May 23, 2017
By Brandon Johnson, Public Ally 2016-2017

The Community Justice Project is a small Miami nonprofit comprised of community lawyers who work tirelessly to bridge racial, economic, and capacity gaps in majority-minority communities. In their legal work, CJP collaborates closely with community organizers and grassroots groups spearheaded by the belief that a more democratic, more just and more equal society can only truly come about through grassroots organizing and social movement. CJP is motivated by the underlying notion that our legal system limits equal access to justice especially for disadvantaged (ie. race or income) individuals.

Given these conditions, CJP believes experienced legal advocates should be available to all people regardless of economic or ethnic status. Working within Miami, CJP tends to focus on housing and employment imbalances, public benefits, immigration, and community economic development. These lawyers play a vital role in lending legal advice and alternatives to social issues that may otherwise lack the resources needed to actually be effective. CJP is currently hosting a Public Ally, Gabriel Perez, who was quoted as saying “it’s a philosophy not to lead movements but to serve the community” when asked about the nonprofit's role in modern social change. This is important as their work is dictated by the ever-changing demands and movements of Miami communities.

Some of their most recent impactful work consists of:

• Unlocking Government Center- Mayor Gimenez vowed not to protect Miami’s reputation as a ”sanctuary city” which outraged the immigrant community.  Mayor Gimenez resulted to closing down Government Center as to block access to City Hall from the onslaught of protesters. In response, CJP led a class action lawsuit against the Mayor for infringing upon first amendment rights for preventing them access to taxpayer's property. They were successful in “unlocking” City Hall as a small testament to their effectiveness.
• Taxi vs. Uber- Community Justice Project has done great work to counterbalance the Uber monopoly on Miami taxi drivers. The Community Justice Project represents the driver-led New Vision Taxi Drivers Association in their work to secure fair working conditions for drivers across Miami-Dade County. CJP's support for the Association includes capacity building and training, policy advocacy and direct representation of drivers in some cases.

They've partnered with Dream Defenders, Miami Workers Center, FANM, We Count!, PowerU Centers, New Vision Taxi Drivers Association, Florida Immigrant Coalition and many others.(http://communityjusticeproject.com/partners/)

They also host bi-monthly discussion events called Salon Juste, inspired by the salons of the Harlem Renaissance with the idea of creating space for robust exchanges of ideas to spur the creativity that emerges from increased connectivity and understanding across different backgrounds. Discussions touch on timely topics, centered around the stories of incredible Miami community leaders whose expertise and talents arise from their lived experiences as people directly impacted by social injustice. Salon’s portray the residents role in accomplishing change. Past Salon topics have included Climate Change and Environmental Justice; Taxi Drivers, Uber and the Consumer in Between; and Women and Work.

To learn more about The Community Justice Project and their pro bono opportunities, email [email protected]

As a parent, you feel the need to plan for everything, including the contingencies in the event of your death. Having a special needs child makes planning even more imperative. Making arrangements for your own passing is a daunting task, and handling legalities and finances can be stressful. However, in the end, you’ll have the peace of mind that your child will be taken care of if you were to become ill or pass.

Handling the Legal Aspects

A power of attorney is a legal document that allows a person to act on someone else’s behalf, managing financial affairs and making health care decisions. This person is called an agent or an attorney-in-fact. You’re probably the current power of attorney for your child. However, if you were to fall ill or pass, someone else would need to be appointed as the agent, which is why you should have a backup. A successor agent takes over power of attorney duties from the original agent if needed. You can also revoke a power of attorney at any time and assign a new one, so if you’re elderly or preparing to pass, you can assign a new power of attorney instead of naming a successor agent.

Transferring property to your child will help to guarantee he always has a home. One way to transfer the deed of your property is through a quitclaim deed. A quitclaim deed does not guarantee the quality of the grantor's title; therefore, it’s usually a method used by people who know each other, particularly family members. If the property transfers ownership without being sold, meaning no money is involved, quitclaim deeds are a common choice.

Many disabled and special needs children qualify for means-tested benefits, such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Medicaid, which typically have a $2,000 asset limit. Transferring the home directly to him will not affect his eligibility, as long as the home remains his primary residence. However, if your child were to reach a point where he could no longer live in the home, it would become an available resource and put your son over the asset limit. For this reason, you may consider also using a special needs trust (SNT).

