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Project Gia

Empowering Stockton's young women!

Meet Our Board: Kendall!

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Our board introductions continue with our newest board chair, Kendall Irey!

Hey Everyone!

My name is Kendall, and my position on Project GIA’s board is still under construction. I’m 24 years old and was born and raised in Stockton. Upon graduating from Lincoln High School, I attended Sonoma State University, it was there that I received my B.A. in History. After graduation and a summer studying abroad at Cambridge University in England, I took a year off from school and moved back home to Stockton to figure out where my life was meant to go next. I was completely and utterly burnt out after finishing college.

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In that time off, I spent some time resting and contemplating where my life was meant to go next. My journey took me to University of the Pacific, where I received my Single Subject Teaching Credential and M.A. in Education. I now teach at Sierra Middle School, where I have the privilege of teaching 190 incredible 7th graders World History each and every day. Teaching is what sets my soul on fire. I love that I get to be a part of shaping the next generation. I love that I get to teach students a subject that I find to be so very interesting, but more than that I love that I get to be a part of their story. Every child deserves to know someone loves them, believes in them, and knows they are beyond capable of accomplishing great things in this world. As a teacher, I’m able to do that each and every day.

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I always knew that my journey would keep me in Stockton. I knew I was meant to be a part of the change I wish to see in this city that I love so much. I believe with every fiber of my being that we are destined for greatness, that Stockton should not be a place where people feel the need to “get out” to be successful. Project GIA found me at a moment in my life where I knew teaching was amazing, but I needed more. I needed to be a part of empowering young women in this community.

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I grew up in a home with three very strong women. I was raised by both my parents, but also my grandmother, and older sister. I know the power that stems from having strong female role models behind you, but I’m also aware that not all girls and young women in this community have that strength behind them. Project GIA is a part of bringing that strength to young women in our community and I’m excited to see the change we can create with that much force and power behind us.

Always remember… you are amazing, capable, and loved.

Xoxo,

Kendall

P.S. I’m fully obsessed with red panda bears. Having a bad day? Go watch a video of red pandas playing in the snow. I promise it won’t disappoint.

To find out more information on Kendall or Project Gia, please email kendall@projectgia.com .

Meet Our Board! WEEK 1 RECAP

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Over the next three weeks, you will learn about all four of our executive board members and the nine junior board members. 

 

We really hope that you enjoyed meeting our Executive Board of Directors! Below, you will find links to each of the posts this week.

Mariah – Executive Director

Sabrena – Associate Executive Director

Monica – Director of Administrative Services

Seidy – Director of Policy & Outreach

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At the Chamber of Commerce Summer Mixer. From left to right: Sabrena, Mariah, Senator Cathleen Galgiani*, Monica, Seidy.

*Please note that Project Gia is not a political organization, holds no political affiliation and does not endorse any candidate.

Meet Our Board! DAY 4: Seidy

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Over the next three weeks, you will learn about all four of our executive board members and the nine junior board members. Our series continues with our Director of Policy & Outreach, Seidy Gastelum. 

Hi All!

My name is Seidy Gastelum and I am the Director of Policy and Outreach for Project GIA. I am 25 years old, and have lived in Stockton for the past 16 years before moving here from Mexicali, Mexico.

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I grew up in a small town made of dirt roads and small dreams. When my mama decided to move to Stockton with other family members it really changed not only my life but hers and my sibling’s lives as well. To this day I will forever be grateful for my mama’s decision to move to Stockton, a city I now call a city with BIG Dreams. In Stockton I attended McKinley Elementary School, Urbani Institute, Hamilton Middle School, Franklin High School, and University of the Pacific where I obtained a Bachelors of Arts in Spanish with a concentration in Culture and Civilization.

