Get to know three Ginsberg Center students and the inspiring work they’re doing. Through their time with Ginsberg, their interests and passions have fueled meaningful action in our local communities.
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Adeli Block:
Q: Tell us about your work with the Ginsberg Center and what you have learned about community engagement so far.
A: I have worked with the Ginsberg Center in three capacities. First, I am an Engaged Learning Graduate Consultant so I facilitate workshops across campus to educate students about ethical and sustainable partnerships in community-engaged work. Second, I am the Special Events Coordinator, where I work closely with Neeraja, the Center’s Director, to organize engaging and inclusive center-wide events after we’ve moved into our new building, affectionately called ‘the BERG’ (Edward and Rosalie Ginsberg Building). Third, I was a participant in the Community Engaged Course Design Workshop, where I learned theories and practices in critical service learning and developed a syllabus. These different experiences have made me deepen my community engagement praxis through different roles: as a facilitator, administrator, and as a teacher-scholar, equipping me with the skills and knowledge to manage competing priorities, timelines, and interests with compassion, care, and cultural humility.
My own research is based on deep sustained relationships with two Amazigh communities in Morocco where I conduct ethnographic and sociolinguistic research with children, teachers, and families, after Tamazight, the Indigenous language, has been officialized. Throughout my time I’ve worked with collaborators on various projects to valorize children’s speaking and written practices and shed light on linguistic and cultural discrimination in Morocco.
I am so honored to have gotten to work at the Ginsberg Center in these different ways and regret that I didn’t know about Ginsberg until my 5th year of my PhD! Ginsberg continues to be a source of community building, critical reflexive practice, and FUN in my life as I get myself to the finish line of this degree. I am so grateful to have such affirming and warm colleagues and hope to have a future job that mirrors such a wonderfully inclusive and thoughtful workspace.
Sylvia Rodriguez:
Q: Are there any skills or knowledge you are hoping to gain throughout your time as a Community Leadership Fellow?
A: Through participating in the Community Leadership Fellowship, I hope to broaden my horizons by working within dynamic organizations and, more importantly, refocus my efforts on community-centered work.
During my first two years at Michigan, I engaged in diverse areas of leadership, including the Latine community, housing advocacy, alumni engagement, and leadership development. Upon being placed with NEW (Nonprofit Enterprise at Work), I was elated. I felt that the Ginsberg Center staff took great care in matching my experiences and interests with a partner that aligns with my passions while helping me develop new skills. I am consistently inspired by NEW’s dedication to empowering nonprofits across Washtenaw and Wayne Counties. Their strong emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion particularly excites me. Through this fellowship, I hope to learn from the NEW staff, build meaningful connections with professionals and Learning Community participants, and gain a deeper understanding of how NEW fosters a positive organizational culture that inspires its employees and clients while creating a ripple effect across the organizations it supports.
Q: How will this create a positive impact in your community?
A: My involvement in this fellowship will empower me to become a better person, friend, student, and future attorney. I aspire to work in public interest, a field that is often underpaid and overworked, yet deeply meaningful to me because of the impact it creates. I have always cared about building support networks, fostering mentorship, and being a positive light in others’ lives. While the goal of becoming an attorney may seem distant now, as a third-year undergraduate student, I know it is attainable through opportunities and resources like those provided by the Ginsberg Center and other campus partners. Engaging with the community through experiences like this helps me visualize myself as a future leader and strengthens my confidence that I will be successful, whether I pursue law, policy, or another field. The world is vast, and while many of our challenges may feel individual, I have learned that we can go much further together. Working within the community reminds me of the power we hold when we collaborate toward a common purpose. To me, the purest form of love is dedicating yourself to the environment you occupy. As an immigrant and Miami native, Ann Arbor has felt both different and familiar in its own way. In Miami, I discovered my passion for nonprofits through organizations that empowered me as a high school student. Through the Community Leadership Fellowship, I am finding new ways to give back to the community that has shaped me over the past two years while continuing to learn and grow every day and make Ann Arbor better than I found it.
Brenda Garcia:
Q: What past experiences have shaped your understanding of community needs?
A: Growing up in an immigrant household, I was often the one helping my family and neighbors with translations, school forms, and navigating systems that weren’t built for us. It showed me early on how unfair things can be, and how much a little help or guidance can mean. Later, through volunteering and mentoring, I saw that same impact again, small acts of support can create big change.
Q: What motivated you to join Community Leadership Fellows?
A: As a first-generation Latina, I’ve seen how much representation, access, and community support can change lives. I joined Community Leadership Fellows because I want to keep building those bridges for others, especially for communities that are often overlooked. I also want my nieces and nephews to see that we belong in these spaces too, no matter the stereotypes placed on us. This fellowship is a space to grow, learn, and give back in a way that honors where I come from.