For as long as Carlos can remember, he’s had one goal.
In kindergarten, on Carlos’s first-ever field trip from Daniel Boone Elementary, Carlos had a chance to visit a fire station. On that day, he realized that he was going to become a firefighter. Since then, everything he has done has been in pursuit of that dream.
Ashly continues to make a difference, hoping to use her experiences in her next venture to highlight underrepresented voices in media and film. She says, “I’m proud of reaching goals and working for the American and Mexican embassy. I’m proud that I have learned so much and gathered so many connections, met so many people, and heard about their experiences.”
Now, she is working on securing a job in Hollywood doing Global Publicity for heavy hitting film agencies like HBO, Paramount, and Universal. In thinking about her impact and the next generation she says, “It’s so cool and inspiring to see young people reaching for their dreams and achieving even more than we were able to achieve. They are taking the tools they have and pushing themselves forward.”
Stephanie Palafox went to Reality Changers from 8th-12th grade while she attended Mira Mesa High School. She graduated from Reality Changers in 2014, and graduated with a degree in Psychology and Social Behavior from UC Irvine in June 2020.
Last week, we shared Part 1 of Vivien’s story. Vivien grew up in City Heights, San Diego, and participated in Reality Changers as a high school student. She was determined to be the first in her family to go to college. You can support students like Vivien on their college
DONATE NOW Vivien is a Reality Changers alumnus who grew up in City Heights, San Diego. Her parents immigrated to the United States from Vietnam and they worked hard to provide for Vivien and her sister. No one in Vivien’s family had been to college, but she was determined to
Tanya Castellanos is a 2019 Reality Changers program graduate. She is currently a sophomore at California State University San Marcos. What are you looking forward to in school this year? What I am looking forward to in school this year is expanding my knowledge on the topic of Biology. I
Daniela Suarez joined Reality Changers as an 11th grader. She is currently a 12th grader at Gompers Preparatory Academy and attends Reality Changers’ College Apps Academy. What are you looking forward to in school this year? I have been preparing for college since the 6th grade and now that I
Wendy Lopez joined Reality Changers as a 10th grader. She is currently an 11th grader at La Jolla High School and attends Reality Changers’ College Town. What are you looking forward to in school this year? This school year I am looking forward to seeing new ways my school will
Steven Avalos joined Reality Changers as an 8th grader. He is currently a 11th grader at San Diego High School and attends Reality Changers’ College Town. What are you looking forward to in school this year? This school year I’m looking forward to maintaining a high GPA and keeping my
Tran Phung joined Reality Changers as an 11th grader. She is currently a 12th grader at University City High School and attends Reality Changers’ College Apps Academy. What are you looking forward to in school this year? I am looking forward to seeing how our school life is going to