Meet our Summer ‘25 Interns!
This Summer, Kapwa Kultural Center is collaborating with Youth Empowerment, Entrepreneurship, and Employment of San Mateo (YEEE!) in its third year running their summer youth workforce development program.
YEEE! and KKC’s mission is to prepare young adults in three areas: empowerment, early learning, and employment. Through this program we equip participants with the knowledge, skills, resources, and motivation to become the next socially and critically-conscious, justice-focused, action-oriented contributors in San Mateo County.
Our KKC Interns will participate in career development and wellness workshops, resume, cover letter, and portfolio building, and hands-on work-based learning at their internship sites—all-while getting to deepen their understanding of our culture and community.
This summer, we welcomed six exceptional young adults. Three will be assisting with our Kapwa Café’s operations, one will be assisting with administration tasks and vendor/event relations, and one is working on-site at Bread Basket Bakery, and one is working at Our Second Home Early Childhood Development!
Meet our 2025 Summer Interns…
Isabella
Meet our KKC Café boba barista Isabella! She is a 20 year old Filipina studying Theatre and Ethnic Studies at Lewis & Clark College in Portland Oregon. In her free time, she loves climbing, collaging, going on nature walks, and being out in the sun. In the future, Isabella hopes to use art and storytelling as a way to share culture and host important conversations about difficult topics.
“I joined KKC last year and appreciated its emphasis on mental health among the Filipino community, as that's something that is typically not discussed. Through this experience, I hope to explore the diverse ways individuals and cultures nurture healing and well-being.”
Something she has learned so far is how to make the yummy boba drinks at the Café!
Ken
Ken is also a boba barista at our Café! He is 21 years old and an incoming transfer student at University of California, Berkeley. He was born and raised in the Philippines. And in 2016, he immigrated to the United States. In his free time, he likes to play sports, work out, drive around, and hang out with friends. Fun fact: he’s left handed! Ken hopes to work in academia as either a professor or an academic counselor, with the goal of supporting underrepresented youth in accessing and succeeding in higher education.
Ken joined Kapwa Kultural Center/YEEE!'s internship program because of his passion about education, youth empowerment, and community service.
“Being part of this program has already helped me gain knowledge on how to communicate more effectively and advocate for myself. Through this internship opportunity, I hope to educate myself further about critical leadership, professional development, and educational empowerment. I also aim to become a more conscious and active member of the community because, at the end of the day, what I’m doing is not just for me but also for those around me.”
Kiana
Meet Kiana, a boba barista at the KKC Café. She is a 19 years old African-American Filipina studying Political Science at California State University, Long Beach. As an African-American Filipina, she is deeply committed to serving and uplifting her community. That’s why she is especially grateful for the opportunity to work with KKC again, in a space that values cultural connection, empowerment, and wellness. Through this internship and KKC’s partnership with YEEE!, Kiana is looking forward to engaging in workshops that will help her explore new career paths and deepen her understanding of mental health awareness and advocacy, both for herself and for the communities she cares about.
“I joined the Kapwa Kultural Center/YEEE! internship program because it gives me the opportunity to stay connected to my community, especially while I'm away at college most of the year. I hope to deepen my connection to my culture, strengthen my understanding of mental health/wellness, especially in the workplace, and grow as a community leader through this experience.”
Jessica
Jessica is a 18 year old Filipina studying Psychology at the University of San Francisco this upcoming fall! She is working at Our Second Home Early Childhood Development this summer. She is in her 3rd year at the YEEE!/KKC program. In her free time, she loves basketball, reading, and all forms of art! Fun fact: Jessica was a 4-year varsity basketball player!
Jessica is most proud of her mental health advocacy. She has worked with programs of the Filipino Mental Health Initiative like Buong Loob and at Kapwa Kultural Center. She hopes to use these experiences to obtain a Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) certification and become a therapist or teacher!
“Through KKC, I hope to help others in anyway I can, yet also learn from those experiences to guide me towards my path in Psychology. With my time already at KKC, I’ve got to experience planning a wellness conference and meet so many people who have the same goal of aiding the Filipino community and their view on Mental Health.”
Leila
Meet Leila, an intern at Bread Basket Bakery! She is 18 years old studying pre-law at the University of California, Davis on a pre-law track. Her experience at the bakery has been really fun for her, as a Filipina being able to curate classic Filipino pastries. Her hobbies include sewing, snowboarding, and painting. I plan to become a lawyer and give back to my community!
Leila joined this internship program to grow more knowledge on other areas of the work industry, aside from her main career interests. She hopes to use my new baking skills and strengthen customer service skills for the future.
“One thing I learned from the program was the importance of consistently tending to mental health, since everything in life follows after one’s health.”
Arie
Meet Arie! She will be assisting with KKC’s event and vendor relations and administration tasks. She is a 19 year old Filipina studying Managerial Economics and pursuing minors in Accounting and Technology Management at the University of California, Davis. In her free time, she loves spending time with her friends and family. Being a big foodie, she especially loves going out to try new food places! She hopes to tackle a business/accounting career in the public sector.
With a clear passion in helping out her community and with prior experience working with local nonprofit organizations, Arie joined the Kapwa Kultural Center/YEEE!'s internship program to further help out her Filipino/a/x community. Through this program, she hopes to further her career development and see Kapwa’s events thrive.
Fun Fact: Matcha Buko Pandan is her favorite drink at the Café!
“So far, the mental health and wellness workshops us interns have attended so far have been so insightful and beneficial to learning how to take care of myself.”