Building Systems That Serve People First
Community work is where I test the same playbook I use in tech and real estate: clear problems, simple systems, and compounding impact. These initiatives blend lived experience, data, and practical tools to make opportunity easier to find.
Below are two live experiments in community building — one focused on higher-ed access for Latino students, and one focused on getting food resources in front of families who need them most.
Closing education gaps for first-gen Latino students
Alternative credits · mentorship · tech-enabled community
Degrees Sin Barreras is a community + tech initiative to help Latino students graduate faster and cheaper using alternative credit pathways, mentoring, and practical resources — so degrees feel possible, not out of reach. The platform combines a Discord community, Notion-based learning hub, and lightweight automations for onboarding, progress tracking, and outreach.
- Launched TikTok + Facebook campaigns to validate demand and reach first-gen students where they already are.
- Built a modular LMS in Notion with explainers on CLEP, Sophia, WGU, and credit-transfer strategies.
- Automated email onboarding and progress check-ins using MailerLite + Notion for a low-lift, scalable support loop.
Connecting Sarasota families to food — fast
SNAP changes · resource visibility · QR-driven outreach
When SNAP benefits began shifting for local families, I built the SRQ Food Bank Map — a public, mobile-friendly directory of food pantries, hot-meal sites, and support programs across Sarasota. The goal: reduce the “I don’t know where to go” friction to almost zero using maps, QR codes, and simple language instead of complex intake systems.
- Compiled and cleaned data for dozens of local food resources using Google My Maps, direct outreach, and manual verification.
- Designed QR-code flyers and social posts so one share or scan can route someone directly to nearby food options.
- Built a lightweight landing page to handle traffic, manage updates, and keep the map live even on low-budget hosting.