GREETINGS FROM OUR AMAZING SUMMER ASSOCIATES

With summer officially in full swing, we want to take a moment to allow our three new summer associates to introduce themselves. Well, Shirbrina you may recognize, but a warm welcome to Julian and Mariana! Find their introductions below.

Julian Perez-Hernandez

“Greetings, my name is Julian Perez-Hernandez. I am from Miami and am a rising senior at the University of Florida, studying Political Science, Business Administration, and French. Last summer I was given the opportunity to work alongside lawyers at Legal Services of Greater Miami, who granted free legal aid to low-income community members who faced evictions and other tenant-related issues. The work I was able to do and the positive impact I was able to make in people’s lives made me realize that helping my community is something I would love to dedicate my career to. Having the opportunity to work alongside Florida Impact to End Hunger in Broward is a great privilege, and I look forward to working with the rest of the team to take the necessary steps to end childhood hunger in our community.”

Shirbrina Jefferson

“Hi, I am Shirbrina Jefferson. I currently live in Miami, Florida and I am a first time VISTA Summer Associate. I have an educational background in environmental policy and public health from Rutgers University. I also have experience with the Summer BreakSpot program under Florida Impact to End Hunger from June 2019 to August 2019. I hope to learn more about the administrative processes of starting and maintaining local initiatives during my Summer VISTA experience. This includes community outreach, social media, counting and gathering inventory, and many other important responsibilities. I am excited to have another opportunity to serve my community, especially after the events of COVID-19.”

“Hi! My name is Mariana Viso and I am a VISTA Summer Associate for 2020. I live in Miami but I grew up in Venezuela. I am currently in my third year at the University of Florida studying biomedical engineering. I am very excited about being a Summer Associate and give back to the community. This pandemic has affected all of us, but especially kids that depend on school breakfast and lunch for their meals. Thus, I want to help out in every way I can and make sure kids have the meals they need over the summer.”