Tomorrow is First-Generation College Student Day! I am really excited to share what that means to me!
My name is Isabel Reyes, and I am the first in my family to attend college. I am currently a senior studying a double major in cinema and digital media studies plus Chicano studies at UC Davis.
🎓 The opportunity to pursue an education that was never an option for my parents
Navigating college as a first-gen student hasn’t always been easy but assistance from Making Waves has made the process so much easier and has given me the confidence to pursue my dreams.
Being the first in my family to attend college carries a lot of weight for me because I am the outcome of all my parents’ sacrifices. Their efforts and long hours gave me the opportunity to pursue an education that was never an option for them, as well as the opportunity to set an example for my younger sister.
🔎 Discovering my passion for creating, capturing, and storytelling
Choosing my major was not a clear choice initially, but I knew how much I valued creation and that persuaded my choices. I chose cinema and digital media with the intention to create and capture – a choice that would open my eyes to the importance of storytelling.
During my time in Davis, I have developed a passion for storytelling and representing the underrepresented, whether that be through photography of first-gen college graduates or making a documentary on how unhoused communities are overlooked in a college town.
My experiences are still growing, but I plan to serve our communities and contribute to accurate representation and be a voice for underrepresented communities.
I have had the privilege to be a part of the Content Creator and Storytelling Fellowship for Making Waves Education Foundation and it has been so rewarding to serve as a part of a foundation that aids our community so well. Through photography and video projects I’ve been able to capture real moments of running the foundation, share my own story, and document the stories of students and alumni as well.
This has been a real-world opportunity to grow my portfolio, my collaboration skills, and my network.
🎥 Excited to share my most recent video feature with you
I am extremely excited about my most recent project, a First-Generation Story Video highlighting Abril and Monse Rodriguez, two sisters, alumni of Making Waves Academy, and members of Making Waves’ college and career success program.
Through this project I have had the opportunity to hear both of their stories and continue to see their stories develop. I have such a deep connection with this project because there is something truly special in hearing fellow first-gen peers share their stories while also understanding aspects of it. Getting to produce and create a piece of raw experience is fulfilling.
This collaboration of sharing stories and trying to accurately convey their experiences is something that I take very seriously and I am glad to have this opportunity.
🌊 Meet Abril and Monse
⭐ So thankful to be a part of generational change
Getting to work with the Making Waves community is honestly a dream that I didn’t even realize that I had.
It didn’t really hit me that I was part of this sense of generation influence until I had a chance to take headshots at the career fair at Making Waves Academy this fall. I got to look back to when I was in their shoes as a high schooler and had this ambition of wanting to figure out my dreams. And even though aheadshot may capture only a moment in a long career, I have come to see it as a part of generational influence, recycling my success, and getting to play a small role in someone else’s story.
This has been a weird feeling but such an incredibly rewarding experience.
The opportunity to continue to gain experience, use my skills, tell the stories of students, and support resources for first-gen students is one that I am so thankful for. When you donate to Making Waves, you support students like us.
💙 Thank you for being a part of my story!
Isabel
Making Waves Academy ’22
UC Davis ’26
Will you donate to create pathways to opportunity?
