Sabrina Cardoso
Host Site: Youth Co-Op
Home Campus: West
Major: Business Administration
Hello! My name is Sabrina Cardoso, and I am 19 years old. I was born and raised in Miami, Florida, but my entire family is Cuban. I am a second-year student at Miami Dade College (MDC), pursuing an associate’s degree in Business Administration. I plan to transfer to a university to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work or Public Administration. I am passionate about improving the lives of marginalized communities and driven to advocate for social justice and create a more equitable society. I will be joining Youth Co-Op as a CLF employee/fellow. Through this CLF Fellowship, I intend to provide compassionate and professional support to youth refugees, fulfilling my desire to make a meaningful impact within my community.
Jacques Dorcean
Host Site: Fab Lab
Home Campus: Wolfson
Major: Artificial Intelligence
My name is Jacques A Dorcean, and I am from Port-au-Prince, Haiti. I moved to the United States in 2020 and have been living here for the past few years. Adjusting to life here has been an exciting journey, especially as I pursue my passion for technology and innovation. Growing up in Haiti, I was always inspired by the potential of technology to solve real-world problems and improve lives. This inspired me to choose Applied Artificial Intelligence as my major, as I believe AI holds the key to addressing many global challenges. During my studies, I have been fascinated by the intersection of AI and social impact. My goal is to not only use my education to contribute to advancements in technology but also to bring the knowledge I gain back to Haiti to create meaningful change in my home country.
Maria Depierro
Host Site: Urban Paradise Guild
Home Campus: Hialeah
Major: Drama
My name is Maria, I’m 19 years old, and I was born in Italy. I come from a multicultural family, my dad is Argentinian, and my mom is Ecuadorian. Growing up, I spent much of my childhood and adolescence between Italy and Argentina, which gave me a deep connection to both cultures.
I’m still in the process of discovering what my path in life will be, and I’m really excited to start this journey at Miami Dade College. This is a new chapter for me, and I can’t wait to see where it leads!
Jocelyn Gonzalez
Host Site: Fab Lab
Home Campus: Kendall
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Jocelyn Gonzalez is a first-generation Cuban-American student currently attending the Miami Dade Honors College, where she is pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering. She is involved on campus and on the board of the Florida Engineering Society club. Passionate about both education and community, Gonzalez is driven to expand her knowledge and skills to give back to her community. Career-wise she plans on developing robots while maintaining a strong ethical suit. In accordance with her goal, she is eager and grateful to work as a CLF at Fab Lab Miami.
Stephanie Gonzalez-Gamez
Host site: Laura C. Saunders Elementary School
Home Campus: Homestead
Major: Social Work
My name is Stephanie Gonzalez Gamez; I am 18 years old. I was born in Miami, Florida, and raised in Hidalgo, Mexico. I am a first-generation student. I am majoring in social work at Miami Dade College Homestead Campus. I am passionate about being able to assist people in any manner that I can. I am pursuing social work because I believe I can make a positive impact on people’s lives and be able to advocate for them. lastly, I am working as an America reads tutor at Laura C Saunders Elementary School, where I am tutoring young students from kindergarten through fifth grade.
Cheyane Joachim
Host Site: Laura C. Saunders Elementary School
Home Campus: Homestead
Major: Psychology
Hi! My name is Cheyane Joachim and I was born and raised in Miami, Florida. I’m currently studying at Miami Dade College, majoring in Psychology. My goal after finishing school is to be a clinical psychologist. I’m very passionate about mental health and I strongly believe that everyone should be entitled to get the help when they need it most. Some of my hobbies include writing, wrestling (watching it, not doing it), reading, and baking! Lastly, I am working as an America Reads Tutor at Laura C. Saunders Elementary School, where I will tutor little ones from kindergarten to third grade!
Adri Matias
Host Site: Propelling into Triumph and Saints House
Home Campus: Kendall
Major: Business Administration
My name is Adri Matias. I am of Cuban and Jamaican descent. I was born in Miami Florida, but I have lived all over the state. I am a former foster child and adoptee looking to make a difference in the world for everyone. I would love to work with others seeking to bring change into their local communities and who want to help others around them. I am a business administration student looking to open my own non-profit organization in the future. My goal in life is to bring locally grown, sustainable food to resource-limited areas. In my free time, I like to learn about agriculture, farming/homesteading techniques, and gardening.
Jamesly Momplaisir
Host Site: Sant La Haitian Neighborhood Center
Home Campus: North
Major: Accounting
My name is Jamesly Momplaisir, and I am 20 years old. I was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and I am proud to be a first-generation college student. Currently, I am majoring in Accounting at Miami Dade College's North Campus. I am deeply passionate about giving back to my community and aspire to make a meaningful impact. My goal is to gain as much knowledge and experience as possible to one day establish my own accounting firm.
Alexandra Reyes-Ordonez
Host Site: This is the Dog!
Home Campus: Homestead
Major: Marketing/Business
Hi! My name is Alexandra Reyes, I am 19 years old. My family is from Cuba and Honduras, and I am first generation. I participated in the Visual Arts program at South Dade Senior High, where I contributed to designing murals for my school. I love swimming, playing tennis, and painting portraits in my free time. I am currently majoring in marketing, and my goal in the future is to help promote small businesses in Florida. At MDC homestead I am part of FBLA, Up To US, Pages for All Ages, and the Civic Leadership Program. I consider myself to be an open-minded person and I love to try new things.
Tiffany Rodriguez
Host Site: Pridelines
Home Campus: Padron
Major: Business Administration
My name is Tiffany Rodriguez, and I am a proud Nicaraguan American currently pursuing my Associate’s Degree in Business Administration and Marketing at Miami-Dade College. As a driven student with a passion for personal growth and professional development, I am excited to build a strong foundation for a future in the business and marketing industries.
Beyond my academic pursuits, I have a lifelong passion for music and the performing arts. I have been involved in choir, theatre, and marching band, experiences that have shaped my creativity, discipline, and teamwork abilities. These activities have instilled in me a strong work ethic and a deep appreciation for collaboration.
My goal is to continue growing both personally and professionally while using my education and experiences to make a positive impact on my community and beyond.
Ka'Niya Smith
Host Site: Educate Tomorrow
Home Campus: North
Major: English
Hello, I am African American, and I grew up in Miami, Florida. I graduated from Turner Tech under the Veternarian Science Academy in 2023. I love reading, writing, playing video games, and spending time with my loved ones. I'm currently working with Educate tomorrow to aid in their garden care, as well as educating children about the importance of the environment around them.
Melanie Young
Host Site: The Motivational Edge
Home Campus: North
Major: Early Childhood Education
My name is Melanie Young, I am a mix of Native American half Cherokee and Half Quechuan and Partly Colombia I was raised in my god family after my mother’s passing from cancer. I am studying at Miami Dade College North Campus. I graduated and achieved my Associate's Degree in Arts in Special Education K-12 on May 4 th, 2019 being a First-Generation Student. Currently, I am studying for a Bachelor of Arts pursuing in Early Childhood Education. However, I have also been approved to minor in Administration of Education. I have a passion and strong pursuit to help motivate and encourage the path of education for the next generation's goals and love to help others in any impact needed. I will be working alongside The Motivational Edge as a CLF employee. My Goal is to help bring a positive encouragement impact to those around me and make a difference to those in need. I will take high dedication and methods to be diligent yet passionate to help the children and adults in my environment. Here I will work hard to build a strong purpose and success in my field.