By Prita Chhabra. Seva, or selfless service, is a practice that asks us to serve without any expectation of outcome. Learn more about this South Asian practice from Prita Chhabra by watching the video above. Prita Chhabra (she/her) is the Site Director and an alum of Public Allies Central Florida. Read More
Category: Stories From the Network
This section houses interviews, stories, and art from the Public Allies network, including Allies, alumni, staff, partners, and donors.
“Calcipher’s Breakfast”: An Illustration
image description/ alt text: gradient text reads as, “calcipher” & “@n”. illustration of pilipinx version of Calcipher from Studio Ghibli’s animated film, ” Howl’s Moving Castle”. A gradient red-orange-yellow calcipher cooks 3 spams, 2 longanisa, & 2 eggs with a black cast iron on top of their head while eating 6 cinnamon sticks. By Read More
A Legacy of Leadership: Ramona and Elio
It all started with a flyer. In 2001, Ramona Ramos (she/her) (Public Allies Wisconsin ‘02), a mother of two with a love for community building and leadership, was introduced to Public Allies through a friend that recognized her passion, and that’s where this legacy begins. 15 years later, Ramona’s first son, Elio Garcia (he/him) (Public Read More
Building Community through Art: Melissa Dunmore
Melissa Dunmore (she/her) (Public Allies Arizona ‘12) has always been a writer. As a Brooklyn-born Boricua living in the Valley of the Sun, she has developed her keen artistic style to illustrate the lived experiences of marginalized communities and to shed light on social issues that are often overlooked. Her term of service with Public Read More
Activating your Full Potential: Yex Diaz
Listen here for Renee’s interview with Yexandra Diaz, New Haven Program Manager at Public Allies CT, an AmeriCorps program with Serve Connecticut! Public Allies is a national movement committed to advancing social justice and equity by engaging and activating the leadership capacities of all people. Public Allies Connecticut is a social justice organization committed to Read More
“The Pursuit of Happyness”: A Blog
By Helese Smauldon My name is Helese and I’m multi-passionate writer, performer and student currently in Brooklyn, NY. I vulnerably share about love, life, work and living with ADHD in various formats. Tap in to my work at https://about.me/helese. ﹋﹋﹋﹋﹋ (Yeah, I know, there’s no “Y” in Happiness.) But there is a “Why.” Like, “Why Read More
“Black…”: An Illustration Series
By Laylah Muhammad El In this assortment of works Laylah explores the Black Identity through soft visuals with a lot of soul. She is an artist from the East Coast who specializes in digital arts and media. As a Black Muslim, she finds it imperative to depict diverse people within her art. You can Read More
“Power and Control”: A Poem
By Colton Jonna Manley I am without my body, but a soul. How could they ever know, The fate that lays beneath my skin. It leaves me ill, trapped with its intent. For I know the plans they make for me, But I have created my own reality. A soul grown to a sun, Read More
Pulling the (Heart)Strings: Michaela and Prince
You know that saying, “Opposites Attract?” Well for Michaela Lacy (she/her) (Public Allies Wisconsin ‘20 & 21) and Prince Grayson (he/him) (Public Allies Wisconsin ‘20 & ‘21), that couldn’t be more true. As self-proclaimed extroverts and introverts, respectively, the duo never imagined themselves falling in love with one another and having Public Allies to thank Read More
Love Is All You Need: Marleisa and Anthony
It’s May 2009. Anthony Espinoza (he/him) (Public Allies Wisconsin ‘18) and Marleisa Quiles-Espinoza (she/her) (Public Allies Wisconsin ‘16 & ‘17) meet by serendipity, on a gloomy day in a backyard through mutual friends. Although they didn’t yet know it, teenage Tony and Lisa would soon learn, grow, and thrive together with Public Allies playing a Read More