Handling the Financial Aspects

When planning for your child’s future after your death, you want to ensure sufficient funds are available for them. You also want to provide the proper supervision, management, and distribution of an inheritance for the special needs child. Both of these can be accomplished through a third-party created and funded special needs trust (SNT). You must appoint a trustee of the SNT, which can be a family member or a third party appointed by the court.

Although you may think willing a lump sum of money to your child is a good idea, it can disqualify him from means-tested benefits. Setting up an SNT ensures your child has the finances available for his lifelong care without losing benefits. It can also be used to set up inheritance funds or earnings from a settlement on behalf your child.

An SNT is created with the specific needs, lifestyle, and future of your child in mind. The money in the trust can be used to pay for personal care attendants, furniture, medical and dental expenses, education, vehicles, physical therapy, and even recreation and vacations. If your child were to need home modifications – such as a chair lift, a wheelchair ramp, or a walk-in bathtub – the money from the SNT could be used for funding purposes.

While planning for your child’s future and what will happen after you pass is stressful and frightening, not having a solid plan in place could be detrimental for your child’s future. Be sure you have the legalities and financial aspects in line. Before making any decisions and to guarantee everything is properly set up, seek the advice of a qualified attorney. Consider contacting someone who specializes in planning for special needs children.

About Jackie Waters
Ms. Waters is a mother of four boys and lives on a farm in Oregon. She is passionate about providing a healthy and happy home for her family, and aims to provide advice for others on how to do the same with her website: Hyper-Tidy.com.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 26, 2017

MIAMI, FL – Today Catalyst Miami will graduate its second cohort of students for CLEAR Miami (Community Leadership on the Environment, Advocacy, and Resilience) to make way for a third session of CLEAR beginning on June 6, 2017. This training program was created in response to the challenges that Miami-Dade County’s 2.7 million residents are likely to face as a consequence of climate change and sea level rise. These challenges include an endangerment of 90% of South Florida’s drinking water, 7-foot storm surges occurring every five years instead of the current 76-year frequency, an increased number of heat waves, as well as a threat to the County’s tourism and agricultural economies. Miami-Dade County’s 1.5 million financially vulnerable residents will be especially burdened because they have the least resources to adapt and recover from these and other climate shocks.

“With the potentially catastrophic challenges ahead for Miami residents due to climate change, Catalyst Miami is excited to be launching this new program that will inform and empower community residents to play a part in local climate resilience strategies,” said Gretchen Beesing, CEO of Catalyst Miami.

CLEAR Miami provides graduates with a base to become climate resilience educators, leaders, and innovators in their own communities and beyond. Participants will develop a deep understanding of climate science, local climate change threats, and solutions. The program is a 12-week commitment, with one 3-hour session occurring per week at Catalyst Miami’s main office (3000 Biscayne Blvd, Suite 210, Miami, FL 33137). Translation will be offered in Spanish and Haitian Creole. There is no fee to participate. Dinner and childcare will be provided at no cost.

Applications to this program are available at http://catalystmiami.org/clear-miami. For more information on CLEAR Miami, contact Zelalem Adefris, Climate Resilience Program Manager, at [email protected] or 786-414-1300.

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Catalyst Miami is an anti-poverty nonprofit organization with a mission to develop and support individual leaders and strong organizations that work together to improve health, economic opportunity, and civic engagement in our community. To learn more about Catalyst Miami, visit www.catalystmiami.org.

CONTACT
Molly Delahunty
Catalyst Miami
786-414-1292
[email protected]

April 25, 2017

Contact your State Legislators about opposing these bills:

HB 7117 initially imposed both work requirements and premiums on Medicaid recipients. Thanks to an amendment by Representative Nicholas Duran, the onerous work requirements, which also included a terribly punitive lock-out period of one year for nonpayment, were just removed. Please thank Representative Duran for his leadership.

Unfortunately, the bill still contains work requirements for most adults, even though the majority either already work or have a good reason for not working. Pregnant women and low income parents who cannot work or whose income is less than the limit for parent eligibility, would be at risk of losing coverage. This would hurt Florida’s children and families.  There is a growing body of evidence that when low-income parents, especially pregnant women, do not have coverage, the health of the child is impacted.

