Elsa Salgado

Being a first generation student while coming from a low income household, I was exposed to the need for affordable housing at a young age. My family and I would consistently move around, live cooped up with others, and rent smaller spaces in order to afford a living within the high rents of Silicon Valley.

 

Through my college experience I also discovered the large social issue of Student Homelessness. When I joined the Student Homeless Alliance of San Jose State, I met with students who were living in their car, spending long nights in the campus library, and couch surfing. I knew there needed to be change so as an organization we focused towards spreading awareness about the housing crisis in our community, informing students about internal and external basic needs resources, and collaborating with the SJSU administration to help bring further support to our students with emergency housing, grants, and counseling. From this involvement, I was directed to apply to the BAHIP internship program.

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My experience within the BAHIP internship has encouraged me to dedicate my career to community involvement and bringing opportunities to groups of people who have lived with limited resources. I believe housing is a right and it shouldn't be treated as a privilege by our society. Housing needs to be accessible for every family of any socioeconomic status rather than being reserved only for those wealthy enough to afford it. In this internship I was given the opportunity to be placed at Alta Housing. Alta Housing shares the same values I am looking for in a career. I deeply align with Alta’s mission of creating stronger, more diverse communities by providing and maintaining high quality affordable housing where individuals and families thrive.

 

Through my experience and dedication in community advocacy and in Alta Housing, I hope to use my role towards building strong foundations within the community, my colleagues, and others by working for the common goal in making housing a human right for all.