Outreach Coordinator

Please begin by giving us your name, company and title.

Joann Munoz, Project ARRIBA, Outreach Coordinator

At Project ARRIBA, you get to work closely with program participants and graduates. What is the one thing, one trait, one quality that all successful participants and graduates have in common?

The drive to participate/finish even though their school/schedule is difficult.

What’s the best part of your job?

Promoting Project ARRIBA to the community.

Please share one example of how Project ARRIBA lifts the community.

When outreaching and informing people of this opportunity that they were not aware is here, I can see them begin to think about the possibility of returning/continuing/bettering with our help.

In your opinion, why is the work of Project ARRIBA so important to El Paso’s Latino community?

A lot of our community has first generation college graduates, at graduation the student and their family are proud that is happening.

Do you ever think about what impact your work has on the trajectory of these individuals? Talk about that.

Definitely. There are people struggling to make ends meet or to continue school due to expenses, some people would like to advance in the sponsored field and when they hear about Project ARRIBA it gives them hope of accomplishing their goal without having to worry about debt or more debt. Also, it gives the family an opportunity to change things. Could be a first generation graduate or better income for the household, and that changes their world.

I would imagine your job is busy and you put long hours in – what keeps you motivated? What’s your inspiration?

The fact that I believe in what our program can do for them. Education is important and working for an organization that supports that with sponsorships makes my job worth it. Plus people need help all the time not only 8am to 5pm.

*Questions by Tony Hernandez, Immigrant Archive Project