Past Facilitators
Betsy Aceves
Hi! My name is Betsy Aceves and I am honored to be a facilitator for the UCSC ART Initiative. I love this program so much because I have a passion for being of service within the Santa Cruz community. I am especially passionate about helping to create positive changes to empower women who face institutional and personal obstacles such as poverty, domestic violence and substance abuse. I am entering my senior year at UCSC this Fall 2013 and will graduate in the Spring with my degree in Legal Studies.
Daniela Garcia
Hola! My name is Daniela Garcia and I am a first year at University of California, Santa Cruz and my major is sociology. I have always been an individual with the passion to help people in need. Specifically people who do not have the resources or support to help them succeed or grow in life. The Art Initiative aims to help the individuals and community This is the reason why I joined Art Initiative is a great opportunity to help individuals through art expression. The Art Initiative is a dedicated group who works to help improve the lives of female inmates. I know that I will learn things about myself and the female inmates through the therapeutic art we do. I know that this program will only grow even more and more.
Lauren Parrino
Hi! My name is Lauren Parrino and I’m a junior at UCSC majoring in Sociology and Film Arts with a concentration in production practices. I am honored to be a facilitator for this extremely unique program, truly it is unlike any program I’ve volunteered with. I am particularly interested in understanding and solving the advantage and disadvantage gap in our society as well as dismantle media (mis)representation of stereotypes. I sincerely believe that art is a tool for empowerment and positive energy and should be made available to anyone who wishes to creatively express themselves.
Rion An
Hi! My name is Rion An and I’m currently a junior at UCSC pursuing a double major in Psychology and Art. I am especially interested in art therapy and am planning to pursue a career related to it, whether that be clinical work or for research purposes. I have always had an interest in getting to know and helping out the disadvantaged people in society especially after going on mission trips to various places around the world, including the impoverished places in Brazil. It was an eye opening experience and not only had the experience allowed me to grow as an individual but I realized that I really love getting involved in the community and getting to know the members of a community on a more intimate level. The women I have had the opportunity to meet and form relations with are all extremely creative and unique individuals who are passionate and dedicated to our program. It has been such a wonderful opportunity to gain more insight in the field of art therapy and most of all get involved in the community. I am very excited to see how our program will grow in new ways as the year progresses.
Lauren Wolcott
Hello, my name is Lauren Wolcott and I am a sophomore double major of Art and Psychology. I have always been interested in using art as therapy with people who do not have voices in society. I would like to work with foster care teens, teens in mental hospitals or LGBT homeless youth. Helping people express themselves through a safe medium of art is important for our society and the ART initive is making this possible and contributing to help those in need.