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Kiera L.
Multiculturalism is everywhere
Kimberly V.
Young Baltimore activist
Up and Coming
This summer I had the pleasure of getting know Kimberly Vasquez. She is a Latina living in Baltimore and is now in her second semester as a college freshman. I describe Kimberly as a powerhouse, leading movements and being a strong advocate for equality, more specifically, she is one of the leading faces of the digital divide.
Full Interview
What started your passion for social justice and to attack the digital divide?Believe it or not, growing up I’ve been very shy. I remember in elementary school and the beginning of middle school being too embarrassed to ask a question, I would have rather failed an assignment then raise my hand or even worse, my voice.I realized the person who was being affected by my silence was me. Why would I make myself the barrier between me and my success? I started to ask questions, and to my disbelief my classmates appreciated me bringing up concerns they also had but were too afraid to ask. It was around the middle of 6th grade that I really started asking for clarifications for everything and when it came to individual work time, I would have no problem going up to the teacher’s desk and asking for help. It came to a point where the teacher would ask “Does anyone have any questions,” and the whole class would look at me to see if I had any. This was an important starting point because I was realizing that I not only had a voice, but I was able to use my voice to communicate my concerns and the concerns of my peers. Coming from a neighborhood school where I studied Pre-K through 8th, going to high school was a new experience. It was a much bigger school with students from all over Baltimore.As a native Spanish-speaker, I was placed in a higher level of Spanish with Ms. Franca Muller Paz. She was an advisor for a student-led advocacy group called Students Organizing a Multicultural Open Society (SOMOS), and had invited me to an after-school meeting. As I was trying to find my circle, I was intrigued and decided to finally go.I entered the room and I was both fascinated and intimidated. I saw women of color unapologetically voicing their opinions. It was what I aspired to be. So I stuck with hoping to become one of them one day. It felt safe to voice my opinions to peers who faced similar struggles as me and SOMOS was that space. When they graduated, I was scared, I didn’t believe I had the power or could have the power they showed at every meeting.Nonetheless, I stepped up and tried to help whatever way I could. I stayed at school late till 5, 6, 7PM working on projects, in meetings, drafting letters, etc. What kept me going was my brain telling me that if they [graduated SOMOS members] were able to manage all the work then why couldn’t I? SOMOS was a platform and I’m so lucky to have been able to utilizate it in order to get youth at the table. In regards to the digital divide, I really had no choice but to step up and try to make a change. I wasn’t seeing students giving their own personal stories in the media even when all the students I would talk to were having problems with online learning.As a subscriber to Comcast’s Internet Essentials program, a $9.95 plan for low-income families, it’s been a constant battle for me and my younger sisters to be online simultaneously. I remember when the internet was down and me and my sisters were just eating lunch at the dinner table quietly. I was enraged that 40.7% of Baltimore households without broadband and in a city like Baltimore that meant 1 out of every 2 Black and Latinx students not being able to access their online education. Even in a family like mine where we had the internet, I was still being shut off from learning. Students across the country are being systematically denied to exercise their own constitutional right to an education.Comcast has a monopoly in Baltimore. Therefore after my colleague, Yashira Valenzuela and I won 3 million dollars in City funding for computers and hotspots (in April 2020), SOMOS found it very appropriate to direct a letter of demands to Comcast about connecting families to high-speed internet.After a long 9 month fight (March 2021), we got Comcast to double their Internet Essentials speeds. I was hoping that this would make it easier for me and my sisters to get online, but if I’m being honest, if you wouldn’t have told me there was an increase, I would have never known. We are still having the same problems, but I’m not giving up on advocating for municipal broadband (aka public internet) in Baltimore.In conclusion, I never really thought about my work as working towards “social justice,” until recently, because I was just doing what felt right. All the work I do is because I feel like it’s what should be done or should have been done. All I know is that now I can hardly keep my mouth shut if I see something wrong or have a problem with someone/ something. I know for sure I have a voice.
