The student news site of El Camino College

El Camino College The Union

The student news site of El Camino College

El Camino College The Union

The student news site of El Camino College

El Camino College The Union

Empowering others to help the community

Kimberly+Nguyen%2C+22%2C+business+major+and+John+Escareno+21%2C+English+major%2C+both+are+members+of++Empower+the+Community+group+known+as+ETC+a+non-profit+organization+where+together+they+coordinate+projects+that+supports+the+groups+mission+to++empower+the+youth.+Photo+credit%3A+Gabriela+Better
Kimberly Nguyen, 22, business major and John Escareno 21, English major, both are members of Empower the Community group known as ETC a non-profit organization where together they coordinate projects that supports the group’s mission to empower the youth. Photo credit: Gabriela Better

Empowering The Community is a nonprofit humanitarian group that is designed to promote a safe and positive attitude through social issues awareness.

El Camino student, Kimberly Nguyen, 22, business major, is the social media director of ETC.

“I update the Instagram, I give viewers updates on what we are doing, any information they might need or just show them what we are doing,” Nguyen said.

Nguyen volunteers for ETC whenever an opportunity comes up.

EC student, John Escareo, 21, English major is the volunteer coordinator for ETC. He volunteers for ETC three times a month.

A thing that Escareno enjoys about volunteering the most is making others feel great.

“The best about volunteering is knowing that you left a positive thing with someone, either if it was a feeling, or an act that you did that made them feel important,” Escareno said.

Another member of ETC, Melvi Perez, readers’ editor enjoys putting smiles on people’s faces.

“The best part about volunteering is seeing the smiles on other people’s faces, knowing you were part of making a difference,” Perez said.

ETC aims to support, create awareness, empower, educate and volunteer locally and globally.

“Last year, we did 24 hours of homelessness. We went into a mission and actually slept for twenty four hours, as if we were homeless,” Nguyen said.

Nguyen started doing volunteer work for ETC at the age of 20. She was introduced to ETC by a friend.

“I feel like a lot of people in our generation, right now, have problems with themselves and in order to help others, you really have to help yourself first, and that’s what we are trying to focus on also, empowering yourself in order to empower others. We are all humans, and we all should try to be better,” Nguyen said. “We all believe that love is the key that will help with all of this.”

ETC is currently fundraising to travel to Guatemala for two weeks in June.

“We are fundraising to go to Guatemala, so we could go over to speak about solar sustainability,” Escareno said.

ETC hopes to make an impact to the world by leading for example so that others can become social influence leaders.

“There are so many social issues going on right now, but everybody chooses to ignore it or the social media chooses to excludes them,” Nguyen said.

Some of the social issues that ETC aims to help with are homelessness, bullying and discrimination.

For more information about ETC check out their Instagram and Facebook.

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