written by Alejandra Padilla
I recently had the opportunity to table at my alma mater, Hubbard High School. Walking through the same doors and hallways that I once did as a student brought back so many memories. But this time, I wasn’t returning as a student. I was there as a Program Coordinator at Taller de José, an organization I have been part of for five years.
Being back made me think about who I was as a student and the responsibilities I carried outside of school. As a teenager, I was already helping my parents with appointments, bills, paperwork, and other responsibilities that could feel overwhelming to navigate at a young age. I remember wishing there was somewhere we could go for help or someone who could help us understand how to navigate these different systems. At the time, I did not know that an agency like Taller de José was exactly what I was looking for.
That is what made standing at the TDJ table so meaningful. I walked those same hallways, while also trying to help my family navigate systems I was still learning to understand myself. Now, I was back representing an organization whose mission is to accompany people so they don’t have to navigate difficult systems and resources alone.
The experience also gave me a chance to reflect on my own journey at Taller de José. I started at TDJ while working toward my BSW, and today I am Program Coordinator while continuing my education by pursuing my MSW. Sometimes we focus so much on what comes next that we don’t stop to recognize how far we have come. Being back at Hubbard gave me one of those moments.
What made the experience even more special was knowing that I was coming back to the same community that helped shape me. I know there may be students at Hubbard today who are carrying responsibilities similar to the ones I carried at their age. They may be helping their parents make phone calls, understand paperwork, get to appointments, or figure out where to go for help. Sharing Taller de José with them felt personal because I know how much that kind of support would have meant to my family and me when I was younger.
Going back to Hubbard was more than just a tabling event for me. It reminded me of where I came from, how much I have grown, and why this work is so personal to me. I walked into those doors years ago as a student helping my family navigate systems without always knowing where to turn. This time, I walked back in as a Program Coordinator for an organization that helps families with those same types of challenges. It reminded me of where I came from, why this work is so personal to me, and why I continue to do what I do.