Jessica Ramírez

from the Macalester Public Knowledge Base

monvara cnabasricbo cdronel

April 2003

Hometown: Bronx, New York
Major: Latin American Studies
She studied abroad in Salvador, Brasil, in the Fall of 2003.

"Hello Everyone! Its so wonderful to see how far the organization has come. I remember attending my first meeting in the fall of 99 and being unsure of whether I belonged or not. Then with Tawanda, Eric, Pamela, and a few others we attempted to make Adelante! an open, participatory community for people to learn about the differences, commonalities, conflicts, and politics affecting Latinos and Latin Americans. So many people have taken the helm and have given sweat and tears to this group, giving emphasis to our goals of strengthening the Macalester Community and expanding to include thhose communities outside "the bubble" I am so proud to see that you guys have worked so hard and so well to bring it together. And I have to give special props to people I have worked with there--Yongho, Ana, Tawanda, Eric, Jessie, Luis, Federico, Dany, Pamela, and Alex.

Right now I'm working in the Bronx at a comprehensive community health center that is very well known in my community. Urban Health Plan, Inc. began as a family practice run by a Puerto Rican doctor who grew up in the neighborhood. Today, the organization provides a wide range of health and educational services for the South Bronx community of Hunts Point. I work as the special assistant to the CEO/President, Paloma Hernandez. I love where I work and am so happy to be in the community where I grew up. If anyone is interested in learning about the organization, the website is www.urbanhealthplan.org