Meet some of our volunteers…
Kylie Padilla
she/her/hers
I moved to the US when I was 11 years old. I experienced an extreme cultural reset when I first arrived here. At such a young age, I quickly learned to be embarrassed of my culture, from being darker in skin tone to wearing tsinelas to school and to even eating sinigang in a thermos. To be completely honest, I envied my white peers in every aspect. However, as I have grown older, I’ve learned to accept and be proud of what it is to be Filipino and an Asian American. I am currently an aspiring nursing student.
One interesting thing about me is that I enjoy art: painting, drawing, crocheting, stamp-making, bullet journaling, anything you can think of!
Caroline Hom
she/her/hers
I am a sophomore at Irvine Valley College, majoring in biology. The reason I joined SHISAS is because I know several domestic abuse survivors, and it's difficult to know what to do when I want to help them and their families. I want to do all that I can to support these individuals and something as simple as serving as a translator can make the process of seeking help a lot easier and less intimidating. Domestic abuse is common and it's scary to think that it is, but it's more of a reason to do all that I can to help these families. I aspire to have a career in environmental health or in the medical field one day because I've always wanted to help people in some way. I'm still unsure about what I'll end up doing and I'm even hoping to open some sort of business in the future.
Something interesting about me is that I have two tortoises, 4 turtles, and 3 fish.
Josshua Barreto
he/him/his
I moved to the US with my family from Colombia when I was 16. Due to the language barrier, I struggled with my social and academic life, which made me go through hard times at school. I not only failed exams but also got suspended as I was often the victim of harassment and discrimination from classmates due to my poor English skills. I had to learn English and American culture from friends or by translating the songs I liked. Now, I feel more comfortable living in the US, but I know many other international students struggle due to the language barrier. I wanted to be a part of SHISAS to help those who are in a similar situation as I once was. I’m currently attending college to fulfill my dream of being a music producer.
A couple of fun facts about me is that I enjoy freediving and can hold my breath for over a minute long!
Do you want to become a volunteer?
We welcome everyone from all walks of life interested in becoming a volunteer.
To get involved, please email us at shisas@shishas.org and tell us a little about who you are. Also, please attach a resume if possible.
Or better yet, just fill out the form below!
