Sophie has lived in the Philadelphia area all her life. Sophie recently graduated with a bachelor’s from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She received a degree in Public Health with a concentration in mental and behavioral health. During her time as an undergraduate, Sophie grew a new passion for public health issues and community engagement. She is excited to start her VISTA year and apply newly learned skills to the project.

About the VISTA position: With a strong foundation of more than 100 Promise Zone partner agencies implementing a collective impact strategy, Promise Zone VISTAs will focus on the work that supports resident capacity building and resources needed to make our work sustainable for community-based organizations, civic groups, and resident groups. Project goals include:

• Comprehensive data, reporting, and policy analysis.
• Greater community capacity building and volunteer engagement.
• Targeted youth engagement.
• Continued communications and resident engagement.
• Funding sustainability.

Cristina graduated from Yale University with a B.A. in Political Science where she studied the intersection of technology, political economy, and law. Cristina’s experiences as an immigrant from Chile have driven her passion for empowering marginalized communities. As an undergraduate, she conducted research for a startup developing communication tools for the incarcerated and helped an international nonprofit launch programs to educate female entrepreneurs in Latin America. She also provided legal advocacy support to the families of those with mental illness as a volunteer. Following graduation, she continued to explore her interests in democratizing access to digital technologies, leading research to inform equitable broadband development strategies. She is excited to bring social and economic opportunity to her community in Philadelphia.

About the VISTA position: Building on the work of the first year of this project, the VISTA will work with our Financial Empowerment Center (FEC) staff to design appropriate interventions to eliminate disproportionate access to our financial counseling services. Our FECs help individuals reduce debt, increase savings, improve credit, and gain greater financial inclusion. They promote economic mobility for those living in poverty, and over half of the FEC clients have incomes below 125% of the poverty level.

Victoria learned about the West Philadelphia Promise Zone while in high school. Reading about kids who struggled to receive their education and career development, due to factors outside of their control, devastated her. She graduated from La Salle University with a bachelors in Integrated Science, Business, and Technology. Through her work study and internship experience, she became interested in the workforce development of underserved communities. Last spring she interned for Campus Philly, where she built reports and gathered contacts for stakeholders. She hopes to bring her skills to CEO to build and sustain equity for West Philadelphians.

About the VISTA position: The West Philadelphia Promise Zone will begin the ninth year of the ten-year federal designation. With a strong foundation of more than 100 Promise Zone partner agencies implementing a collective impact strategy, Promise Zone VISTAs will focus on the work that supports resident capacity-building and resources needed to make our work sustainable for community-based organizations, civic and resident groups. Project goals include:

• Comprehensive data, reporting, and policy analysis.
• Greater community capacity-building and volunteer engagement.
• Targeted youth engagement.
• Continued communications and resident engagement.
• Funding sustainability.

Mary is a recent graduate from Rutgers University Camden with a B.A. in Health Sciences. She is currently a Master in Public Health candidate at Thomas Jefferson University. Throughout her undergraduate career, she was in a research lab that focused on women’s health. She wanted to serve in AmeriCorps because she is very passionate in serving populations with disparities and strives to build a society on equity.

About the VISTA position: With a strong foundation of more than 100 Promise Zone partner agencies implementing a collective impact strategy, Promise Zone VISTAs will focus on the work that supports resident capacity building and resources needed to make our work sustainable for community-based organizations, civic and resident groups. Project goals include:

• Comprehensive data, reporting, and policy analysis.
• Greater community capacity building and volunteer engagement.
• Targeted youth engagement.
• Continued communications and resident engagement.
• Funding sustainability.

As a former student of Friends World College, Wadia spent several years abroad in East Africa, South East Asia, and Europe working on various community projects. From building solar showers to planting coffee beans and teaching art to refugee childen, she knows how important it is to listen, learn, and ask questions. “Never assume you know the answers to peoples needs. Listen, learn, and render assistance where and when it is required.”

