At the core of Minds Matter Bay Area are the stories of those whose life trajectories are forever changed by our community of mentors and volunteers.
Angeline, Benton, and Jielu
MMBay student alumna Angeline Ramirez-Dzul is a Class of 2022 graduate and a Sophomore at U.C. Berkeley. Reflecting on her journey with MMBay, Angeline shares how our organization and her mentors made a significant impact on her life:
“My mentors worked hard to help me come out of my shell, and to help me find my voice. They encouraged me to be vulnerable by sharing their own stories, by being vulnerable with me themselves, and opening up to me with their own hopes and fears. The more comfortable I felt to speak up with my mentors, the more I was able to tap into other opportunities and become comfortable speaking up with other people as well. My relationship with Clara and Ana helped me come out of my shell to develop strong relationships with other adults and mentors as well.
Our fears can control us to the point where we don’t want to do anything because if we take any form of action, we think that it will end in failure. What we should do is learn what our strengths are and use them to our advantage. That is what Minds Matter is about. Minds Matter wants low-income students to recognize their strengths in order for them to know that they can overcome challenges and how they can implement those strengths in what they want to do in the future.”
MMBay student alumnus Benton Liang is a Class of 2016 graduate of MMBay, a 2020 graduate of Harvard University, and currently a Software Engineer at Splunk. Benton is also now both a volunteer mentor and instructor at MMBay. Reflecting on his experience, Benton shares how our organization inspired his growth and choices:
“Like other MMBay students, I come from a background where no one in my circle of family and friends could give me academic and career advice. My parents don’t speak English, and they definitely don’t know anything about the college process or how to look for internships. To my high school self, my MMBay mentors had “made it” - they finished college, are going through their career, and were there to help me. They became a personalized bulletin board of opportunities, and tailored these opportunities to what they understood about my strengths. My MMBay mentors were the first people in my life to provide this for me.
All of my life, I have been on the receiving end of others’ support. There is a shared value in giving and receiving. I am now back at MMBay - this time, as a Mentor. Being with MMBay keeps me grounded and honest about the state of students in my community. Further, this is how I can continue to give and receive through serving students who are just like me. There are only so many lives I can live, but through other people I give to and invest in, their lives and their dreams become and extension of my fulfillment.”
Jielu Yu is a Class of 2019 graduate of MMBay, a 2023 graduate of the University of Chicago, and currently a Social Impact Program Coordinator at Uber. Jielu returned to MMBay as a mentor in 2023, and over the past year has supported mentees Meiying, Sandie, and Yuridia on their own paths to college success.
Reflecting on her experience, Jielu shares how our organization inspired her growth and choices:
“I cannot overstate how important it was for me to have the support of my mentors, Beryl and Jason, as well as to know that the full community of volunteers at MMBay care so genuinely about who we are - not only as students but also as people. At MMBay, I was embraced for being both quirky and pragmatic, which nurtured not only my academic ambitions but also my creative side. Here, I didn't have to choose between different identities. I could just be myself.
It's hard to explain how much this matters as an immigrant, when English is not your first language, and you spend the better part of your youth trying to fit in. There are a lot of talented immigrant children in this country, and often the barrier to finding success is in feeling like you have a right to chart your own path, is in having the permission to try things, take risks, and fail sometimes - and become better for it. We need cheerleaders, and we need guides. To me, that's what my mentors Beryl and Jason were. And it's why we've stayed in touch through my college years and to this very day.”
On October 8, we will get to hear even more from Jielu about her post-MMBay and post-UChicago journey, and all that she has learned in this past year as a volunteer Mentor at MMBay.
Erin, Greta, and Rohini
MMBay volunteer leader Erin Nielsen is a Content Designer at Atlassian, and joined MMBay in 2019 as a volunteer Mentor. Since then: Erin has mentored a student through her high school journey, keeps in touch with her while she is at college, and herself has taken on roles at MMBay as a Junior Class Mentoring Lead and most recently as Co-Chief Community Officer (an executive volunteer role in our org). Reflecting on her experience, Erin shares how our organization inspired her growth and choice to lead:
“I think my experience is similar to that of many volunteers who come to MMBay: while we enjoy and feel intellectually stimulated by our jobs, we often also feel that there is a disconnect between our work and what it means to actually be a part of the communities we live so close to. MMBay is that opportunity for me to truly be with specific communities in the Bay Area, and to spend time with students and other volunteers who I might otherwise not get to build meaningful relationships with.