What have you already organized and what plans do you have for future advocacy?Before I got into SOMOS, they had been addressing the inequity in the high school application process for English Language Learners (ELLs) or also known as ESOL students. This was a big project I have been working on since my freshman year of high school.In Baltimore, students are given the opportunity to choose where they go to school, except for the highly selective schools where you need a minimum composite score to enter and be chosen. A composite score is a score compiled of your 7th grade plus first quarter of your 8th grade year grades, and your test scores of the current standardized test provided by your state (this year it is MCAPS).ELLs who enter into the school system in middle school are pipelined to schools with lower graduation rates and higher dropout rates. For someone who barely knows the language, and is confused or doesn’t even know about the high school application process they are given little time to learn English and do well in their classes, as well acknowledge the importance of their grades.The standardized tests are only provided in English, except for Math. Math has a Spanish version, but Math is really only numbers plus Spanish is not the only language that ELLs speak. Oftentimes, these students are opted out of testing due to the language barrier, and this is calculated as a 0 in their score. The valedictorian of a BCPSS middle school was not able to get into any highly selective school in Baltimore due to her low composite score. We successfully managed for her to be recalculated and she, along with her brother who had the second highest grades, are part of SOMOS at Baltimore City College!We have addressed this problem to Baltimore City Public Schools (BCPSS), and even presented 4 solutions to them. They have made an alternative application process, but I fear that they have given the ESOL professor the ability to choose who is going to be able to apply to the alternative application. They claim every ELL student goes through this process, but it’s really confusing to understand a system when oftenly the language contradicts itself and isn’t concrete. We successfully got them to create a whole office to specifically focus on this issue, it’s called the Multilingual Enrollment and Support Center (MESC). We are still trying to get a permanent solution in the city as our ELL student population annually rises.Another project I’ve taken a part of with SOMOS has been demanding for a safe, public-health oriented reopening of schools. Historically, BCPSS has been underfunded for years, there have been many instances where school has been cancelled or have had early dismissals due to extreme weather conditions. There is no A/C and the heater is usually always broken. As well, it’s a struggle to find soap and even toilet paper in the bathrooms, students report that they walk to other bathrooms to find these necessities. Even with these conditions, BCPSS was trying to reopen schools with some teachers not being vaccinated at all. For instance, there was a teacher at City who had not been vaccinated and was above 60 years old that was being forced to go back. That is inhumane. Teachers were being ignored. Therefore, students found the need to step up in order to protect themselves, their families and their teachers. Joshua Lynn, A’niya Taylor, SOMOS, and I directed 5 demands to City Schools. You can find them on SOMOS’ socials, and you can check out the student-led press conference we had on February 24, 2021.Overall, students were enraged that they were not at the table for a decision that impacted them directly. Talking to parents is not the same as talking to students. We successfully got BCPSS to delay the reopening dates in order to get each educator entering the building at least the first dose of the vaccine. As well, with the pressure of other organizations we managed to get the Maryland State of Board of Education to delay standardized testing until the fall.In terms of future advocacy, along with a coalition of advocates, we are encouraging Baltimore officials to invest $1 Million from the American Rescue Plan towards creating a sustainable youth jobs program for Digital Navigators. This program would connect youth to technology and further develop their digital literacy skills. Just as my peers already help their families, they would guide residents of all ages on how to effectively adopt technology and internet benefits. This would bring youth voice to the table, and provide a pathway for marginalized students to high quality jobs. I want to make sure that these Digital Navigators are starting to get paid at minimum $15 per hour, as many youth are contributors to their family’s income and/or saving money up for college.I really believe this program will help the adoption process of digital equity increase. You can have a computer, you can have the internet, you can be eligible for programs but if people aren’t using it, or know how to, or even know it exists, it essentially becomes useless. That is why it is important that we build these skills into our community, and what better way than to train youth to teach their families and others in their communities how to access and navigate the internet.