HB 11 and SB 1292 would decertify labor unions with memberships below 50% of all eligible employees and require annual registration renewal of bargaining units, including financial information about it members. Workers in Florida currently have the option of joining unions but this bill would take away that option for those who fall in the minority.
HB 373 and SB 856 would prohibit school districts and local unions from providing annual contracts guarantees based on teachers' performance evaluation, regardless of how well they perform.

SB 120 and HB 83 would enhance the criminal penalties for offenses committed by undocumented immigrants only because of their immigration status. This bill could violate the federal and state constitutional rights of immigrants as it would unlawfully discriminate on the basis of national origin or citizenship.

Bills that would help our communities:

SB 184 and HB 1061 would allow usage of a taxpayer identification number (ITIN) and alternative forms of identification to apply for a FL drivers license or ID card. This would allow immigrants and other community members not otherwise eligible for drivers licenses or state IDs to obtain a lawful form of ID and perform basic activities like driving so that they can support their families.

SB 1064 and HB 411 requires school districts to revise their zero tolerance policies when it comes to arrests and referrals to the criminal and juvenile justice systems and to create an alternative policy to address student misconduct. This bill, that would implement restorative justice practices that offer constructive alternatives to address conflict and could increase the number of students who stay in school.

SB 442 and HB 451 would prohibit advanced well stimulation treatment, banning fracking in Florida and protecting our environment from this harmful process. Fracking poses serious risks to our drinking water and the overall health and wellbeing of our communities and the environment.

SB 392 would support "financial literacy" as a requirement of K-12 programs across the state by revising the requirements for a standard high school diploma to include instruction in personal financial literacy and money. This would give students a strong foundation of financial knowledge.

SB 90 and HB 1351 would implement Amendment 4, a pro-solar tax abatement approved by Florida voters in 2016.

SB 196 would require law enforcement officers to issue civil citations or require juvenile's participation in a diversion program for certain first-time misdemeanor offenses. This would decrease juvenile arrests, avoid criminalizing youth for minor mistakes, and save taxpayers' dollars.

Ask your State Legislators to urge our US House of Representatives delegation to protect your health care and reject a new version of the American Health Care Act!

The U.S. House leadership may soon be pushing for vote on an amended version of the American Health Care Act (AHCA), which may be even worse than the original version.  The fundamental features of the original bill will reportedly remain the same, which means 24 million Americans could lose health care coverage by 2026,  $839 billion in Medicaid funding could be cut over the next 10 years, and seniors would see a significant hike in premiums and out-of-pocket costs. Additionally, the new version would eliminate the protections under the ACA for those with pre-existing conditions, making it possible for insurance companies to charge significantly higher premiums. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, an estimated 3.1 Floridians under the age of 65 had a pre-existing condition in 2015. The reported amendment would also eliminate essential health benefits and no longer be required to provide services considered essential under the ACA market health plans such as mental health treatment, maternal care, and prescription drugs.  states to request waivers to these essential health benefits, which would incentivize insurers to drop coverage for people in need of expensive services such as mental health or cancer treatments, discouraging enrollment, particularly among sicker and high-cost individuals who need care the most. 

April 24, 2017
By Brandon Johnson, 2016-2017 Public Ally

The Center for Social Change is a local 501(c)(3) nonprofit nested in the quaint Miami
Shenandoah neighborhood just outside of Coral Gables. The Center’s vision is a world
where everyone commits to being the solution. They accomplish this by engaging and
interacting with the community and its relative movements to stay on top of challenges.
The center itself doubles as a co-working community of nonprofits, social entrepreneurs,
and community leaders who work across sectors to ignite change. The euphoric work
environment mirrors the eclectic and diverse nature of their line of work. It is essentially
a melting pot of socially-oriented minds who develop grassroots ideas that manifest into
social breakthroughs through the network of community, members, and political support
facilitated by the center.

As a leader in the community, The Center for Social Change regularly partakes in
community and public meetings. Not only does this reinforce their commitment to the
community, it gives them the opportunity to listen and learn how to best advocate for the
demands of the community. For example, The Center for Social Change has recently
started a venture for a sacred house -- providing adequate housing for women
transitioning from prison. This was a gap that they were able to identify and address
within the community.

