UC San Diego Alternative Breaks

Congratulations to Pamela Elguezabal , Site Leader for AB Public Health, for being CSI’s 2020 Individual Changemaker of the Year!! The Community Service Individual Changemaker of the Year Award recognizes a student who has emerged as a leader within a Center for Student Involvement program or registered organization who has created change within a specific social justice issue and the impacted community. This award values innovation, collaboration, leadership, and passio...n for changemaking. Pamela is a champion of migrant rights and support. In 2018, Pamela began volunteering at Casa del Migrante, a shelter which provides basic needs, legal support, healthcare, and other services for deportees and asylum seekers. To date, Pamela has volunteered at the shelter for approximately 300 hours, performing tasks including briefing new deportees, redirecting phone calls, and helping at the entrance and kitchen. See more

Thank you Representative Mike Levin of California's 49th congressional district for your encouraging words! AB Civic Engagement had the opportunity to speak with Representative Levin in Washington DC last September and was touched by his efforts to connect with each student personally and hear their story. Alternative Breaks is grateful for your efforts in voicing the concerns of UCSD students and the wider San Diego community! Remember it is not too late to vote in AS electi...ons! Vote on Tritonlink until May 22 at 4pm and help shape the future of UCSD! Associated Students - UC San Diego To hear the original episode of Triton Tools and Tidbits regarding lobbying, visit https://shows.acast.com//lobbying-101-how-to-network-for-a

Alternative Breaks is thrilled to have been featured in an episode of Triton Tools and Tidbits, a podcast produced by UC San Diego Student Affairs. The podcast features members of AB Civic Engagement speaking about their experience lobbying in support of the DREAM Act while in Washington DC. No matter what issues you are passionate about, policy shapes all of them. Lobbying is one of the most powerful steps you can take to make your voice heard and have a real impact on the laws that shape our cities, states, and this country. Tune in to learn the basics of lobbying and how to promote your cause, no matter the audience or issue!

Alternative Breaks is so proud of Yazmin Arambula's efforts to examine the healthcare coverage of UCSD students! Her work surveying students has allowed her to identify the share of students that rely on UC SHIP or other insurance plans and the struggles students face in using their health insurance. This knowledge will allow her to voice concerns about UC SHIP to administration and help better inform students about their benefits. Yazmin is creating infographics for students to more easily understand what UC SHIP covers and how to receive assisted healthcare coverage. We are so excited about Yazmin's initiative to help students understand their health insurance, especially in a time when healthcare is so essential across the world!

Check out Rebecca's innovative initiative to decrease waste at UCSD! Sustainability for the Everyday Person is aimed at eliminating the need for single use plastic bottles by providing large dispensers of shampoo, conditioner, soap, softeners, and lotion at UCSD markets for students to refill their own reusable bottles. The project is set to launch Winter 2021 and aims to help UCSD reach its zero waste goal. We applaud Rebecca's efforts to address the needs for sustainable solutions and her passion for helping us all decrease our environmental footprint!

AB is so inspired by Carol Alvarez for creating The Children's Bookshelf, a space for children and parents to listen to children's books read aloud on instagram live! This project promotes literacy by providing children with access to books digitally, read in English and Spanish. Follow @_thechildrensbookshelf on Instagram and tune in every Monday and Friday at 1pm to enjoy stories in English, and join Carol on Wednesdays at 1pm for stories read in Spanish! We are so pround of Carol's efforts to bring the power of books to children in San Diego and across the world!