What does it mean for you to be a face familiar in Baltimore and now to the VP of the United States?Being a familiar face just makes me want to cry honestly. I was born and raised in Baltimore. Baltimore will always be home to me and I love that.The national news sheds so much negative light on Baltimore. One of my goals has been to shed as much positive light on Baltimore and show how impressive Baltimore is. It’s a shame that folks outside of Baltimore are afraid of it, when it’s filled with amazing small vendors, artists and youth with big dreams to improve this beautiful city. This city is full of diverse races, backgrounds and cultures. I see this through the various murals standing in our communities, creating a visible connection of students, parents, teachers, seniors and overall community members.I want to be a part of the group that creates a better Baltimore. A big reason why I chose to attend Goucher College was because it is in Baltimore. I feel like my work here is not done and I don’t know exactly how it would look like but am excited to figure that out. As well, I wanted to be in touch with peers who will be future teachers, doctors, politicians etc in my community in order to be familiar with the folks who will influence decisions that impact future Baltimore.In regards to meeting the VP of the United States, it was a big deal for me to not only represent SOMOS, but Baltimore as a whole. As I said, I’ve always wanted to shed positive light on Baltimore and it blows my mind that I’m actively doing so. I’m honored to have been able to bring Baltimore to the conversation with the VP, and recognize that without the support of my comrades (SOMOS, Baltimoreans, and other advocates) I wouldn’t have been up there.I am also glad that SOMOS was being recognized nationally for the hard work we have done around the digital divide. If anything, the VP and her office were doing their job in hearing stories from various backgrounds and giving them their platform to voice their experiences. Centering community voice in policy is what is going to lead to effective solutions in digital connectivity and literacy. It’s less about meeting her, and more about engaging others (along with the VP) to actively work in connecting communities to the devices, high speed internet and the skills they need to access both.Similar to programs like the AmeriCorps and PeaceCorps, I proposed the VP adopt DigiCorps, a national youth jobs program that solves issues of digital illiteracy and access across all our communities. I really hope she considers this and I hope Baltimore can become a city that provides a pilot to apply nationwide.If I’m being honest, meeting the VP was never a goal of mine, but I am glad I met the first woman president, who also happens to be a POC. One goal of mine is to meet AOC, I’ve always looked up to her and her work. I sometimes wonder if SOMOS’ work got the attention of the VP’s Office then maybe AOC has read about our work. Just thinking about her reading about our work makes my heart melt and eyes water.
You’re so young and already a powerhouse, what are your goals in the future career wise?It’s crazy how much I’ve been able to accomplish before turning 18. I sometimes think to myself what it would be like if someone else I knew in high school were in my shoes. I honestly would be extremely intimidated by them, and I hope that people don’t hesitate to reach out to me for anything just because of my ongoing work.The work I’ve been doing, especially within the last year, has sparked something in me. Before I wanted to be a forensic scientist, which I could still be, but I want my daily work to be somewhat of the work I’m doing now. This work has also invoked something in my colleague and best friend since 3rd grade, Yashira Valenzuela, who is going to University of Baltimore on a full ride to study Public Policy. Like I’ve said before, I don’t feel like my work is done here and I plan to be in Baltimore for the next upcoming years of my life.Another reason why I chose Goucher was because I knew powerhouses that had graduated from there. One of them being Franca Muller Paz, someone I truly admire. She has given students, specifically immigrants and children of immigrants, the space they’ve needed and guided them to bring about solutions to issues they noticed in the school system. Last year, she was a full time Spanish teacher, while also being fully active in SOMOS’ Digital Divide campaign and was running for Baltimore City Council for District 12 as a Green Party candidate. Through all of this, she still found time to help me with my college application process. I still don’t know how she managed all of that, but her strength and dedication is what I strive to have beyond college.Baltimore Council member Zeke Cohen went to Goucher and I’ve worked closely with him as he has been an ally to SOMOS for many years now. As well, the first Latina to be part of the Baltimore City Council, Councilwoman Odette Ramos, went to Goucher and I’ve worked with her since Baltimore City College is in her district and the Communications Coordinator & Hispanic Liaison of her team, Yaslin Machuca, was the co-founder of SOMOS. All of this motivated me to be a part of the Goucher community, and I can’t wait to see what I am able to achieve both campus-wide and citywide while being there.A legislator who can afford high speed internet would never know the experience of someone, like me, that struggles to even get to the waiting room of their class. Majoring in political science would allow me to tie my knowledge of policy/ government and previous activist efforts with the experiences of the people living through real-life issues in society. The real experts are those reminded daily that they live in a disenfranchised society.Whatever I end up doing, I know I am grateful for the platform I was given to display my story and the stories of my peers and hope this inspires others to raise their voices in holding entities (corporations, politicians, etc) accountable.I’ll close by saying that if anything, I hope that I am able to inspire others like the women of color I met 4 years ago. ¡Muchas gracias!
