By Erica Cortes
The UCLA’s Center for the Community College Partnership hosted a social painting and planting party on Wednesday in the multi-purpose room.
They shared food and painting pots while planting small succulents.
The CCCP partnered with UCLA ambassadors to help current students transfer.
The event’s objective was to give information about upcoming events and encourage others to join the community.
Chely Gonzalez, the program’s coordinator was in charge of this event.
Gonzalez gave her Power Point presentaion and had the panel in the event open for disccusion.
“To give them the option and motivate them. To really consider UCs or just explore the different possibilities there are,” Gonalez said about the goal of the community.
UCLA ambassadors were there to help. Genesys Sanches, who also is an ELAC alumn, expressed how the biggest resource is the space to be creative.
“It was so easy for me to navigate, strive and succeed there,” Sanches said.
“It was so easy to be involved and get all these recognitions because I had my community,” Sanches said.
She said the community gave her the safe space she needed to become a successful first-generation college student.Since then, she been a helping hand in these events as a mentor.
Many curious students came out to eat, paint and plant.
They also came to see what the community had to offer.
Arturo Martinez, who heard about the event through his English class,considered joining this community. “I don’t know where it is I am going to transfer to.
“I am hoping to get understanding and get more information on what I need to do in order to transfer after ELAC,” Martinez said.
Paola Rodriguez, who has been part of the community since last summer, used the event to reconnect with her mentor, Ryan Astengo.
Rodriguez said the community helped her feel not alone in the college atmosphere.
“Finding the group of people that have been excluded from this constitution and then fighting together to combat that stigma or combat that and have nontraditional students be in this institution,” Rodriguez said helped her feel included.
Rodriguez also said that there is power in the community that is worth joining.
“You never know the little gems you might find,” Rodriguez said.
“You might find that you are more empowered than what you think you are.
“I didn’t think that from myself until I got with the program,” Rodriguez said.
CCCP has upcoming events for new students who might be interested in joining their community.
The CCCP encourages people who came to these events to bring others who might be interested in joining
The next event is on Saturday.
It is opened to the public to inform students and their families of the process of transferring.
This event will occur in the multi- purpose room from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the G3 building.