tijuana are just cast away to roam around endlessly.
As I made my trip back to the United States, I found myself driving on fully paved roads, with no dogs in sight and skyscrapers in the distance. It was just shocking to see how different the countries are.
But at our core, I felt connected to the people and community in the short time I went. I wanted to end today’s blog with a quote from my conversation with Cindy. “One of my friends calls me Cindyana Jones because I love adventures!”
Thank you so much and see you next week!
Week 10: Last Blog Ever
Hey everyone!
Welcome to the last-ever blog!
I started the week with an interview with LEAF Farm. I originally scheduled an interview with just Elaine, the president of LEAF Farm. But when I arrived, she introduced me to Catherine, who writes grants for LEAF. So, I had the opportunity to interview both of them and learn about their experiences! LEAF is a local farm in Fremont, just 5 minutes away from BASIS. They work towards sustainable farming practices, like all types of compost: cold, hot, worm, manure, and wood chips. They also hold educational programs for kids and adults to learn more about farming and regenerative agriculture.
I talked to Elaine and Catherine about their journey with LEAF and then got a tour of the farm! When I got home, I went through the footage. Elaine has been working at LEAF for 10 years. Like Cindy, they both dedicated decades of their lives to service, and it's really inspiring to see. We had a great conversation about Elaine and Catherine’s journeys at LEAF, both the good and the challenges.
This week, I’ve mainly been reviewing my documentary footage and finalizing the structure of my project. Additionally, I have been working on the final presentation.
Today I went to the USPS and mailed out backpacks and shoes to Cindy’s address.
Overall, it’s been a long ten weeks, and I’m so grateful for this experience. I can’t wait to see everyone else’s projects!
I won’t be seeing you next week, but I hope to see you at the presentation next week!
Bye for now,
Alicia