“DA Voices” is a recurring feature used to spotlight De Anza College’s diverse community voices. We ask the same question to different people and arrange their quotes so that readers can see varying points of view.
The Vasconcellos Institute for Democracy in Action hosted a fair to inform students about volunteering and internship opportunities in the De Anza College main quad on April 15 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Nine organizations tabled at the fair including Positive Alternative Recreation Teambuilding Impact Program, the Vasconcellos Institute for Democracy in Action and West Valley Community Services.
This time, La Voz reporter Teymur Khanlarov asked, “What are you here for, or what does your program do?”
Stuart Feng, Volunteer Coordinator at West Valley Community Services, said the organization needs many volunteers for both their Cupertino location and their local Park-It-Market distribution.
“Our mission is to unite the community to fight hunger and homelessness,” Feng said.
Zainab Mohseni, 19, economics major and Faculty Association Political Action Committee intern, said faculty and students work together on election work, community organization and advocacy.
“It makes you feel like an active member of the community, which is really important,” Mohseni said.
Robert Stockwell, political science instructor and department chair, said the fair was “an ideal function” for his students, who he sent to the fair to interact with organizers.
“I believe it is a great way to learn about politics, by doing politics,” Stockwell said.
Stockwell is also the Executive Secretary and Chair of the Faculty Association Political Action Committee and co-creator of its internship program, running since 2012. He will retire from De Anza at the end of the spring quarter.
Harry Neil, transit advocate with the Transbay Coalition, collected signatures to fund public transportation.
“Whether you do or do not use public transportation, it is unbelievably important in our region and in our community,” Neil said. “A million people every day take (public transportation) in the Bay Area and we can’t lose it.”
Bay Area transit agencies promised sweeping service cuts if a sales tax funding measure fails in November.
Kaylee Jampayai, 19, history major, said her friend volunteering at a hospital led to her having an internship there.
“Volunteering helps people learn about their community more and feel a sense of connection,” Jampayai said.
Eric Alcaraz, 24, data analytics major, said having the fair “directly in the middle” of the main quad increases interactions between organizations and students.