About the VISTA position: The FPAC Communications and Outreach VISTA project will design, pilot, and evaluate a communications and outreach program. The VISTA member will develop a program with and for Food Policy Advisory Council (FPAC) members to listen, learn, and collaborate with residents who are most impacted by and wise about food inequities. Ultimately, the project builds a sustainable process for engaging and training those residents to lead and influence food policy in ways that make amends for historically racist and unjust policies.

Wynter is in the process of earning a B.S. in Biology from Thomas Jefferson University. Throughout her time on campus, she has been dedicated to social and educational endeavors. Serving as President of the Black Student Union and Biology Society has cemented her love for advocacy and community outreach. Wynter looks forward to using her skills and experiences to serve the Philadelphia community to the best of her ability.

About the VISTA position: Many of the families served by Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH), Division of Maternal, Child, and Family Health (MCFH) programs experience poverty. Poverty and racism perpetuate health inequity and put families at risk for negative health outcomes such as maternal and infant mortality. The VISTA will sustain a health equity workshop series and training, a health equity committee, and health equity metrics for MCFH. These activities will help MCFH build internal capacity to better serve children and families. Staff will learn about the relationship between health equity, structural racism, and maternal and child health outcomes, and make improvements on incorporating a health justice lens to all programmatic and internal work.

Wei has been living in the United States for over six years and graduated from Temple University in 2021 with a B.S. in Statistical Science and Data Analytics. Previously, Wei had been keen on community service and worked as a volunteer in several non-profit organizations and an intern in the government agency to help a lot of Asian Americans with language barriers deal with various difficulties in life. Wei also helped many low-income families apply for benefits to ease their living burden. Now, he want to work as a Promise Zone VISTA by applying his data analysis skills to help alleviate poverty in West Philadelphia and build a better community.

About the VISTA position: The West Philadelphia Promise Zone will begin the ninth year of the ten-year federal designation. With a strong foundation of more than 100 Promise Zone partner agencies implementing a collective impact strategy, Promise Zone VISTAs will focus on the work that supports resident capacity building and resources needed to make our work sustainable for community-based organizations, civic and resident groups. Project goals include:

• Comprehensive data, reporting, and policy analysis.
• Greater community capacity building and volunteer engagement.
• Targeted youth engagement.
• Continued communications and resident engagement.
• Funding sustainability.

Alanna was born and raised in North Philadelphia and is a current student at Bryn Mawr College, Class of 2023, studying History and Education. Alanna’s passion is in education and social justice in Philadelphia. She has spent the last three years in college in local Philadelphia high schools and working with non-profits addressing the needs and desires of low-income and BIPOC Philadelphians. Alanna is excited to continue her service in Philadelphia with the Mayors Office of Volunteer Services and Civic Engagement.

About the VISTA position: Service years are impactful experiences that prepare individuals to build successful careers in education, policy, health care, environmental stewardship and more. However, service years aren’t always accessible to low-income individuals and people of color, yet evidence shows that they would benefit most from these opportunities as a career and educational pathway. By year 3, this VISTA project will build a data-driven, sustainable model for an emergency fund and support services strategy that will address the immediate emergency and financial needs of AmeriCorps members throughout their term of service. The outcome of this project is to sustain a pathway for individuals experiencing poverty to reach their career goals through service.

Laura Muñoz graduated from Virginia Tech where she majored in Political Science with a focus on sociology. Social and racial justice was one of her main motivations throughout her life. During school she participated in creating a student-led club called Students for Racial Justice and worked for Habitat for Humanity Argentina. Throughout her education and experience, the importance of housing has been a central focus. She hopes to address that issue through serving the Philadelphia community as a Benefits Access Policy and Program VISTA.

About the VISTA position: Local, state, and federal benefits are among the most significant poverty-fighting tools we have. They reduce the cost of living, offer cash assistance, and stabilize households. Accessing the benefits for which an individual is qualified can be overwhelming, and programs are often designed to keep people out. Philadelphia has made great strides in strengthening benefits access, but too many still lack access to the benefits they deserve. The VISTA will conduct research, coordinate work with partners, and identify policy solutions that would maximize benefits enrollment for Philadelphians. The VISTA will help create the systems, communications channels, and policy changes that staff would implement during and after the project concludes.