The center also hosts a variety of educational, and informative programs, services, and volunteer opportunities that are beneficial in multiple facets. Here are some of their upcoming events:
• Brown Club of Miami Presents: Slavery & Incarceration April 26 @ 7:00pm - 8:30pm
• Edge Ambassadors Networking Happy Hour April 27 @ 6:30 pm - 9:30 pm
• Conscious Entrepreneurs Roundtable Breakfast April 28 @ 9:00 am - 11:00 am
• Jane’s Walk (Refer to: http://janeswalk.org/united-states/miami/)

March 29, 2017
By Russell Correa, Ed.M., LMHC (guest blog writer)

Last year, I was assigned a new colleague to work with. Everything in terms of our work relationship started well enough. We exchanged the normal pleasantries co-workers talk about when they first meet - generic information about our personal backgrounds, our approaches towards work and the fact that we were both open to direct feedback from the other. It took about a week before things began to go sour between us.

He began to cut me off before I was finished speaking. When he was unhappy with the time it took for me to give him something, he would send me an email and cc my boss. When I approached him to talk about projects, he would continue to look directly at his computer and type away while he responded back to me. To top it off, he would “wordsmith” all of my documents, filling my work with lines upon lines of track changes. I can’t begin to tell you how much I grew to dislike him. I mean I really, really disliked this person. But short of closing my door and refusing to acknowledge his existence, I still had to figure out a way to interact and collaborate with him. So what does one do when they have to work with someone they just don’t like?

My first idea was to “google” - how to work with someone you don’t like. About 17,000 results came back and I proceeded to read the first few results. Suggestions included:

• Try to find the positive in the person.
• Accept that you are not going to like everyone you work with.
• Be extra nice to that person and kill them with kindness.
• Don’t worry about them; just focus on yourself.

My reaction to these suggestions was “what a bunch of crap!” How does finding the positive in someone help me during tense office exchanges? How does not worrying about the other person help me when its 5pm and I’m depending on them for a work deliverable so I can go home. And that’s the main problem with the kind of advice you find online or through advice forums. It all sounds really good when you read it but when you try to apply it, well, that's a different story. So what did I do? Not that any of these strategies are full-proof, but they did improve my situation. Maybe they can help you too.

• Be aware of what you may be adding to the situation. The other person may not like you either. Think about what your difficult workplace behaviors might be and stop acting that way.
• Think why the behavior of the person is bothering you so much. Is the other person really acting out of line or are you just being over-sensitive? An important question to always ask yourself is What if I’m wrong here?
• Never respond back with emotion. Emotions are a lot like the weather here in Miami. One minute, it’s raining. The next minute, it’s sunny. Wait 30 minutes. You might be surprised how things, including your perspective, change.
• If you decide to address the problem with your co-worker, consider announcing the potential awkwardness of the situation when you approach them and never use accusatory language – “Listen, I may not say this right and I don't want you to feel uncomfortable or defensive, but I feel like there are some conflicts between us that I’d like to resolve so we can have a respectful working relationship”.
• Change the narrative. People are not difficult. Behavior is difficult. If you label the person as nasty and unlikeable, you're creating a strong bias against them that will be difficult to move past.

If you would like to learn more insights and tips into this topic, please register for a 30-minute webinar I will be hosting on April 12^th from 12:30 – 1pm:

"I Don’t Like the People I Work with – Help!”

The registration fee is $25 for individuals and $100 for groups and agencies (for 5 or more attendees). This webinar is part of my ongoing Working Smarter / Living Smarter series that I will be hosting in 2017. For more information and to register, go to http://www.zetaconsultingfl.com/LivingandWorkingSmarterWebinar.en.html

About Russell Correa, Ed.M., LMHC
As the Principal of Zeta Consulting Group, Russell Correa brings close to 20 years of experience as a licensed clinician, certified executive coach, HR & Management consultant and trainer to his work. Russell also serves as a board member for Allegany Franciscan Ministries, a funder of nonprofits in the Miami, Tampa Bay and Palm Beach areas.

About the Working Smarter / Living Smarter Series
Lunch-Time Learning for Your Fast-Paced Schedule
Everyone wants to improve at what they do and who they are, but finding the time to fulfill this commitment is a challenge. The Working Smarter / Living Smarter Series helps you towards both of these goals with bite-size learning geared towards adult learning styles and fast-paced schedules. Grab your lunch, invest 30 minutes and reap the rewards of learning something new to be a “better” you.

