Leslie Arroyo - Story of Self
My introduction to diversity, inclusion, and belonging work began in high school when I decided to create the first ever chapter of the United Nations Foundation’s campaign, Girl Up in the High Desert region. My chapter became one of the largest clubs at my high school. Our club would discuss complex social issues and find ways to create positive impact especially in relation to marginalized groups. Whether it was teaching young girls how to code with our math teacher, lobbying for refugees on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C., or fundraising to give back to local nonprofits, we made it our mission to use our voice and fight for a more equal future.
Through Girl Up, I acquired leadership, communication, and community outreach skills that I was excited to bring to the Harvard Foundation when I applied to be an intern back in November 2019.
I applied to become a Harvard Foundation intern because after receiving my acceptance to Harvard, I was a bit skeptical about how welcoming this predominantly white institution would be towards a small-town Latina. However, during Visitas I felt very welcomed by various cultural organizations on campus, such as Latinas Unidas and RAZA. Furthermore, during pre-orientation, FYRE reaffirmed my sense of belonging on campus.
Yet, once on campus, I realized that there is more diversity, inclusion, and belonging work to undertake that could effectively target all historically marginalized students on campus and even beyond. Therefore, I was beyond excited to become a part of the Foundation back when I was a first-year student. Through the Foundation, I would have the opportunity to leverage resources and support for historically marginalized students on campus.
Today, I am a third-year Foundation intern and I admit that my experience has been both enjoyable and difficult. Administrative decisions have made me feel frustrated because they seem to prove that student voices are not being heard. But I remain dedicated and hopeful to the mission and potential impact of the Foundation on campus and beyond.
This year, I had the opportunity to co-direct the 36th annual Cultural Rhythms festival. It was a complete honor to do this alongside an amazing, passionate co-director, Mariana Haro. The show itself was a beautiful display of Harvard’s cultural and ethnic diversity. It was also beyond exciting to honor our Artist of the Year, Lady Gaga!
Now, I am excited to witness the Foundation’s path forward.
