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Harvard student cycling Seattle to LA 4 students

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Hello! My name is Juan Pablo, a former community college student, and I am so proud to announce I will be attending grad school at HARVARD!

On May 27, I began the incredible challenge cycling more than 1,000 miles by bicycle from Seattle, Washington, to Santa Monica, California, on to help fundraise money for community college students and the cost of attending grad school at Harvard!

It was the hardest physical challenge I’ve ever done in my entire life! But…

ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!

Check out the article the Los Angeles Times wrote about my incredible journey:

https://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/news/story/2021-06-15/orange-coast-college-alum-bikes-from-seattle-to-l-a-in-fundraising-quest-personal-challenge

50% OF ALL THE MONEY FUNDRAISED WILL BE DONATED directly to support Orange County / Los Angeles County community colleges and organizations supporting community college students/transfers! The other 50% will be used directly for the cost of attendance at Harvard which can be itemized here:

https://www.gse.harvard.edu/financialaid/tuition


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Due to Covid-19, community college students have had incredible drops in rates of attendance across the nation. Through no fault of their own, many community college students have had to choose families, full-time jobs, must provide care for loved ones, and face many challenges instead of continuing their education. I would know, having been a community college student myself! I want to help fundraise money so that these vulnerable students, with no fault of their own, have greater opportunities and support to finish community college and transfer to a 4 year university or complete a trade program. 

A little about me:

I am the second-ever in my family to graduate from high school. My family and I frankly grew up struggling financially my entire life. We did not have many opportunities and we grew up blue collar, working hard for every opportunity in my entire life. I learned at a very young age nothing would be given to me and that I would have to earn everything. It was through the example of my parents who immigrated here with nothing, who earned everything and who I am so proud will be US Citizens soon! Their amazing work ethic provided the example for me to develop a tremendous work ethic of my own. My first job was while in elementary school, helping move furniture and peoples homes to help support my family. Unfortunately, unlike many of my peers, my family did not have the resources for me to attend a 4-year university right out of high school, despite graduating in the top 2% of my high school class and a three sport student-athlete.

I did not care and never let that stop me. I was eternally grateful for the opportunity to be the first-ever in my family to attend college. I would go to Orange Coast Community College (GO PIRATES), where I worked part-time, while still being a full-time student, and a student-athlete on the football team. After 3 years of unrelenting hard work, I transferred to the school I had always dreamed of my entire life. The school I had said I would go to since I had that job in elementary school, and I was determined to not let anything stop me no matter my circumstances, and especially no matter how often I heard that my dream would never come true for someone like me. That school was UCLA. 

I would transfer to UCLA, where I realized education was so much more than just my personal savior. Education truly saved my life, and I knew I wanted to be an Educator and positively impact the lives of the next generation. I would become the first-ever in my family to graduate from college! I graduated from the #1 public university in the United States with two degrees, while working part-time, teaching, mentoring at-risk youth in DTLA, helping produce the nations largest student-only run music festival, and also playing for the UCLA Men's Rugby team. 

A few months after graduating in 2015, I got on the second flight of my life and moved to Spain for a year where I would help teach English, south of Barcelona in Catalunya. I could not believe a kid like me would finally get to see the world. I would return to Los Angeles in 2016 where I became a 6-8th middle school Spanish Teacher in central Los Angeles where I also was the football coach, boxing coach, taught cooking classes, organized community service opportunities, constantly pushed for exposure to attend college, and founded a Rugby team for students. 

In 2019, months before Covid-19 I was in nearly lethal motorcycle accident. A construction truck ran an intersection and struck me, destroying the motorcycle and ripping the ligaments in my knee. My knee was surgically repaired and I was greatly humbled re-learning how to walk through intense physical therapy, only to then have all my progress lost when the Covid-19 outbreak began. It has been not only a tremendous test of finances, but it has been a tremendous test of mind, body and soul. During that time I prepared, applied and worked incredibly hard to complete my grad school applications while recovering.

Having had a second chance once again in my life, I have worked my tail off to be able to physically recover and take on this massive physical challenge. I want other students to have increased support and opportunities, no matter how small or how large during these incredibly trying times. I want to help tip the scales in their favor to attend and complete their goals through community college. I want to demonstrate by example that no matter how difficult, challenging or negative the circumstances may be, they can change. They can improve. They can be whatever you want them to be and your dreams can be achieved. I want to give back and create pathways for future community college students to one day find greater opportunities. Never let anyone tell you otherwise. I am living proof you can go from community college to grad school at Harvard! With your support I will be able to continue to break barriers and continue my lifelong journey dedicated to greater education and opportunities for all!

Thank you in advance for your incredible support!!! Any amount large or small is appreciated and will make an incredible difference, thank you!!!

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Organizer

Juan Pablo Garces Ramirez
Organizer
Los Angeles, CA

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