Togba is working with the Office of Immigrant Affairs (OIA). He is Liberian and proud of it. Togba is glad to give his services for the overall goal of helping his community.

About the VISTA position: As we have learned through the COVID-19 pandemic, the vitality of the immigrant community in Philadelphia depends on the government’s ability to partner with community-based organizations that provide key culturally competent services. Black immigrant communities in Philadelphia face issues of poverty, language access, trauma (as refugees), unequal access to quality and reliable health care, and race-based discrimination. OIA seeks to support African and Caribbean immigrant serving organizations as vehicles for community growth and economic development. OIA will develop a capacity-building collaborative to provide culturally competent technical assistance and organizational development tools to 15 organizations in a three year period.

Roxana Taginya graduated from the University of Michigan in 2018 where she studied Microbiology, Applied Statistics, and American Culture. In her time there, she worked diligently to support and empower multicultural students through leadership roles within the Latinx and multicultural communities. Following her undergraduate degree, Roxy returned home to Maryland to spend the following year working on an album with her sister. Throughout the album, Roxana had the opportunity to work as an Alumna Advisor and Editor to the drafting and implementation of the UofM UNITED statement which calls on the University of Michigan to hold themselves accountable to their current and future Indigenous population. In her free time, Roxy can be found playing guitar, rock climbing, or seeking out the next best breakfast sandwich.

About the VISTA position: FDR Park is South Philadelphia’s largest park and one of its most important institutions, serving as a gathering space for many immigrant communities. For decades, FDR Park has been home to a vibrant vendor community serving as an economic lifeline for many low income families. Today, over 80 Asian and Latin American vendors work in FDR Park. Vending community leaders have now formed the Vendor’s Association and initiated a planning process, with support from the City of Philadelphia and a grant from the Knight Foundation. This VISTA position provides organizing support for the planning process and provides vendors with technical support with navigating city and park regulations.

Along with his medical background as Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) and four years as faculty member at Kornberg School of Dentistry – Temple University – Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Medicine and Surgery, Tahir is honored to serve Philadelphia at the Department of Public Health as Health Equity VISTA.

During the pandemic, Tahir volunteered with the Philadelphia Medical Reserve Corps at mass vaccination sites, worked at the Pennsylvania Department of Health as contact tracer, and served on the infectious disease surveillance investigators team. Tahir also volunteered with WHO and FDI to bring oral healthcare kits to refugee camps to improve the overall health and raise oral health awareness. Currently, Tahir is a forensic odontologist trainee, associated with ASFO & IACME, passionate about expanding TeleDental Forensics and the VirDentopsy project.

About the VISTA position: Many of the families served by Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH), Division of Maternal, Child, and Family Health (MCFH) programs experience poverty. Poverty and racism perpetuate health inequity and put families at risk for negative health outcomes such as maternal and infant mortality.

The VISTA will sustain a health equity workshop series and training, a health equity committee, and health equity metrics for MCFH. These activities will help MCFH build internal capacity to better serve children and families. Staff will learn about the relationship between health equity, structural racism, and maternal and child health outcomes, and make improvements on incorporating a health justice lens to all programmatic and internal work.

Imani Williams is a recent graduate of Penn State University with a B.A in Broadcast Journalism and a minor in Media Studies. Throughout her education, she has gained incredible experience with writing and reporting and she finds comfort in allowing all people to share their stories. She has always been someone who enjoys making contributions to make the world a better place. She is thrilled to serve as the Career and Education Readiness VISTA to help improve the ability to connect with older youth and young adults who are starting their independent lives.