What have you already organized and what plans do you have for future advocacy?Before I got into SOMOS, they had been addressing the inequity in the high school application process for English Language Learners (ELLs) or also known as ESOL students. This was a big project I have been working on since my freshman year of high school.In Baltimore, students are given the opportunity to choose where they go to school, except for the highly selective schools where you need a minimum composite score to enter and be chosen. A composite score is a score compiled of your 7th grade plus first quarter of your 8th grade year grades, and your test scores of the current standardized test provided by your state (this year it is MCAPS).ELLs who enter into the school system in middle school are pipelined to schools with lower graduation rates and higher dropout rates. For someone who barely knows the language, and is confused or doesn’t even know about the high school application process they are given little time to learn English and do well in their classes, as well acknowledge the importance of their grades.The standardized tests are only provided in English, except for Math. Math has a Spanish version, but Math is really only numbers plus Spanish is not the only language that ELLs speak. Oftentimes, these students are opted out of testing due to the language barrier, and this is calculated as a 0 in their score. The valedictorian of a BCPSS middle school was not able to get into any highly selective school in Baltimore due to her low composite score. We successfully managed for her to be recalculated and she, along with her brother who had the second highest grades, are part of SOMOS at Baltimore City College!We have addressed this problem to Baltimore City Public Schools (BCPSS), and even presented 4 solutions to them. They have made an alternative application process, but I fear that they have given the ESOL professor the ability to choose who is going to be able to apply to the alternative application. They claim every ELL student goes through this process, but it’s really confusing to understand a system when oftenly the language contradicts itself and isn’t concrete. We successfully got them to create a whole office to specifically focus on this issue, it’s called the Multilingual Enrollment and Support Center (MESC). We are still trying to get a permanent solution in the city as our ELL student population annually rises.Another project I’ve taken a part of with SOMOS has been demanding for a safe, public-health oriented reopening of schools. Historically, BCPSS has been underfunded for years, there have been many instances where school has been cancelled or have had early dismissals due to extreme weather conditions. There is no A/C and the heater is usually always broken. As well, it’s a struggle to find soap and even toilet paper in the bathrooms, students report that they walk to other bathrooms to find these necessities. Even with these conditions, BCPSS was trying to reopen schools with some teachers not being vaccinated at all. For instance, there was a teacher at City who had not been vaccinated and was above 60 years old that was being forced to go back. That is inhumane. Teachers were being ignored. Therefore, students found the need to step up in order to protect themselves, their families and their teachers. Joshua Lynn, A’niya Taylor, SOMOS, and I directed 5 demands to City Schools. You can find them on SOMOS’ socials, and you can check out the student-led press conference we had on February 24, 2021.Overall, students were enraged that they were not at the table for a decision that impacted them directly. Talking to parents is not the same as talking to students. We successfully got BCPSS to delay the reopening dates in order to get each educator entering the building at least the first dose of the vaccine. As well, with the pressure of other organizations we managed to get the Maryland State of Board of Education to delay standardized testing until the fall.In terms of future advocacy, along with a coalition of advocates, we are encouraging Baltimore officials to invest $1 Million from the American Rescue Plan towards creating a sustainable youth jobs program for Digital Navigators. This program would connect youth to technology and further develop their digital literacy skills. Just as my peers already help their families, they would guide residents of all ages on how to effectively adopt technology and internet benefits. This would bring youth voice to the table, and provide a pathway for marginalized students to high quality jobs. I want to make sure that these Digital Navigators are starting to get paid at minimum $15 per hour, as many youth are contributors to their family’s income and/or saving money up for college.I really believe this program will help the adoption process of digital equity increase. You can have a computer, you can have the internet, you can be eligible for programs but if people aren’t using it, or know how to, or even know it exists, it essentially becomes useless. That is why it is important that we build these skills into our community, and what better way than to train youth to teach their families and others in their communities how to access and navigate the internet.
