DEBBIE MARIAN Y. DE LARA

We recently sat down with Mikva alumna, Debbie Marian Y. de Lara, to interview her about her Mikva experiences and some of the cool things she has been doing since her time at Mikva.

This is what she had to say:

How did you get involved with Mikva Challenge?
Three days after arriving to Chicago from the Philippines, I, at age 15, began my junior year at Josephinum Academy in September of 2007. Starting my life over was difficult, but I never lost my passion to give back to my community. Thus, at the behest of my new friends, I joined the Mikva Challenge. Three months later, I was on a campaign trip to New Hampshire with 59 other Mikva students. It was exactly the start I needed! I definitely became the ultimate Mikva kid because I participated in a lot of different Mikva programs.

What did you do during your Mikva years?
In the two years that I did Mikva, I participated in their elections, activism, and policymaking programs. In 2008, with Mikva's Elections in Action program, I attended the Republican Youth Convention in Minnesota. I campaigned for John McCain in Wisconsin, and for both John McCain and Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire. From this experience, I would say that my most memorable moment was being at the New Hampshire Primary and meeting Barack Obama, John McCain, and, most especially, Hillary Clinton. When I shook then U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton's hand, I blurted out to her, "I believe in you, Ms. Hillary!" She smiled, looked at me in the eye, and clasped our hands together. "I will do my best for you," she replied, thereby bowling me over and intensifying my desire to get involved in the political process.

I later participated in Mikva's Summer Government and Leadership Institute serving as an intern in the offices of Alderman Thomas Tunney in 2008 and State Representative Luis Arroyo in 2009. As part of this work, my peers and I presented a civic action project to local officials on issues facing youth today-including teen health, education, and safety. I also participated in Mikva's Issues to Action program, where my classmates and I developed a project around domestic violence that we later presented at Mikva's Annual Civics Fair in 2008. The project won the Award for the Most Sustainable Project of the Year.

In 2009, I became a member of Mikva's Youth Safety Council, and was elected to be the lead writer for the council's campaign work. This was a great experience for me. On February 26, 2009, one of my essays, "Youth Employment Will Curb Violence," was featured as an op-ed piece for the Chicago Tribune. On behalf of the group, I also wrote a letter to President Barack Obama, calling for his support in allocating a portion of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan for a nationwide expansion of youth employment. Six months after the letter was sent, President Obama responded with a letter supporting and congratulating the council on its efforts to promote youth employment. I was delirious with joy! President Obama? THE President of the United States? Replying to a letter that I wrote? ...Oh, boy! How could my life get any better?! These thoughts crossed my mind while I was on cloud nine.

What are you doing now, and what are your aspirations for the future?
Owing to the generosity of the Gordon A. Rich Memorial Foundation, I am now a rising sophomore student with a free ride to Loyola University-Chicago. At Loyola, I am pursuing a B.S. in Molecular Biology/Pre-Medicine with a minor in Neuroscience. While my academic pursuit appears to be an utter deviation from my earlier accomplishments, I remain driven to discover meaning and purpose in my work by treating the human body, mind, and spirit.

Earlier this summer, I participated in the University of Louisville's Summer Medical and Dental Education program, an intensive summer enrichment program that prepares pre-medical and pre-dental students for their entry to medical and dental school. There, I learned that I could still pursue my interest in political affairs while doing medicine by focusing on health policy! So, four years from now, I will pursue a dual degree in MD/MPH and work with underserved members of my community to provide better access to education, health care, and other services that will potentially reduce health care disparities. As an aspiring medical doctor, I want to dedicate my life towards utilizing my knowledge and skills for the sake of others in need of help.

How has your Mikva experiences informed what you are doing today?
With the help from those who watched over me at Mikva Challenge, I have grown to become a driven, passionate, and determined young woman ready to embark on the world. Mikva ensured my right to be heard and ignited my desire to give back to my Chicago community and perhaps someday bring the lessons of American civic engagement back to the Philippines. Mikva encouraged me to dream big, to work hard, and, most importantly, to have faith in myself. Mikva inspired me to live the life that I have always dreamed of, to broaden my social and intellectual horizons, to be an active leader in my community, and, ultimately, to accomplish even greater things someday.

At Mikva Challenge, our mission is to train life-long civic leaders, and our alumni, like Debbie, and students affirm our success in getting young people to become today and tomorrow's leaders.