Students from Southwest Community College speak out about budget issues and quality education. They discuss their personal goals and experiences as AFT Interns on campus and share the impact their efforts have made thus far on campus and in the fight for community colleges.

Donald Staten

I’m from Los Angeles, born and raised. After working for 20 years at the Los Angeles Air Force Base as a telephone operator, I realized there are things I still wanted to accomplish. I wanted to give back. That’s when I decided to return to school and major in Child Development. I want to work with disabled children.

I have a disability: I was born without any arms and have two prosthetic ones; I primarily use my feet to accomplish tasks. I want to work as a mentor to disabled children and show them that anything is possible. A lot of people say disabled people are limited, but I’m here to let them know that a disability doesn’t have to be a disability-- it’s just a label. I want to demonstrate to these children that we are just like anyone else; we can still get the job done. It doesn’t make a difference as long as you have believability in your heart.

Fee increases have affected me every year trying to pay for books and materials. I don’t have that kind of money. Not only do books cost a few hundred dollars every semester, but they may not even be available at the bookstore. This is a terrible inconvenience and it’s cheating students from their education.

I joined the student internship program to help Southwest College survive. I don’t want to see the school close down due to budget cuts; I don’t want to see any more classes canceled. Right now we don’t have a winter or summer session due to a lack of funding. This fight is not just for me; it’s for all the students and their future kids. I’m fighting to keep the Southwest campus alive and for quality education. I want the doors of education to be open to all.

Valorie Smith

I graduated in 2008 with an AA in business administration and now I want to go into nursing. I’m taking my last pre-requite and once completed, I plan to transfer to Long Beach State University where I will get my bachelors of science.

What really interests me about the student internship program is communicating our personal stories regarding our education struggles when we visit our elected officials. I tell them I have been rejected from financial aid several times because I already have my AA degree. When they hear my struggles, they look at our situation differently. If I’m eager to go back to school, but I can’t get financial aid, that means I can’t get books and other necessary supplies. What are my options?

Budget cuts are what impacts the students the most at Southwest. It is always a struggle. As students, without the proper funding, the resources aren’t always there. We have to make them available.

As student body president at Southwest College, I want to spread the word about the internship program. I want to refer other students and let them know what a great experience it has been to be a part of this.

Corrina Williams

I grew up with a lot of discrimination. I was kicked out of Washington Preparatory High School because of fights. Then I had a series of jobs that were going nowhere and didn’t pay much. So I decided to go back to school.

Currently, I am a Child Development major at Southwest and I plan on becoming a social worker and child-parent counselor once I graduate. I’m only taking one class right now because I can’t afford to take any more. Financial aid has cut me off because they said they overpaid me. Now I have no choice but to take one class. On top of that, our winter and summer sessions have been cut which pushes back a lot of people’s opportunities to graduate, including myself.

The goal of the internship is to overcome all of this. But it’s not just about us; it’s about future students too. Everyone deserves a fair tuition. We need to fight harder because who knows what else will be cut or raised. I can’t just sit by and let this happen in my community. Nothing can stay like this; we have to fight - we have to fight to the end.