For more info and to register, go to http://www.zetaconsultingfl.com/LivingandWorkingSmarterWebinar.en.html

March 23, 2017
By Brandon Johnson, Public Ally currently serving his 10-month AmeriCorps apprenticeship with Catalyst Miami

Samantha "Sam" Niravong (pictured on the left) is a 2016-2017 AmeriCorps Public Ally who was recommended to the program by a fellow cohort member Ashley Cover (pictured on the right). As the only girl in the house with two brothers, she gravitated to the kitchen with her mom. Cooking for her family was such a norm that she naturally developed a passion for nutrition. Her initial expectations from the program was to build and expand her leadership skills. She never imagined she would have the opportunity to incorporate her personal passions and career ambitions into her role.

Through the Public Allies matching process, Sam was placed at Common Threads, a nonprofit that promotes healthy eating and cooking in low-income communities in an effort to detour childhood obesity. This could not have been a better turnout for Sam who is majoring in Dietetics and Nutrition at Florida International University. Her service at Common Threads serves as a simulation of what to expect when she enters her field. Sam was quoted as saying "I have a passion for social justice and I believe that nutrition plays a part in that." Her partnership with Common Threads gave her the opportunity to do just that as she engages and develops delicate communities through food.

Is is important to note that this service was more than getting your feet wet for Sam. Within her role as a Project Coordinator, she is charged with leading individual partnerships and projects for Common Threads' various programs. Some of her responsibilities consist of managing and recruiting volunteers, coordinating events, and collaborating with different organizations that may benefit from nutrition education. For example, she partnered with Ashley Cover and the Opa-Locka Community Development Corporation to expose the community to healthy alternatives and techniques to eating and preparing food. All of which require leadership skills that Sam had to channel at her placement.

Partnering with Common Threads as an AmeriCorps Public Ally enabled Sam to put her future into perspective. She states, "I like Public Allies belief that everyone is able to become a leader. I was tired of working in the service industry and I was looking for ways to impact the community. " Before coming into the program she was interested in a clinical nutrition track. However, through the programs exposures she's realized that community nutrition is more of her calling because she likes to think of the people she serves as individuals rather than routine patients or clients. Sam will continue her capacity building role at Common Threads through June where she will then focus on graduating from FIU and entering the community nutrition field with an apprenticeship under her belt.

February 23, 2017
By Russell Correa, Ed.M., LMHC (guest blog writer)

Like most heated exchanges, the conversation started very innocently over a late Sunday afternoon cup of coffee. Some pleasant banter back and forth about kids and pop culture slowly morphed into stinging and increasingly critical personal and political character assassinations about the other person.

“You’re such a Trump apologist! That guy is such an idiot,” said the one friend.

“Whatever….just put on your big boy pants, snowflake, as the tough work of making America great again is about to start,” the other friend responded.

Within a minute, the conversation went completely negative and two friends were now raising their voices at each other. Does this situation sound familiar to you? It seems to be happening everywhere now. Anger over a friend’s Facebook post. News updates and heated exchanges on cables news channels.

Regardless of your political persuasion, today’s political climate has many of us feeling alienated and unsettled – maybe even anxious and scared. The controversies, discontent and ongoing social media skirmishes are pitting friends and family against each other in a way we haven't really experienced before. To be fair, politics has always been a heated topic but this is different. In fact, the current situation has grown so bad that many mental health professionals have called the post-election effect we are seeing in this country a major concern for emotional health and well-being.

So what are you supposed to do if you are feeling angry, anxious or frustrated? How are you supposed to manage relationships with others that are now your political enemies? Well, to be fair, everyone has the right to feel exactly what they are feeling right now. You shouldn’t feel bad or less than for feeling the way you feel. But we all need to take better care of ourselves so we are not left in a bad emotional space.

While we are all different, consider the following strategies:

• Be aware of your emotional triggers. If social media is upsetting you, limit your time on sites like Facebook. Some people have gone as far as deleting their social media accounts all together. Do what makes most sense for you.
• Limit time watching cable news. Stay informed but too much viewing can lead to information and emotional overload. And limit viewing before you go to sleep.
• When engaged in political debate, remember that people are deeply committed and invested in their beliefs; you are not going to change someone’s mind in one conversation so don’t try.
• If you are frustrated and feeling helpless about the political scene, do something local to make a difference. Go clean your local beach. Volunteer at a local social service agency. Options are easy to find with a simple google search.

