Akira Cespedes Perez

Céspedes Pérez, Akira www.linkedin.com/in/akiracespedesperez

Akira is an assertive, intellectually curious young woman who relishes in helping and advocating for people, especially when it comes to their health. She was born in the Dominican Republic, raised in Puerto Rico, and moved to Massachusetts in 2006 to attend Hampshire College. After graduating from Hampshire in 2010 with a Bachelor of Arts in Medical Anthropology and Public Health, she moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma, as a 2010 Teach For America corps member providing bilingual education. In 2012 she moved to Minneapolis to pursue her joint degree in Law and Bioethics (JD/MA) at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. She spends most of her time industriously working with her students and peers, as well as sharing her passions for good food, good people, and discovering the world. Although she thrives on efficiency and maximizing productivity, she takes pleasure in living life one sunrise at a time.

University of Minnesota Law School
JD / MA in Bioethics Candidate, August 2012 - Present - Minneapolis, MN


 * 3M & Joint-Degree Program (JDP) Scholarship Recipient
 * Health Law Concentration

Hampshire College
Bachelor of Arts, May 2010 - Amherst, MA

Read about Hampshire's academic philosophy (including our policy of narrative evaluations instead of grades) and the Five College Consortium's Culture, Health, and Science Program. Explore Akira's Divisional Work at Hampshire.
 * Self-Designed Concentration: Medical Anthropology and Public Health
 * Senior Thesis: "License to Medicate: Clinical Trials, La Reforma, &amp; the Pursuit of Biopolitical Citizenship in Puerto Rico"
 * Five College Certificate on Culture, Health, and Science

Colegio San Antonio
Graduated 2006 - Río Piedras, PR


 * GPA: 97.43/100.00 (unweighted); 101.43/100.00 (weighted). Graduated 2nd out of 116.
 * Summa Cum Laude; National Honor Society member; Oratory League of Puerto Rico – Division A Poetry National Finalist; Grupo Cruz Roja (Red Cross Student Group); Drama Club - Senior Play 2006 Assistant Director; The National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS) member.

Graduate

 * 3M Scholarship Recipient; University of Minnesota Law School - For strong academic performance
 * Joint-Degree Program (JDP) Scholarship Recipient; University of Minnesota Center for Bioethics - For strong academic performance

Undergraduate
Check out Akira's Alumni Profile at hampshire.edu!
 * Non Satis Scire Scholar - Hampshire College Scholarship for Academic Excellence
 * Hampshire College's 2010 Ingenuity Award Recipient - For outstanding initiative that contributed positively to the college
 * Hampshire Fund Scholar - For academic, community, and campus accomplishments

High School

 * Tercer Honor (third highest high school cumulative GPA) of Graduated Class of 2006; Colegio San Antonio
 * Medalla del College Board 2006 (highest score on Puerto Rico's College Board Standardized Aptitude &amp; College Admission Test) for Colegio San Antonio
 * The College Board's Academic Merit Certificate (part of the top 100 scores from students in private &amp; parochial institutions)
 * Distinguished Student Medals for Biology AP, English AP, Spanish AP, History, Computer Science, and Community Service; Colegio San Antonio

Minnesota AIDS Project (MAP)
Minnesota Justice Foundation (MJF) Legal Clerk (June 2013 - Present) - Minneapolis, MN

Student Practice Certification Active since June, 2013.
 * Assist attorneys on legal advice clinics and providing legal services to HIV-positive individuals on legal issues that significantly impact their health (including, but not limited to: public benefits, estate planning, confidentiality, discrimination, debt, immigration, and employment).
 * Lead legal advice clinics for Spanish-speakers.
 * Research and report on relevant legal issues and update the information database.
 * Manage the client intake line and collaborate with the legal team, HIV case managers, and community advocates.

Fairview Alternative High School (Minnesota Justice Foundation)
Street Law Teacher (January 2013 - June 2013) - Roseville, MN


 * Coordinate lesson plan and street law program logistics with the high school's educators.
 * Teach fundamental legal rights, responsibilities, and resources to low-income, at-risk youth.

Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto
Asylum Law Project Clerk (January 2013) - Palo Alto, CA


 * Wrote cover letters, compiled submission paperwork, and prepared petitions for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and U-Visas.
 * Interviewed clients in preparation for their DACA petitions and familiarized them with the DACA process.
 * Translated for clients during immigration law counsel and assisted with CLSEPA's January DACA clinic.
 * Advocated for political refugees and undocumented immigrants that were seeking asylum in the US.

East Central High School (Teach For America)
High School (9th-12th grade) Language Development Teacher (August 2010 - July 2012) - Tulsa, OK 


 * Designed lessons &amp; curricula for low- and mid-language proficiency English Language Learners' (ELL) according to the WIDA Consortium standards; supported high-language proficiency ELLs' reading, writing, and speaking skills.
 * Tracked each students' language proficiency and learning growth to provide individualized unit and semester goals.
 * Acquired and assigned district funding for classroom and departmental resources (about $5,800 to date).
 * Negotiated &amp; implemented a more efficient, high impact program for East Central High School that matched ELL students with Language Arts courses tailored to their academic needs.

You can get a glimpse of Ms. Akira's classroom by watching this report (which starts at 0:45s) broadcasted by Teletul 51, our local Latino News Channel. You can also read about the Teach For America - Oklahoma corps or read the Hampshire College Career Options Resource Center's article interviewing Akira for a a take on some of the alumn's experiences in Teach For America.

