Hi! I’m Mariana

My name is Mariana Garcia, and I’m a senior at U.C. Berkeley with big dreams. I was born and raised in Sacramento, California and have lived here my whole life. I have a passion for helping those around me, especially those in need. 

Growing up in a Hispanic family, we often take trips to visit Mexico. No, we don't often stay in beachside resorts, or the touristy areas that most people pay thousands to visit, but the parts of town where the streets are dirty and the houses are made of tin roofs and cardboard walls. There’s one specific trip that I recall vividly, even though I was just four years old. On the trip, I met a girl my age and I noticed she had no shoes on her feet. “dale tus zapatos,” my mom told me, gesturing to the girl, “no trae nada en sus pies.” This translates to, “Give her your shoes, she has nothing on her feet.” With slight hesitation I handed her my black Mary Janes, wondering what I was going to do without shoes for the rest of my trip. This was my first act of kindness that I am capable of remembering. Since then I have never hesitated to give something away of mine that someone else badly needs. Kindness has a way of repaying itself, because later that day my parents bought me a new pair of Mexican chanclas.

My dad has been a big inspiration throughout my life, always setting the example for how to treat others with kindness. A few years ago he befriended a homeless man and his dog, Jeff (the human) and Bob (the dog) who live under an apartment building near my old elementary school. As often as he could, he would bring food to Jeff and Bob after picking me up from school. My sister and I would sit and watch from the car. I’ve looked up to him ever since I was little, and he has given me the motivation to start something that would make a difference in people’s lives.

 In 2019 on a family vacation to Los Angeles, California, our trip took an unexpected detour to Skid Row, one of the largest homeless encampments in the United States. The first thing I noticed was the smell. The streets reeked of garbage, old food, and human waste. Tents lined the streets for miles and the sirens of cop cars were nonstop. My family is used to carrying extra clothes and snacks in the car for anyone we might come across that needs it. But I wasn’t expecting to see what I saw that day. With a school camera and microphone in the car, I decided to document my experience. 

I interviewed men and women on the streets and heard life stories that you couldn’t begin to imagine. No story was the same, but some had details in common. The women were victims of abuse or rape while living on the streets, or even in local shelters. The first woman I talked to could only repeat a few sentences and phrases. She told me her daughter was separated from her at a young age. Another woman I met lost her husband while she was in the hospital, and doesn’t bother her family out of her embarrassment for her situation. I talked to a man with cancer, who didn’t have insurance and couldn’t afford hospital bills. It was here when realized the kind of project I wanted to pursue and that I simply couldn’t wait around for someone to help this issue. 

I hope to pursue a career in politics in the future, so I can bring my ideas to a larger scale and help even more people than before. For now that means working hard in school, getting into college, but most importantly, working towards my goal of changing the world… one act of kindness at a time. 

Explore my page to learn more about the houseless issue that’s growing in our communities and most importantly, what you can do to help.

— Mariana