Congratulations to Esmeralda from Emerson Middle School for being selected as our Ford Jr. Youth of the Month for March 2019!
This year Ford Dimension and Dream Builders will be working with our local Boys and Girls Club as part of the Ford Fund Junior Youth of the Year project.
Bakersfield, California
2018
B.S. in Chemistry
US Navy Surface Warfare Officer
Hi There! My name is Augustine Vasquez, but I am also known by Augie. After my time with the Dream builders Leadership program after high school, I attended the University of California, Santa Cruz for my undergrad studies. After finishing there and graduating in 2018, I quickly got a job as a paralegal at an immigration law firm. I Have recently gotten married in May of 2018, so there is plenty going on in life right now, but I am loving it. To anyone currently reading this, please take care and keep up the hard work.
Northridge, California
2014
UC Santa Cruz Class of 2018
B.A in Legal Studies and Minor in Education.
Paralegal
Global Immigration Partners, Inc.
Sacramento, California
1985
BA – Human Biology, Stanford University
MPH, UC Berkeley
MD, UC San Francisco
Program Director Sutter Family Medicine Residency Program, Sacramento, CA
Bakersfield, California
1998
East Bakersfield High School
Bakersfield College/Football 2 years
CSU Bakersfield- BA- English
Univ. of La Verne-Masters in Education
English Teacher/Coach for Kern High School District- 19 years
After receiving her Bachelor’s degree in Culture and Politics from Georgetown University, Nicole spent the first decade of her career in international development working for the United Nations, US government, and civil society. She spearheaded multi-sectoral partnerships for public health, youth engagement, and sport empowerment programs in 15+ countries including Botswana, Cameroon, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Lesotho, Malawi, Morocco, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Qatar, Spain, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, the United States, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Honed by her time both as a United Nations Alliance of Civilizations Fellow and her service as a Peace Corps Volunteer, Nicole founded My Basketball Team: a digital storytelling platform that publishes short stories about dating and relationships submitted by people across the globe. By posting real stories, My Basketball Team is sparking dialogue that normalizes public discourse about intimacy and highlights healthy examples of relationships exempt from violence. (https://www.mybasketballteam.co/)
Nicole has spoken at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City; the U.S. Department of State, Voice of America, and Georgetown University in Washington, DC; and the Soweto Nike Center in Johannesburg. She is also a Trainer for Nas Academy where she facilitates weekly courses for hundreds of students as part of Nas Daily’s creator tech startup.
Nicole regularly appears on podcasts, moderates panels, facilitates workshops, and writes travel and lifestyle content (https://medium.com/@nicolebanisterofficial). Her writing has been published by TEDxCapeTownWomen, South African Airways, Black Travel Go, Opportunity Desk, and more.
Currently based in Cape Town, South Africa, Nicole’s weekly social media content includes reels about body positivity and modern dating, travel guides for sightseeing in Cape Town, and highlighted stories amplifying her hacks for panafrican international travel. She represents clothing companies, hair and skincare products, and other brands that amplify female- and Black-owned businesses.
Houston, Texas
2009
BSFS Culture and Politics, Georgetown University
International emcee, motivational speaker, social media content creator
Instagram
NIKKI BANZ LIVE
Nas Academy – How To Adapt To New Cultures
LinkedIn
Medium
I am currently a student at UCSB, and plan to attend law school upon graduation. This past school year (2020-2021), I competed on UCSB’s mock trial’s A team. We made it to the Nationals competition (for the 2nd time in school history), and I received an Individual All-American Witness Award. I currently serve on UCSB Mock Trial’s Executive Board as the External Communications Chair.
Bakersfield, California
2019
Centennial High School, 2016-2020
Psychological & Brain Sciences (B.S.) – UC, Santa Barbara, 2020-2023
Tennis Instructor (2018-present) – Stockdale Country Club
Volunteer Tutor for Seniors (2020-present) – The Brain Exercise Initiative
Chandler, Arizona
2007
B.A., History of Public Policy – University of California, Santa Barbara
Talent Acquisition Specialist, United Dairymen of Arizona
Talent & HR Consultant
Bakersfield, California
2020
Biology
Research Assistant Wichita State University Chemistry Department
I am an underclassmen at Wichita State University where I compete in volleyball for the school in the American Athletic Conference. I am a biology major with a 4.0 GPA and national chemistry award winner. Goshocks!