I joined the executive Steering team as Co-Chief Community Officer because when I was mentor and class lead, I was so inspired by the passion and dedication of the leaders in this org, and particularly by those who were leading in a volunteer capacity. It is so motivating to know that most people are giving their time freely to our shared cause, at the highest levels of leadership and commitment. I wanted to be someone who could inspire others in the way that others have inspired me.”
MMBay volunteer leader Greta Xiong is a Sales Engineer at Fivetran, and joined MMBay in 2021 as a volunteer Pod Leader. Since then: Greta has followed a class of students through two years of their high school journey, and took on roles at MMBay as a Junior Class Mentoring Lead and most recently as Co-Chief Program Officer (an executive volunteer role in our org). Reflecting on her experience, Greta shares how our organization inspired her growth and choice to lead:
“I’ve benefited so much from the mentors in my life, that the concept of MMBay's model - and deep commitment to every student - spoke to me right away. That’s why I started as a volunteer Pod Leader a few years ago, to lead a class of mentors and students, and be a part of guiding their mutual growth and growing friendships. What I find fascinating about MMBay, is the way this community shapes and refines your definition of service. Today, I probably have a more precise view of what good mentorship looks like, and of what meaningful service requires.
I joined the executive Steering team as Co-Chief Program Officer because in my own journey as a volunteer, I’ve come to appreciate the volunteer leaders who came before me and modeled good habits of thinking and doing. I hope, in my own small way, that I can do the same for the next generation of volunteers and volunteer leaders at MMBay.”
MMBay volunteer leader Rohini Venkatesan is a Consumer Insights Manager at SmartNews, and joined MMBay in 2018 as a volunteer Mentor. Since then: Rohini has mentored a student through her high school journey, keeps in touch with her while she is at college, and herself has taken on roles at MMBay as a Mentee Recruiter, Junior and Senior Mentoring Class Leads and most recently as Co-Chief Program Officer (an executive volunteer role in our org). Reflecting on her experience, Rohini shares how our organization inspired her growth and choice to lead:
“Like so many volunteers at MMBay, I found this org when I was very early in my career, and looking to expand my own community. Coming from an immigrant family, I’ve always felt an affinity with other immigrant families who work so hard to build a life such that their children and grandchildren can thrive in this country. And so, when I think about expanding my community, I’m more interested in building relationships that can bring value to someone else’s journey. MMBay is a place where I can really make a difference, and from that foundation, I've built some of the most meaningful friendships in my life.
I joined the executive Steering team as Co-Chief Program Officer because it's where this org needed me to be at this time, and to me that’s what service means: being where you're needed, at the time that you’re needed. I hope that by being in this role, I can be a part of sustaining and growing MMBay’s valuable services to students in San Francisco, because what we offer as a program and community is so necessary for the kids in this city.”
Long and Niharika
Long Tran has been a volunteer and volunteer leader at MMBay since 2016. In nearly a decade of service, Long has been: a Mentor for mentee Ariana Martinez (who graduated from Bryn Mawr College in 2023), a founding member of our Associate Board since 2019, and a trusted leader and “elder statesman” of our Associate Board’s Recruitment & Selection Committee for the past three years.
Long has a sterling reputation as being one of the “sturdiest monuments” at MMBay, whose kindness and leadership has carried our community through many disruptive moments where we needed his steady hand. Through it all, Long has remained unwavering in his commitment to our students - no matter where he sits in MMBay's org structure, he is focused on bringing the best people into this org that will create the most dedicated support system for our students. We can’t wait to celebrate Long’s tremendous contributions and achievements on October 8!
Niharika Ray has been at MMBay since 2016. In nearly a decade of service, Niharika has been: a Math Instructor for multiple classes of high school Junior students, a Math Instruction Lead who led multiple classes of volunteer Instructors, a Community Engagement Lead and later Co-Chief Community Officer who oversaw student and volunteer recruitment and engagement throughout the pandemic, and most recently as Chief Operating Officer and second-ever full-time staff member of MMBay.
Niharika’s energy, organization, and (above all) deep care for every student is palpable. Long before she became a member of staff, she had already made MMBay - and our community of students and volunteers - a central priority of her life. In our org, Niharika is known widely as someone who exemplifies the “we show up” and “we do the hard work” core values - her tireless commitment year over year is deep source of inspiration for all who come through MMBay's doors. We can’t wait to celebrate Niharika’s tremendous contributions and achievements on October 8!