While growing up in San Joaquin County, Valeria Medina, '28 Justice Studies, learned Spanish as her first language.

As a young child, she was often bullied at school.

"It was because I had an accent and would pronounce things in a Spanish way," says Medina.

At times, Medina felt ashamed of her culture, because she didn't see anyone in the classroom who looked like her. Despite those experiences, she pressed forward. She was proud to be bilingual and appreciated everything that her parents, who were both born in Mexico, did to keep Spanish alive in the home.

"Having the language really connects me to my culture, to music, to my family, to my grandparents," says Medina.

Now in her third year at SJSU, Medina is able to feel that connection to her culture through her involvement with the vibrant Chicanx/Latinx Student Success Center (Centro) community, where she is currently student lead for the Student Success Leaders program.

Centro is a place where students can come together to celebrate and center Chicanx and Latinx communities and experiences. The center supports the needs of students through student empowerment, mentorship and advocacy.

"We all help to create a welcoming environment for students," says Medina. "Letting students know this is a home away from home. That's what Centro strives to do. Students want to find their identity. That aspect of seeing someone who looks like you is a big part of doing well academically."

Medina also serves as event coordinator for Latinos in FoJu, which stands for forensic science and justice studies. She supports Latinx students who are studying forensic science and justice studies by planning events and creating networking opportunities.

When students tell Medina that they are first-generation college students, she's always proud to tell them that she is one, too.

"In college, people find a way to make a life for themselves. You strive for your independence and you learn to be your own person. It was hard coming into college as a first-generation student," says Medina. "My parents came to this country for better opportunities for myself and my brother. Even though it wasn't easy, I'm proud of everything I've accomplished here at college."

When Medina graduates, she plans on attending a police academy and becoming a police officer, with the goal of becoming a homicide detective.

"I really love advocating for others and helping people. I think I've done that through my work at Centro," says Medina. "If I see others in the same boat as me, I feel this connection and I'm drawn to help."

Building community through shared experiences

For Monica Garibay, '28 Public Health, Centro has provided a similar sense of belonging and an opportunity to support other students.

When she began her first year at San José State, one of her top priorities was finding a place to belong on a campus with thousands of students. Like Medina, she had grown up in a community where nobody, aside from her own family, looked like her. She's also a first-generation college student.

At SJSU, she discovered that Centro had an Adelante Mentorship & Leadership program to support first-year students, and she knew right away that she wanted to be a part of it.

"Being a mentee helped set me up for success," says Garibay. "I wasn't aware of the resources we had on campus. The program helped me get set and plan out my four years here."

She got so much out of the program that she decided to become a mentor during her sophomore year.

"It made me realize that I wanted to give back to the community and be that person who someone could lean on," she says.

She is now in her second year as a mentor, supporting six mentees.

"The best part is watching them grow. You see them join different clubs and things, you see them grow as a student," she says.

Garibay is also a member of Grupo Folklórico Luna y Sol de SJSU, a student-run organization that celebrates Mexican culture through traditional folkloric dance performances. Garibay serves as club president.

"When I first joined, I felt like I had two left feet," Garibay says. "I had no dance experience at all. It's something I've always wanted to do but I was always busy with something else. I clicked with everyone as soon as I joined. I felt a real sense of belonging."

Folklórico has helped Garibay become more confident in her identity.

"Before I was a bit more shy and more to myself, but this allowed me to connect with my culture," says Garibay. "And I also just feel like it helped me grow as a person. This was the first time I felt I could be myself 100%."

Garibay plans to attend graduate school and to eventually become a pediatric nurse practitioner.

"Seeing familiar faces and people with similar stories and backgrounds can help you connect and feel a sense of belonging. It keeps you motivated when you find students with similar stories. It helps students finish strong," says Garibay. "Centro - a place that students have advocated for - is empowering. Its existence shows that we're here, we're standing and we're not leaving."