Bakersfield, California
East
2016
Bachelors in Business Administration with a concentration in Management
Annual Givings and Stewardship Coordinator at CSUB
Bakersfield, California
Frontier
2017
UCSB- B.S. Biological Sciences, Black Studies minor (2021 expected)
Hi everyone! My name is Gaby and I am currently finishing up my last year at CSUB. Right now I am in the process of applying for graduate school. I am hoping to start my credential program. My dream job is as an Economics and Mathematics high school teacher.
Bakersfield, California
Frontier
2017
B.S. Economics with a concentration in Finance
Currently I am employed at the Kern High School District as a District/AVID/ Workforce Academy Tutor.
We are proud colombians!
Bakersfield, California
East
2017
Public Health Major, Global Poverty and Practice
Rochdale Village Apartment manager
guzmangomez.luisa@berkeley.edu
Saint Louis, Missouri
Stockdale
2016
B.S., Public Health from Saint Louis University
MPH in progress at UCLA Fielding School of Public Health
Intern for the Division of Student Development at Saint Louis University
UCSB Gauchos Baseball
My family and I have been a part of the Ford family since I can remember and we can’t express how thankful we are to have created many meaningful relationships. Thank you for everything!
Bakersfield, California
BHS
2018
B.S. in Geology from University of the Pacific Stockton
None
Recently relocated back to Bakersfield after living in the San Francisco Bay Area and Philadelphia, PA for the last 21 years. I am so excited to reconnect with the Ford Dimension. Participating in the program was a transformational experience for me. I am excited to be back in Bakersfield and able to contribute to the changes happening in this community.
Bakersfield, California
1997
Bachelor of Arts, Communicative Disorders and Sciences
Juris Doctor, Law
Principal Attorney, Loving Transitions, A Boutique Law Firm
Project Manager, Kaiser Permanente
I love playing tennis, working out and learning more about medicine!
Bakersfield, California
2019
Current pursuit of a B.S. in Neuroscience
Bakersfield, California
2018
Harvard College
Bachelor of Arts in Human Developmental and Regenerative Biology
Expected Graduation date: May 2022
Bakersfield, California
2019
University of Notre Dame
Chemical Engineering
I’m always happy to talk with students about choosing schools, what a college experience is like, or anything regarding their educational journey!.
Baltimore, Maryland
2016
BS in Genetics and Genomics
Currently pursuing an MS in Genetic Counseling
Bakersfield, California
2017
Environmental Engineering and International Development at Colorado State University
Water Resources Engineer
I do biological research in the lab of David K. Jacobs at UCLA, and I volunteer with UCLA’s Prime Program Happy Feet Clinic
Los Angeles, California
2018
UCLA
Physiological Science Major
Public Health Minor
I married my Canadian husband, Joel, on December 21, 2019 at First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, and I moved to Toronto, Ontario this past summer! I am applying for graduate school in music, Fall ‘21. In the meantime, I am pursuing an online Horticulture diploma and just enjoying the beautiful four seasons of Canada!
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
2016
Bachelor of Music Vocal Performance, minor in Business Administration ‘20 Chapman University
Private Voice Instructor
Ford has become my family. I am so blessed to have such an amazing support system and friends through this program. Thank you!
Bakersfield, California
2020
UC Berkeley- Political Science and Comparative Literature Major
Daily Cal Blogger
Ford has become my family. I am so blessed to have such an amazing support system and friends through this program. Thank you!
Bakersfield, California
2020
UCLA- psychobiology undergraduate, class of 2024
Highland High School- class of 2020
In the future, I hope to continue my passion in dance as well as pursuing a career in the medical field.
I am a first-generation, low-income, Latino student! Feel free to reach out to me 🙂
Bakersfield, California
2018
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) – B.A., Public Affairs
Bruin Ambassador – UCLA Undergraduate Admissions
Field Director – Eric Arias for City Council (2020)