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Showing posts from April, 2019

Happiness Amongst the Rain

There is no doubt that winter quarter was filled with more rain than I thought I would see in Los Angeles. Amidst the stress of winter quarter, trudging across campus with wet socks and bundled in 4 different layers seemed to only make the quarter go by slower. However, on a Saturday leading into week 6, it seemed we may have reached a turning point. Myself and 3 other belles traveled through LA this sunny morning to a local elementary school. Upon arrival we were greeted by a volunteer coordinator who showed us to a beautiful garden full of a variety of plants and colorful signs. Along with the other volunteers, we spent the morning weeding and mulching garden beds as well as getting to know fellow volunteers. Despite our aching knees we laughed throughout the morning as we struggled to pull out large weeds. As the event came to a close, light rain began to fall from the sun-filled sky, making the morning all the more magical. Finally, volunteers were invited to join families of the e

Genuine Support

Coming to college, I knew I would be entering a phase of my life where I’d be learning from some of the best individuals in their field. However, I never would’ve expected the greatest lessons to come from the friends I surround myself with. For me, joining Belles began as a way to be involved in the community and make a local impact. I never expected a Philanthropy based organization to introduce me to a group of women who would be my greatest support system, mentors, and friends. The past year, I’ve tried to live my life following two mottos: 1) Be the person you needed when you were younger, and 2) Prioritize people over worries and material things. Belles is a constant reminder of these values. It continually impresses me how everyone in Belles devotes their time because they genuinely care about making a difference. Some of the greatest lessons I’ve learned in college have sparked from Belles events that morphed into deeper conversations. I can’t express how much I appreciate

Food Bank Fun

There are several amazing BBSA events throughout the year, but perhaps my favorite was BBSA Alumni Philanthropy Event. One rainy February morning, we ventured downtown to the Los Angeles Food Bank for the first ever all-belles philanthropy event. The LA Food Bank provides for those experiencing food insecurity, which is roughly 1.4 million Los Angeles County residents, many of whom are children, senior citizens, and families. BBSA is a philanthropic organization at heart, so it was great to have the opportunity to reflect upon our mission and have a hands-on experience with a direct impact on our community. During the day, we sorted over 18,000lbs of apples and oranges to be distributed to elementary schools in underserved neighborhoods so they would have fresh fruit in their lunches. There are several things we often take granted in our everyday lives, so it was impactful and humbling experience to participate in the Food Bank’s efforts to ensure LA County residents have the bas

A Beautiful Day in May

The drenched t-shirt after an epic water balloon toss turned water balloon fight, the smiles from completing an obstacle course, and the laughter of accidentally running when red-light is called instead of green-light highlight just a few special moments from PLAY Day. Bruin Belles Service Association annually hosts PLAY Day in collaboration with the Boys and Girls Club of East Los Angeles as well as UCLA Athletes. Approximately 100 kids come to UCLA for the event on a beautiful day each May. The excitement as the kids arrive and join their teams for the day is electric. Playing duck-duck-goose waiting for the rest of Team Pink last year, we bonded over our shared love of dogs, math, and carrots. We proceeded to play soccer, tug-of-war, sharks and minnows, and more throughout the course of the day with our teams comprised of Belles, UCLA Athletes, and kids from the Boys and Girls Club. I have been on the same team with some of the same kids for two years in a row, and I’m hoping that w