About the VISTA position: Philadelphia’s Office of Children and Families (OCF) will engage a VISTA to improve our ability to connect with older youth and young adults who are starting their independent lives amid rampant poverty and violence. In year one, this VISTA will establish the essential groundwork for engaging and learning from those currently receiving City services. Their work will also include interviewing and fact-finding with program leads and participants. The VISTA will study best national practices in this area. This work over the course of three years will enable the City of Philadelphia and OCF to better serve this population, better connecting them with over 350+ providers in OCF’s existing network of programs.

D’esha Abernathy is looking forward to a second year of work in Philadelphia’s Serve Philadelphia VISTA program as the PHLpreK Social Emotional Support VISTA. She enters the position with a volunteering background in Child Welfare. As the Court Appointed Special Advocate for a teen, through an organization called CASA, she has experience working with children with mental health needs. Understanding that lack of support, motivation, and proper case management are all barriers to a child’s development, she is intentional at supporting efforts that mitigate these issues.

About the VISTA position: The VISTA will assist the Social Emotional Support for the PHLpreK team to incorporate teleintervention through remote work with PHLpreK staff and families. The COVID-19 pandemic has required the emergency adoption of teleintervention, but we expect that teleintervention will continue to be, at times, a preferable option. The VISTA will assist the team in adapting to the new policy of Preschool Early Intervention to use a highly rated assessment to identify social emotional concerns and identify more opportunities to collaborate with Early Interventionists. The VISTA will evaluate this collaboration’s effectiveness and the effectiveness of family navigation to Preschool Early Intervention and Behavioral Health.

Hannah graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in May 2021, receiving a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and certificates in Studio Art and Gender and Women’s Studies. After graduation she moved to Israel and spent the past year teaching English in two different elementary schools located in low socioeconomic communities in Tel Aviv and Ramla. Hannah has always had a passion for public service, however it was especially piqued through her coursework in college and the unique experiences she had in Israel. She is excited to return home to Philadelphia and get to work!

About the VISTA position: COVID laid bare the erosion of our social safety net and its disparate impacts on communities of color. In its recovery, the City can build a just & equitable safety net. The City has identified these outcomes:

1. Coordinate HHS to ensure that residents are safe, healthy, and educated.
2. Maximize local, state, and federal resources.
3. Ensure that the existing social service system is racially just.
4. Improve integration of HHS to advance social determinants of health.
5. Use evidence informed practices in the recovery
6. Expand and deepen an inclusive planning process that is transparent, fosters partnerships and includes voices of all stakeholders.

The VISTA will add to the City’s recovery efforts, focusing on the needs of the housing insecure or homeless.

Sharon volunteered with AmeriCorps Direct Service and VISTA for years in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Montana. Her last assignment was with the Crow Nation in St. Xavier Montana supporting one of their schools as a teacher’s aide. Sharon enjoys swimming and archery. Horseback riding is on her bucket list. In the Trauma Work Coordination VISTA position, Sharon will focus on researching long term Trauma Informed Care (TIC) resources for those individuals and communities in need of support. Her findings will hopefully result in acquiring a grant for sustainable resources for marginalized communities.

About the VISTA position: DBHIDS wants to make resources to address and mitigate trauma accessible to those individuals and communities in need of support. The experience of poverty alone is traumatic and long-lasting. Add on top of this the traumatizing and stigmatizing nature of the behavioral health system. This VISTA will support the work of our Systems Integration Unit to address trauma within the system, as well as direct trauma experienced through organizing available resources, recommending additional resources, developing a communications strategy to implement these resources across the City, and supporting the organization and facilitation of meetings with external stakeholders.

Martin hails from Ward 5 in the District of Columbia—Brookland to be exact. Ever since he was a little kid, he knew that he wanted to make an impact by helping his fellow community members in some way, shape, or form. In May 2019, he graduated from the University of Vermont with a Bachelor of Science in Public Communications with two minors, one in Community Development and the other in Consumer Affairs. Martin is seeking to continue his passion for helping the community and making resources available for those who wouldn’t otherwise have the ability to obtain these opportunities.

