Mechista of the Week: Adriana Embus

Adriana Embus, Class of 2017

Adriana Embus, Class of 2017

Adriana Embus, Class of 2017

Residential College: Timothy Dwight College (“the BEST!”)

Hometown: Columbus, Georgia

High School: Brookstone School

Why did you join MEChA? When I first visited Yale, La Casa Cultural was one of the deciding factors, and subsequently the diverse student groups it had to offer. Once I heard about MEChA de Yale, I knew I had to be in it; the energy and passion every single one of the members had for social justice was just so inspiring. In fact, back at home in Georgia, there were so many social justice issues I felt completely passionate about, but there was never a group to organize enough support. Here I feel so grateful that there is a group to fight for our rights as Latinos and also to act on those issues that affect our community the most.

What other activities are you involved in aside from MEChA?  I am a representative on Freshmen Class Council (FCC), which advocates for issues pertaining to freshmen on campus. I am also part of Sabrosura, Yale’s Latin dance team and a member of Steppin’ Out, Yale’s Step Team. Another one of passions is Yale Faith and Action and my involvement with Quest Scholars Network.

What is your favorite experience with MEChA?  So far, my favorite experience with the MEChA group was organizing last week’s Día de los Muertos Altar (Nov. 1) with other freshman in the group. Not only did I love working with the other freshmen, I loved learning about the Día de los Muertos tradition (since I’m Colombian and we didn’t really celebrate it back home)! Moreover, some Mechistas attended Unidad Latina en Acción (ULA’s) Día de los Muertos parade in Fair Haven on Nov. 2 and I absolutely loved getting out in the community and participating in this wonderful celebration. I also really look forward to MEChA weekly meetings because they foster great conversation, awesome memories, and inspiring people.

Mechista of the Week: Isiah Cruz

Isiah Cruz, Class of 2017

Isiah Cruz, Class of 2017

Isiah Cruz, Class of 2017

Residential College: Ezra Stiles College
Hometown: Union City, New Jersey
High School: Saint Peter’s Prep (Jersey City, NJ)
Why did you join MEChA? I joined MEChA because I wanted to contribute to the Yale Latino community in every way possible and MEChA is a great means of doing so. The group is one of the oldest Latino organization at Yale and I love the overall mission to engage in social justice. Our fellow hermanas and hermanos could use an extra hand.
What other activities are you involved in aside from MEChA? I am working both as a Freshman Liaison at La Casa Cultural Center and as an Oral/Written Translator at Yale Law School. As for extra-curriculars, I am on Sabrosura (Latin Dance Team), Ivy Council, Quest Scholars Network, Freshman Class Council and in the process of establishing a non-profit organization.
What is your favorite experience with MEChA? My favorite experience with MEChA was my first meeting with the group. The energy was great and we got to the heart of why I went to the meeting in the first place: how we as a group can help our surrounding Latino people. We spoke about the wage theft issue at Gourmet Heaven and other challenges that we face as Latinos. The meeting truly inspired me to fight for others to have equal opportunity and hope.

Mechista of the Week: Cristal Suarez

Cristal Suarez, Class of 2016

Cristal Suarez, Class of 2016

Residential College: Trumbull

Hometown: Visalia, California

High School: San Joaquin Memorial High School

Why did you join MEChA? I wanted to educate myself about issues important to the Latino community, and to discover the role I could play to encourage society to be more equal and fair. I also found that the MEChA community itself was very welcoming and I was encouraged to join by students I met at Bulldog Days!

What other activities are you involved in aside from MEChA? Being a freshman liaison at La Casa has been one of the most rewarding activities. I am also a part of Community Health Educators and I teach middle school classes on nutrition. I also volunteer at Yale-New Haven Hospital, through a program called the Living History Project. I prepare a narrative after interviewing patients in order to help their doctors better understand them. I have also loved being a part of BookMarks, where I read with kids at an after-school program.

What is your favorite experience with MEChA? I’ve loved the many moments when I have connected with someone and discovered how much I can share with others. MEChA has been great at giving me chances to get to know what people are passionate about and what inspires them. If I had to choose a single moment, it would be attending ECCSF at Harvard because it was amazing to see so many Latino students working to have their voices heard.