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In my time at Pacific I most enjoyed doing community service and being engaged with our community. During my undergrad I became one of the three founders of Danzantes de Pacific, the group (to this day) performs at multi-cultural events with the purpose of promoting cultural awareness in the community. I have also been really interested in the Foster Care System and finding ways to help raise the awareness of foster youth and college graduation rates. My interest in foster youth and their graduation rates was the reason I did an internship with TWR – Together We Rise, a non-profit organization that is comprised of motivated young adults and former foster youth. I was also involved with M.E.Ch.A. de Pacific and am now the student organization’s Advisor. I am truly honored to be the Advisor to such a group of student activists, so driven to BE the change in our community.

This all brought me to becoming the Director of Policy and Outreach for Project GIA. I can’t express how honored I am to be a part of this project and to be in it with the amazing women that make up the Board of Directors. PG is bringing so many things that  Stockton is hungry for and that is Young Women Empowerment!!! Growing up I did not have many mentors or role models, especially not one that looked like me, Latina. Being a woman of Color, it excites me that I can be that Latina role model to other women of color.

Our city is full of young people that want to be and are the change in Stockton. Channel Brewing, Stockmarket, Danzantes de Pacific, Trail Coffee, Fathers & Families of San Joaquin, The Eleanor Project, M.E.Ch.A., Tuleburg, Younger Women’s Task Force (to mention a few) I SEE YOU!!!

I am beyond excited for what is to come for OUR city!  

Love,

Seidy 

To find out more information on Seidy or Project Gia, please email seidy@projectgia.com .

Meet Our Board! DAY 3: Monica

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Over the next three weeks, you will learn about all four of our executive board members and the nine junior board members. Our series continues with our Director of Administrative Operations, Monica Patel. 

Hi y’all! My name is Monica, and I am the Director of Administrative Operations at Project GIA. I am 26 years old, and have grown up in Stockton for most of my life. I moved away to San Jose for SJSU and lived there for 5 years of my life.  While at SJSU, I studied Psychology, and have been working with children since then. I currently work as an ABA Paraprofessional for children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders and am doing my Masters in Applied Behavior Analysis. Outside of school and work, I enjoy spending time with family, practicing henna designs, and spending time at the beach.

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Throughout my life, I have had many experiences in which I felt lost and confused about what I was doing. Whether it was in high school or college, I feel as though I just “winged it” in life. There have been many difficult moments, and challenges I faced, especially in college and I felt as though it was never ending. Coming from a Indian background, there were many cultural and societal expectations that I had to follow.  After graduating from SJSU, I was hitting a phase of uncertainty of what career path to take, and what would keep my life balanced. I moved back to Stockton because I wanted to spend time with family. It has been three years being back, and I am happy to be here! A few months ago, I stumbled across a Project GIA Marketing Internship post on Indeed, and knew right then and there that I wanted to be a part of this organization. I was so excited to see  that Mariah, and the mission of Project GIA stood for all I believed in!

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Project GIA represents  what Stockton needs, to empower the female youth. That was everything for me, especially feeling so lost during my developmental stages in life.  Although parents can be supportive, I know when I was younger I didn’t really share much with them. Having proper guidance and support is crucial for a female teen, and Project GIA serves as that support! I am so grateful to be a part this organization of amazing women, and look forward to what the future has in store!

To find out more information on Monica or Project Gia, please email monica@projectgia.com .

Meet Our Board! DAY 2: Sabrena

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Over the next three weeks, you will learn about all four of our executive board members and the nine junior board members. Our series continues with our Associate Executive Director, Sabrena Hernandez.

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Hi Everyone!

I’m Sabrena, the Associate Executive Director for Project Gia. I am 22 years old, and I was born and raised in Stockton. I am a student at Sacramento State where I study Public Relations, work in Marketing, and intern for the athletic department. I am also a mother to a two year old daughter who is best described as a fire cracker. In my free time I enjoy being with my family and friends, watching documentaries on social issues, sports, and finding local festivals/events to attend with my boyfriend and daughter!