About the VISTA position: Philadelphia has 230,000+ foreign-born residents, 151,000 of whom have limited English proficiency. With few numbers of culturally and linguistically behavioral health providers serving this community, DBHIDS developed the Immigrant and Refugee Wellness Academy. The Academy is designed to empower and prepare multilingual/multicultural immigrant/refugee residents to take action-oriented steps that address the behavioral health challenges, trauma, and inequity experienced in their communities. The goal of the Academy is to reduce the behavioral stigma, improve service delivery, and support equity for this underserved population. The VISTA’s role is to support the implementation of the program.

Cooper Snyder is a recent graduate of Temple University with a B.A. in Geography and Urban Studies. Through his studies he has developed a passion for learning about historical examples of displacement, disinvestment, and policy and how they have contributed and continue to shape inequality in terms of housing, transportation, and education in urban environments among other topics. During his past four years at Temple he has come to love Philadelphia and is looking forward to giving back to the community through helping make the city more livable for its aging and elderly population. He also enjoys biking around the city and the many different modes of transit offered by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority.

About the VISTA position: Philadelphia has the highest overall poverty rate of the top 10 cities in the US and about one in 10 older people live in deep poverty. The Age-Friendly City initiative will support more low-income older Philadelphians in housing, transportation, health services, civic participation, and employment. The VISTA will build capacity to increase access to affordable housing, repairs when needed, and decrease evictions for diverse, low-income seniors by researching successful approaches to these challenges and potential partners to develop programs for Philadelphia. The sustainable outcome is an Age-Friendly Philadelphia, Livable City for All, with more services for low income elderly in the community.

Aalayah Taylor is a recent graduate of Temple University where she received her B.A. in English Literature. During her collegiate career, Aalayah served on the executive board for Temple University’s Queer People of Color and Feminist Alliance. Throughout her time on the executive board for these organizations, she was awarded the opportunity to partner with community leaders and engage in and facilitate discourse surrounding equity and inclusion at Temple University and in the wider Philadelphia community. Aalayah believes that it is imperative to uplift individuals with diverse backgrounds and perspectives.

About the VISTA position: The 2021 Point in Time Count found approximately 2,715 individuals living in emergency housing and 700 unsheltered people in Philadelphia. According to Feeding America, the rate of food insecurity in Philadelphia is projected to increase from 14.4% in 2019 to 17% in 2021. The Office of Homeless Services procures and distributes food to 31 emergency shelters and 28 emergency meal sites in Philadelphia. The VISTA will work on systematizing feedback from shelter residents and meal guests and create structures to support shelter providers and OHS staff in implementing resident recommendations.

John arrives at this position with 35 years of experience as an Information Technology Specialist at the IRS.

About the VISTA position: The Office of Homeless Services allocate resources to assist persons experiencing homelessness. Our overall mission is to make homelessness rare, brief, and non-recurring. Subsequently, our Roadmap to Homes strategic plan prioritizes the following: expanding housing resources, integrating systems, implementing transparent and inclusive quality improvement processes, communicating more effectively, connecting people to workforce and employment development. Training is essential to the service, mission, and priorities of our organization. In the third year of this project, the training specialist and instructional VISTA will assist in analyzing, designing, developing, implementing, and evaluating training materials.

Sarah Jani graduated from Temple University with a BA in Environmental Studies in 2022. As an undergraduate, she learned about urban issues relating to the environment and interned at a non-profit environmental advocacy organization. Sarah was inspired by her coursework to try and make a positive impact in the Philadelphia community and looks forward to gaining new experiences as a VISTA member.

About the VISTA position: As Philadelphia transitions from a majority homeowner to renter city, it is necessary to reevaluate housing policies and programs to ensure affordable housing needs are met. Current initiatives are wide ranging with a major focus on keeping homeowners in their homes. Recently, there is an increasing need to accommodate a highly vulnerable renter population and to develop resources for landlords to keep rental units affordable. The Housing Policy and Partnerships VISTA will evaluate the effectiveness of recently launched efforts to address this shift, while simultaneously researching best practices and recommending future interventions, including the relation of health to quality, affordable housing.