VOICES - Pasadena City College

Support for community-engaged learning at PCC

VOICES (Voices Opposing Injustice through Community-Engaged Scholarship) is guided by these core values: place-based responsibility, epistemic justice, co-creation, and collective care.

We support a spectrum of community-engaged learning activities, with an emphasis on community collaborations and course-based projects. We build and maintain authentic relationships with community organizations to imagine a future that embraces collective care and prioritizes justice and inclusion.

We support learning, professional development, and engagement opportunities for students, faculty, staff, and community partners.

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Contact

voicespcc@pasadena.edu

Examples of Voices Projects

Mujeres de la Tierra

Mujeres de la Tierra is an environmental non-profit dedicated to empowering historically underserved communities—especially low-income, immigrant, and communities of color—through culturally relevant programming that builds grassroots leadership and capacity. As part of this collaboration, students conducted interviews with women who are working to heal La Madre Tierra and create positive change in their communities. These stories highlight resilience, environmental stewardship, and community empowerment. The collected stories will be compiled into a book and shared with the community on Earth Day 2026.

The Audubon Center

The Audubon Center is an urban nature center located in Debs Park in Northeast Los Angeles. In addition to restoring habitat for birds and other wildlife at Debs Park and along the L.A. River, the Audubon Center’s deeper mission is to restore the connection between people and the land in Los Angeles. As part of an ongoing collaboration, students design and conduct field-based research that supports urban conservation and community engagement. Students have also developed interpretive materials to help connect the local community with the ecology of Debs Park. This hands-on research experience empowers students to apply scientific methods in real-world settings while contributing ecological data that supports the mission of the Audubon Center.

Los Angeles Conservancy

In partnership with the Los Angeles Conservancy, students help preserve the cultural and architectural heritage of the region by expanding the Legacy Business Initiative. Focusing on the San Gabriel Valley, students interview longtime business owners and create written profiles that celebrate each business’s history, community impact, and unique character. These stories are showcased on the LA Conservancy’s website, helping to raise public awareness and honor the businesses that shape the identity of Los Angeles County.

Council for Watershed Health (CWH)

The Council for Watershed Health (CWH) is all about protecting the lifelines of Los Angeles—our rivers, streams, and watersheds, making sure these vital ecosystems stay healthy and sustainable for generations to come. Students are carrying on that mission right in their local neighborhoods, stepping up as environmental stewards by tracking and documenting trash, collecting water samples, and analyzing microplastics in local waterways. The results of their work are shared publicly on the CWH website, Healthy Streams Can Start in Our Streets. It’s a powerful mix of local action and real-world science, proving that meaningful change can start right at home—with students, data, and a shared commitment to clean water.

Sycamores

Sycamores is a nonprofit rooted in the belief that everyone deserves a chance to heal and thrive. Through behavioral health care and vital support services, they help individuals and families—especially those from underserved communities—build resilience and find hope in even the most challenging circumstances. To support this mission, students are digging into real-world data, analyzing patterns and pinpointing the roadblocks that can make it harder for people to access care. By identifying key variables and bottlenecks in the admission process, students are helping Sycamores improve how they operate—from the first phone call to the moment someone gets the support they need, with the goal of making systems more responsive, more inclusive, and more human.

Hillsides

Students are collaborating with Hillsides, a nonprofit dedicated to helping children, youth, and families through trauma-informed care and behavioral health services. Through this partnership, students develop educational materials that support the communities Hillsides serves, helping to raise awareness and provide valuable resources. Additionally, students are researching and identifying potential employers with the goal of creating a pathway from internships to full-time employment for Hillsides clients, strengthening the connection between healing, education, and long-term career opportunities.

What Our Participants Say

“I wasn't expecting to do something like this, especially since it was my first ever college English class. I found it was a really amazing opportunity and refreshing. Instead of doing just essays, actually, we’re using what we're learning about writing and putting it into real life, doing something good with it.”

— Giselle De Jesus
Student

“I was really excited because I want to be a teacher, so when I heard that the project was to create a children's book, I was like, oh my, I have to do this. It will be so incredible for me to be able to apply what I have learned.”

— Tara Fox
Student

“I learned through hands-on field experience at the Audubon Center how crucial and vital every part of the city’s remnant wildlands is to the animals and plants that depend on them to survive and thrive, and that experience continues to propel me down a path where I can continue to contribute to this work in a meaningful way.”

— Jennifer Wang
Student

"This project taught me valuable information that I didn't know I needed. It was challenging yet kept me very entertained and I had so much fun working with my peers!"

— Alyssa Munakash
Student

"Partnering with PCC on this project went a long way in furthering our mission of connecting with the multitude of diverse communities in Los Angeles County, particularly in the San Gabriel Valley. One of the most surprising parts of this project was how involved many of the students became. It was very touching to hear their stories and really reminded the LA Conservancy staff that what we do is important to people."

— Alex Inshishian
Program Manager, Los Angeles Conservancy

“Collaborating with PCC students has provided us with insight into how we may improve organization workflow to increase access to mental health services. In addition, I enjoyed sharing my own personal journey from community college to holding a senior leadership role. I hoped to have inspired students and encouraged them to pursue their career aspirations.”

— Janine Quintero
Senior Vice President, Sycamores

"Community-based learning has completely reinvigorated my teaching. It’s been an absolute joy to witness students’ confidence and interest expand as the project has unfolded. I truly appreciate that community-based learning is focused on authentic partnership, mutual beneficiaries, and reflection."

— Kathy Kottaras
Faculty

“The best part of incorporating community-based learning is hearing my students feel empowered by the experience of connecting with the larger community. This was a great opportunity for students to showcase their existing skills and gave me the opportunity as an educator to get creative!”

— Frances Chaboya
Faculty

“Being part of this community-based learning project was one of the best teaching—and learning—experiences of my career. I felt like the ‘ah-ha’ moments just never stopped—experiencing the dynamic collaborations with our community partner, hearing the stories of the small business owners, and witnessing students build their confidence to use English in the real world and actively participate in their local communities.”

— Carolyn Corrie
Faculty

“Community-based learning provided an opportunity for students to make a meaningful connection between the fundamentals of physiology and social change at a local level. The best part of this project was teaching students how scientific knowledge and evidence can inform public policy and community initiatives.”

— Richard Lie
Faculty

“I invite us all to freedom dream about colleges and universities that foster reflection, joy, and healing.”

— Dr. Gina Ann Garcia