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For someone who has lived in Stockton all their life, there are many things I have managed to not see and know about. My parents, two Franklin High grads had me when they were 17 years old. Despite having the odds stacked against them, they sent me to private school as I watched each other them obtain Bachelor’s degrees, and my dad a Masters. I have lived a life where I truly cannot complain about anything.I have never once in my life (not even when I found out I was pregnant at 19) thought I could not be everything I had ever dreamed of being. I attribute that to the people I think of as “my village”. There is a saying that says “It takes a village to raise a child”. The village I have, and the village my daughter has is the reason why I am able to achieve my goals. Without my family, and incredible group of friends many things would not be possible in my life and I know this.

I know that most people will unfortunately not have the same village I do. Project Gia has opened my eyes to so many things. Before Project Gia my idea of a feminist was someone who hated men and talked down on them, and to be honest just a crazy woman. It took me 22 years to find out what it meant and to realize I, someone who does not see a man as any less than myself, am also a feminist. Living on the north side of town, literally maybe a 10 minute walk to Lodi there was so much of Stockton that I was missing. I had not gone to see a movie in downtown Stockton in maybe 10 years, in fact I could probably count the times on my hand I had gone south of UOP last year. If you are anything like me, which I know there are a lot of you, there is SO MUCH you are missing! I know what we see on the media is terrible and it’s scary, but you can make a difference. Instead of writing about how bad Stockton is on your Facebook wall, get involved.

Project Gia is vital to Stockton. There is no organization in this city like it. The next generation is so important for the future of not only our city, but our world. Young girls today face SO many issues many of us never had to face with cell phones, social media, pressure to look a certain way, etc. They need positive role models like myself and the women of Project Gia to be part of their village. To encourage them, to teach them, to show them that nothing in this world can stop them. In just the few short months I have been a part of Project Gia, my life has completely changed. All of our lives have changed, and we are ready to change the lives of others. I feel so fortunate to be a part of such an amazing organization, the future of PG is so bright!

To find out more information on Sabrena or Project Gia, please email sabrena@projectgia.com .

Meet Our Board! DAY 1: Mariah

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Over the next three weeks, you will learn about all four of our executive board members and the nine junior board members. Our series begins with our Executive Director and founder, Mariah Looney. 

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Hello everyone!

My name is Mariah, and I am the executive director and founder of Project Gia. I am a 24-year old Stocktonian who works in marketing by day and tries to change the world with my #PGFam the rest of the time. I’m also a business student at San Joaquin Delta College. I’m the mother to two cats, Lothario and Cake, and one dog, Jellybean. When I have free time, I love to spend time with my partner and best friends, especially my amazing niece Kairi! Music is my favorite form of art and I have at least one song for every occasion. Marketing and branding is my passion and I love that I get to incorporate that into Project Gia.

I pride myself on being an open book and I feel that telling my story is important. In October 2015, I had a long talk with a friend about how Stockton didn’t really have any one place that local young girls could go for resources, like mental health awareness or body positivity, which was easily accessible. Although we planned on starting some sort of girl’s coalition, life got in the way.  Not long after that talk, in November 2015, I lost the most important person in my life and my number one supporter: my mom. While stumbling around the various stages of grief on a sleepless night in January, I remembered that talk that I had with my friend in Starbucks and I knew that it was a sign. This is how Project Gia was born. The same night, I bought the domain, started the Facebook page, invited a bunch of friends to “like” the page and then it kind of took off! Our accomplishments thus far are limited, but our future is extremely bright. So many brilliant minds have come together to help shape Project Gia into what it is today. Our goal is to reach every girl who needs it and to be the organization that we needed when we were younger.

I love my city and my community; it’s what has kept my passion for Project Gia alive. I hope that this brings a little bit of transparency when it comes to our organization. I love each and every person who has supported our dream thus far; 2017 will be our year and we are beyond excited.

xoxo, Mariah

To find out more information on Mariah or Project Gia, please email mariah@projectgia.com .