What does it mean for you to be a face familiar in Baltimore and now to the VP of the United States?Being a familiar face just makes me want to cry honestly. I was born and raised in Baltimore. Baltimore will always be home to me and I love that.The national news sheds so much negative light on Baltimore. One of my goals has been to shed as much positive light on Baltimore and show how impressive Baltimore is. It’s a shame that folks outside of Baltimore are afraid of it, when it’s filled with amazing small vendors, artists and youth with big dreams to improve this beautiful city. This city is full of diverse races, backgrounds and cultures. I see this through the various murals standing in our communities, creating a visible connection of students, parents, teachers, seniors and overall community members.I want to be a part of the group that creates a better Baltimore. A big reason why I chose to attend Goucher College was because it is in Baltimore. I feel like my work here is not done and I don’t know exactly how it would look like but am excited to figure that out. As well, I wanted to be in touch with peers who will be future teachers, doctors, politicians etc in my community in order to be familiar with the folks who will influence decisions that impact future Baltimore.In regards to meeting the VP of the United States, it was a big deal for me to not only represent SOMOS, but Baltimore as a whole. As I said, I’ve always wanted to shed positive light on Baltimore and it blows my mind that I’m actively doing so. I’m honored to have been able to bring Baltimore to the conversation with the VP, and recognize that without the support of my comrades (SOMOS, Baltimoreans, and other advocates) I wouldn’t have been up there.I am also glad that SOMOS was being recognized nationally for the hard work we have done around the digital divide. If anything, the VP and her office were doing their job in hearing stories from various backgrounds and giving them their platform to voice their experiences. Centering community voice in policy is what is going to lead to effective solutions in digital connectivity and literacy. It’s less about meeting her, and more about engaging others (along with the VP) to actively work in connecting communities to the devices, high speed internet and the skills they need to access both.Similar to programs like the AmeriCorps and PeaceCorps, I proposed the VP adopt DigiCorps, a national youth jobs program that solves issues of digital illiteracy and access across all our communities. I really hope she considers this and I hope Baltimore can become a city that provides a pilot to apply nationwide.If I’m being honest, meeting the VP was never a goal of mine, but I am glad I met the first woman president, who also happens to be a POC. One goal of mine is to meet AOC, I’ve always looked up to her and her work. I sometimes wonder if SOMOS’ work got the attention of the VP’s Office then maybe AOC has read about our work. Just thinking about her reading about our work makes my heart melt and eyes water.
You’re so young and already a powerhouse, what are your goals in the future career wise?It’s crazy how much I’ve been able to accomplish before turning 18. I sometimes think to myself what it would be like if someone else I knew in high school were in my shoes. I honestly would be extremely intimidated by them, and I hope that people don’t hesitate to reach out to me for anything just because of my ongoing work.The work I’ve been doing, especially within the last year, has sparked something in me. Before I wanted to be a forensic scientist, which I could still be, but I want my daily work to be somewhat of the work I’m doing now. This work has also invoked something in my colleague and best friend since 3rd grade, Yashira Valenzuela, who is going to University of Baltimore on a full ride to study Public Policy. Like I’ve said before, I don’t feel like my work is done here and I plan to be in Baltimore for the next upcoming years of my life.Another reason why I chose Goucher was because I knew powerhouses that had graduated from there. One of them being Franca Muller Paz, someone I truly admire. She has given students, specifically immigrants and children of immigrants, the space they’ve needed and guided them to bring about solutions to issues they noticed in the school system. Last year, she was a full time Spanish teacher, while also being fully active in SOMOS’ Digital Divide campaign and was running for Baltimore City Council for District 12 as a Green Party candidate. Through all of this, she still found time to help me with my college application process. I still don’t know how she managed all of that, but her strength and dedication is what I strive to have beyond college.Baltimore Council member Zeke Cohen went to Goucher and I’ve worked closely with him as he has been an ally to SOMOS for many years now. As well, the first Latina to be part of the Baltimore City Council, Councilwoman Odette Ramos, went to Goucher and I’ve worked with her since Baltimore City College is in her district and the Communications Coordinator & Hispanic Liaison of her team, Yaslin Machuca, was the co-founder of SOMOS. All of this motivated me to be a part of the Goucher community, and I can’t wait to see what I am able to achieve both campus-wide and citywide while being there.A legislator who can afford high speed internet would never know the experience of someone, like me, that struggles to even get to the waiting room of their class. Majoring in political science would allow me to tie my knowledge of policy/ government and previous activist efforts with the experiences of the people living through real-life issues in society. The real experts are those reminded daily that they live in a disenfranchised society.Whatever I end up doing, I know I am grateful for the platform I was given to display my story and the stories of my peers and hope this inspires others to raise their voices in holding entities (corporations, politicians, etc) accountable.I’ll close by saying that if anything, I hope that I am able to inspire others like the women of color I met 4 years ago. ¡Muchas gracias!
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