If you would like to learn more insights and tips into this topic, I would encourage you to register for a 30-minute webinar I will be hosting on March 15^th at 12:30pm - "Taking Care Of Yourself In Today's Political Landscape.”

The registration fee is $25 for individuals and $100 for group/agency registration (for 5 or more attendees).

This webinar is part of my ongoing Working Smarter / Living Smarter series that I will be hosting in 2017.

About Russell Correa, Ed.M., LMHC
As the Principal of Zeta Consulting Group, Russell Correa brings close to 20 years of experience as a licensed clinician, certified executive coach, HR & Management consultant and trainer to his work. Russell also serves as a board member for Allegany Franciscan Ministries, a funder of nonprofits in the Miami, Tampa Bay and Palm Beach areas. 

About the Working Smarter / Living Smarter Series
Lunch-Time Learning for Your Fast-Paced Schedule
Everyone wants to improve at what they do and who they are, but finding the time to fulfill this commitment is a challenge. The Working Smarter / Living Smarter Series helps you towards both of these goals with bite-size learning geared towards adult learning styles and fast-paced schedules. Grab your lunch, invest 30 minutes and reap the rewards of learning something new to be a “better” you.

For more info and to register, go to http://www.zetaconsultingfl.com/LivingandWorkingSmarterWebinar.en.html

February 6, 2017

Today Catalyst Miami joined dozens of local organizations in asking our County Commissioners to uphold Resolution 1008-13, which declines to honor non-mandatory federal immigration detainer requests for low-level offenses and unless federal government agrees to reimburse the County for the cost of honoring such requests. The Resolution, adopted by the Board of County Commissioners in 2013, saves taxpayer dollars, avoids unlawful detentions, protects families, and makes us all safer by building trust between immigrant communities and law enforcement. As an organization working towards a thriving Miami in which all members of our community have equal access to justice and protection and work together to achieve common goals, Catalyst Miami supports honoring Resolution 1008-13, as well as other policies that serve our common good.

A majority of Miami-Dade County residents are foreign born, and many among them are undocumented children and families, workers, business owners, students, activists, and people who contribute to the beautiful diversity of our community. This diversity is precisely what has earned Miami such a distinct image and alluring position among US cities. The Secure Communities Program, and similar arrangements between federal and county authorities, undermines the relationship between our immigrant community and our law enforcement agencies, which in turn decreases the public safety of our entire community. The Secure Communities Program, as demonstrated by a 2013 Fiscal Impact Analysis of Miami-Dade's Policy on Immigration Detainers, may cost our County's taxpayers an estimated $12.5 million a year, a cost that threatens to cripple services and programs that are vital to our community such as public libraries, after-school programs, first responder units, and more.

It is during times of hardship and adversity that true leadership must come together and heed the call to care for, defend, and protect the most vulnerable. This is such a time. Therefore, Catalyst Miami urges Mayor Gimenez, our Board of County Commissioners, and the rest of our elected leadership to join other cities and local governments throughout the country in unifying and doing whatever is necessary to protect all members of our communities. Catalyst Miami also reaffirms our commitment to continue to provide the kind of support and guidance that are urgently needed during this time of hardship and to strengthen our partnerships to have the most impact together.

January 26, 2017
By Brandon Johnson, Public Ally currently serving his 10-month AmeriCorps apprenticeship with Catalyst Miami

Kaleem was born and raised in Washington, D.C. He experienced racial and financial adversity early on that he channeled into his purpose in life. He naturally developed a sense of being a difference maker as he challenged narratives that were degrading. Prior to Public Allies, Kaleem had an extensive volunteer history with underprivileged youth centers that encouraged being a mentor and setting positive standards for minority youth. Kaleem knows how effective such tentative efforts can be firsthand because he grew up in a similar environment and was able to overcome those deficits.

Kaleem insists that providing similar opportunities to upcoming youth is a civil duty and he swears by an individual's ability to facilitate change. This has rolled over into his current role at Miami Children's Initiative where he works on the Career and College Mentoring and Development Program. Kaleem is tasked with professional development, connecting low-income Liberty-City residents with better life opportunities such as higher education and higher pay so that they can be sustainable in their lives. Kaleem hopes to continue the same body of work and break barriers for minority communities. He sees Public Allies as an avenue for learning catalyzing techniques for him to channel into uplifting deprived communities.