Melinda Salinas (31) is pursuing a bachelor’s in human relations at Trinity Washington University. She expects to graduate in May 2022.

The daughter of Salvadorean immigrants, Melinda was born and raised by her mother in a multicultural neighborhood in Washington DC. As a native Spanish speaker, she began learning English only when she entered the public-school system. Her rapid language assimilation made her the spokesperson for her family and community at an early age. This experience taught her how to navigate between two languages and cultural norms.

Responding to the guidance of high school teachers and mentors, she began to change her perception as a “troubled” youth with a high truancy record and began helping to organize community activities for other “troubled” youth. During this time, she also assisted in the creation of a Latino Youth Summit, which became a vehicle for youth voices to be heard and their concerns represented.

Melinda first began working with the DC Mayor’s Office for Latino Affairs as a volunteer and later became a staff member. She advocated to remove language and other barriers that deterred linguistically minoritized community members from accessing vital public resources. She also co-founded an organization, Youth Organizing for Change and Opportunity, and contributed to the development of a program for high-school youth to help them pursue higher education goals, acquire financial literacy, and engage in a community with social justice as one of its pillars. She is now employed as a Program Analyst/Language Access Coordinator in the DC Government, striving to level the playing field for DC residents with language barriers and other disadvantages obtain employment and educational opportunities.

Melinda began studying towards her bachelor’s degree at Montgomery College, where she completed the general education courses. She transferred those credits to Trinity Washington University, where she maintains an outstanding GPA while balancing a full-time job and financial responsibility for her household. Confronted with the risk of needing to leave their current building because of potential real estate development, Melinda became the president of her tenants’ association to ensure that the tenants have a voice in the negotiations with the building owner.

Melinda is recognized for her capacity to lead and her commitment to bettering future life opportunities for women and children. Melinda will be the first member of her immediate family to earn a university degree. When speaking about her future plans, Melinda is clear that she sees herself continuing to serve her community and further developing her role in public policy and advocacy, whether it be with an NGO or a governmental organization.

Melinda intends to follow a career that enables her to pursue her passion for social justice and inclusion, largely propelled by her drive to improve the lives of those whose voices traditionally may not have been heard. Receiving the MMEG grant is a testimony to her resilience and overall ability to overcome numerous challenges, her outstanding academic performance, and her proven leadership abilities.

Talisa Sutton-Stephenson (35) is pursuing a Master’s Degree in Education with a focus on curriculum, instruction, and social justice at Trinity Washington University. She is expected to graduate in August 2023.

Born and raised in Washington DC, Talisa’s resilience, strength of character, and dedication to social justice originate from her early childhood experiences. The eldest of ten children raised by a single mother, her family had to cope with poverty and housing insecurity, a situation that she describes not as a disadvantage but as a source of growth. She learned at an early age to reach out to her “village” for assistance. She now shares that knowledge with others and is a strong advocate for her community at large.

A mother of two, Talisa was one of the first parent members and volunteers of “Parents Amplifying Voices in Education” (PAVE), where she has been a vocal advocate for equity in funding and resources for both public and public charter schools across all wards of the city. PAVE and its Community Organizers were successful in introducing the voices of parents to the education policy making process. She is an inclusive and effective organizer and leader.

Talisa works full-time as a Clerk/Registrar at J. O. Wilson Elementary School (Wilson), a DC public school in Northeast DC. In this position, Talisa engages with parents and families to complete the enrollment process, and has been added to school-based teams as the liaison between families and the school. She works tirelessly and has formed community partnerships to help provide food, clothing, toys, temporary housing, and other necessities for Wilson students and their families. She proactively reaches out to identify solutions to problems that the students face or would face without intervention; she also routinely identifies growth opportunities for students and serves as a mentor. Her goal is to ensure that students attend school, embrace learning, and complete the course-work.

Talisa earned her bachelor’s degree from Bowie State University in 2007 and continues to pursue her educational journey at Trinity. While working full time and raising two daughters, she excels academically. Her leadership skills with her peers are recognized in the classroom, as are her human relations talents, empathy, and commitment to redress the social and economic inequities that have historically impacted women and children of color in negative ways, particularly throughout SE Washington, DC.

Talisa aspires to become a school principal in one of the economically disadvantaged wards in the city. It is as a principal that she envisions being able to combat stigmas and implement her educational philosophy that ALL children can learn. She sees herself, and the school that she will manage, as change agents. Social and emotional learning, communication with families, excellence, and community outreach and engagement are her mantras for children’s effective learning.