Chiquita A Ellerbe

I am from High Point, NC, where I was born and raised. I chose to join AmeriCorps because of the values it represented. I also was impressed by the many opportunities that were provided to serve in. This helps me with insight of how I can implement the opportunities for my non-profit for when I graduate. If possible, I’d like to serve another year to gather the most positive aspect that AmeriCorps can offer while serving. One year won’t allow me to grasp the majority of what I feel AmeriCorps can offer for their members. I am passionate about serving my community, whatever that may look like. I love serving and advocating for those who may need assistance and/or not sure how to advocate for themselves. I like spending my free time doing outdoor activities and traveling with my son and parents. I only have my father now since my mother passed in February 2022.

Jonathan Morales-Perez

I am from North Carolina, but my family is originally from Guatemala. I grew up in Burlington,
North Carolina. I chose to join AmeriCorps because an AmeriCorps member helped my family
and me years ago in many ways, and I want to give back by helping struggling families. After my
service term, I will continue helping my community with the skills and knowledge gained from
AmeriCorps. I will also pursue a degree in business administration. I’m very passionate about
the church as it keeps me in place and helps me go through many things. I spend my free time
mainly at the gym or with family and friends.

Belgis Mansour

I am originally from Sudan. I grew up in Khartoum. I chose AmeriCorps because it is the right place to gain skills and experiences that we cannot find elsewhere. With AmeriCorps, I can grow intellectually. I can reflect on the knowledge that I have gained from the services that I provide to everyone in the community who needs them. I plan to pursue graduate school after I am done serving with AmeriCorps. I am very passionate about learning new skills. I like to spend my free time with my family and friends.

Razaz Ahmed

I am a medical doctor from Sudan and a proud mother of two kids. I grew up in the Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia. Many immigrants face problems like employment opportunities, access to local
services, and cultural differences. They also need information and advice about health
education. I want to raise awareness of the importance of the role of immigrants and how they
can integrate into society. That is why I chose to join AmeriCorps. I love traveling; traveling is
amazing in many ways, such as a chance to do things I’ve never done before. I like to spend my
time with my family, reading and of course, traveling! After AmeriCorps, I would like to pursue a
career in community health.

Nuha Mohamed

I am from Sudan. I grew up in Khartoum. I chose AmeriCorps because I want to serve and help others to learn. I am passionate about teaching and learning. I like spending time with my family. I enjoy cooking big meals for my family during the holidays.

Manhel Ahmed

I am from Sudan. I grew up in a small town in Sudan called Shendi. I joined AmeriCorps
because I am interested in serving communities. By doing so, I hope to master new skills by
serving kids and youth from diverse cultures. I want to pursue a career in public health after
AmeriCorps. I am passionate about volunteering. I’ve interpreted for the immigrant and refugee
communities for the past five years. In helping to respond to COVID-19, I volunteered to
interpret for my community to help them understand what the virus is, what it does, and how to protect themselves and others from becoming infected and spreading it. In my free time, I like to
take photos of landscapes.

Patrick Hance

I’m from Lincolnton, North Carolina, and I grew up there my entire life until moving to the
Triangle about 5 years ago. I chose to join AmeriCorps because I believe strongly in the value of
service, and I chose to join ACCESS because I believe the kind of service that AmeriCorps
promotes is particularly valuable when doing coordination with immigrant and refugee
communities. I’m considering getting a master’s degree in public health. I’m passionate about
my family and friends and working with immigrant and refugee communities. I like to read, watch
movies, and play tennis.