Alexis Arellanes
Alexis Arellanes is a graduate of the University of San Francisco and a former Evolve campaign intern.
Why is education important to you?
Education is not only central to a progressive society but is a basic human right promised by the American dream. A strong educational background is imperative to an individual's pursuit of higher education and employment. I was fortunate enough to be raised by a single mother who instilled the importance of having access to a strong educational background. Due to the underfunded and heavily impacted public schools in my neighborhood, my mother chose to send me to private schools until the 10th grade. Due to change of financial status my junior year, I had to relocate to a public high school. During the stressful process of uprooting and relocating to a new city/county, I realized that there was a substantial difference between private and public education and that resource allocation in public institutions throughout California is not properly dispersed. Access to equal resources and education are imperative to the functionality and progression of society and should not be at the backburner of local or federal politics.
How has California's lack of education funding negatively impacted you?
Throughout my college career, I have centered my work experience around education policy and served as a literacy tutor for underserved districts in San Francisco as well as a lobbyist selected on behalf of my university to seek Cal-grant refunding for newly admitted low-income students. If the state continues to eliminate educational programs and access to monetary resources, our state will continue to impede on future generations' success. Access to a quality education should not be a luxury but a basic right.
How has the increasing cost of college impacted you?
The financial burden during the college application process as well as the selection of which university to attend was solely dependent on the amount of financial aid/ scholarship I received. With graduation approaching, the daunting task of paying off my accumulated student debt once acquiring a fulltime position is disheartening. Rather than saving money earned and investing it towards my future, I will have to retroactively pay off my student loans.