"One of the most important women in my life is my mother. She treats me and my sister so well, and she is such an inspiration to me when it comes to staying motivated and determined to succeed. She came to America when she was only 18 and went straight into working to make money.
"I have been a member of QCH's Access for Young Women (AFYW) program for some years now. At AFYW, our goals, dreams, our fears, and even our daily dose of complaining are put in conversation.
"I’ve worked for the Queens Economic Development Corporation for about 12 years. I’ve also written two books on the borough with Arcadia Publishing: Historical Houses of Queens and Famous People of Queens.
“I learned about Queens Community House through Queens College, where I’m currently studying to be an environmental studies major with a minor in urban planning.
"My first connection to QCH was through the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP), which gave me an opportunity to gain invaluable job experience. Thanks to SYEP, I learned about QCH’s Neighborhood Intergenerational Chore and Errand (NICE) program.
"As a teacher, my journey started in nursery and pre-k. Since then, I’ve worked in public, private, charter, and special education settings at the elementary, middle and high school levels. Everything changed for me when I came to QCH Voyages Prep High School.
“I’ve been going to the Pomonok Community Center for seven years. When I’m here, I really enjoy playing ping pong for exercise and keeping me sharp. When you get older, it’s a great exercise against Alzheimer’s. Also, because of my work, I have a lot on my mind and sometimes struggle to sleep.