Civil Liberties and Public Policy (CLPP) Program
Oklahoma Liaison (June 2010 - July 2012) - Tulsa, OK & Amherst, MA


 * Mentored youth programs & events embarking on social justice and reproductive health ventures.
 * Researched, aided, and chronicled reproductive freedom & social justice initiatives in Oklahoma & neighboring states.

To access some of CLPP's free resources, click here.

Senior Program Assistant (September 2006 - May 2010)  - Amherst, MA


 * Facilitated and delivered social justice, reproductive health, and political advocacy workshops.
 * Collaborated with directors to plan and develop community programs (internships, workshops, faculty panels).
 * Expanded outreach methods to publicize CLPP events: key people-to-people verbal communication, facebook, flyer design & circulation.
 * Updated and maintained donor and participant databases and manage office correspondence.
 * Selected as 2009 Student Conference Coordinator for the annual “From Abortion Rights to Social Justice: Building the Movement for Reproductive Freedom” National Conference (1,200+ attendees):
 * Spearheaded the CLPP Student Group and managed three of its five sub-committees.
 * Arrange 60+ conference workshops and events collaborating with local, national, and international organizations.
 * Engaged in radio, online, and personal interviews promoting the event.
 * Organized conference and sponsor merchandise and memorabilia.
 * Co-chaired Entertainment Committee (2008 “From Abortion Rights to Social Justice” Conference).
 * Organized the 2007, 2008, and 2010 “From Abortion Rights to Social Justice” Conference with CLPP Student Group.

For more information on how you can support CLPP click here. You can follow us on Facebook, Twitter, MySpace or Youtube!

Agua Fria High School (Teach For America)
9th Grade Success ELL Teacher (June 2010 - July 2010) - Teach For America's 2010 Summer Institute Program - Phoenix, AZ


 * Taught incoming 9th grade English Language Learners (ELL) grammar and literary devices.
 * Instructed and facilitated Word Study (word and sound chunking as well as word blending) to ELL students.
 * Developed and facilitated Academic Interventions, in which students received individualized and personal lessons based on their strengths and areas of growth.

San Miguel Medical Clinical Trials
Clinical Research Study Coordinator (Summer 2009)  - Trujillo Alto, PR


 * Recruited potential subjects &amp; familiarized them with clinical trial procedures.
 * Administered subjects' journals, logs, and treatment satisfaction questionnaires.
 * Managed study supplies and materials inventories &amp; regulated lab materials logistics.
 * Collaborated with numerous trials within over five national and international sponsors.
 * Trained in proper clinical trial conduct, including appropriate clinical practice and informed consent.

Institute of Women &amp; Ethnic Studies
Program Intern (Summer 2008)  - New Orleans, LA Internship Awarded through the Reproductive Rights Activist Service Corps (RRASC), partially funded by the Hampshire College Business Office Research Grant


 * Co-organized and composed notes for focus groups for the LA Statewide Youth of Color Taskforce on HIV/AIDS and presented our data to the New Orleans Office of Public Health.
 * Collaborated recruiting and training peer advocates for the Media Advocates for Prevention (MAP) program.
 * Promoted and assisted developing the “Red Tent Gathering” for women affected by Hurricane Katrina, 50+ attendees.
 * Developed &amp; introduced IWES's Sexual and Reproductive Health, Rights, and Justice Resource Database.

Featured Intern in CLPP's Fall 2008 Newsletter and Hampshire College's 2008 Annual Intern Dinner

MedMSO (Medical Management Services Organization), Inc.
Marketing Assistant &amp; System Trainer (June 2002-August 2006) - Trujillo Alto, PR


 * Trained clients (physicians, medical corporations, and their staff) to use e-MD's Electronic Medical Records Systems.
 * Distributed information (demos, CD's, brochures) and assisted presenting the software to prospective clients.
 * Assisted director organizing outreach and marketing events.
 * Managed client messages and correspondence.

San Miguel Medical
Front Desk Manager (September 2004-August 2006)  - Trujillo Alto, PR


 * Administered and maintained patient and health insurance databases.
 * Scheduled patient appointments and managed patient messages and requests.
 * Managed calls and correspondence (phone, fax, surface mail) for up to four physicians simultaneously.

Receptionist (December 2001-August 2004)


 * Scheduled patient appointments.
 * Administered calls and correspondence (phone, fax, surface mail) for up to four physicians simultaneously.

English Language Arts Tutoring
Tutor (November 2010 - July 2012) - East Central High School Entrepreneurship Magnet – Tulsa Public Schools, Tulsa, OK


 * Explained students' questions and clarify their misconceptions regarding topics within English Language Arts.
 * Coached students for college entrance exams.

Multicultural/ALANA Overnight
Overnight Host (November 2006-May 2010) - Hampshire College, Amherst, MA


 * Hosted for the college's prospective African, Latino, Asian/Pacific Islander &amp; Native American students.
 * Elucidated students’ questions and concerns regarding higher education at Hampshire College and elsewhere.

Day in the Lab
Program Coordinator &amp; Lab Workshop Leader (September 2006-January 2009) - Hampshire College, Amherst, MA


 * Managed over 50 college volunteers and coordinated logistics, schedules, and lab workshops for about 130 middle school students.
 * Facilitated communication between school teachers, middle school students, and college volunteers.
 * Designed and led natural and cognitive science lab workshops for youth ages 11-15.
 * Introduced outreach methods to further publicize the semi-annual event: facebook, listservs, word of mouth.
 * Translated workshop materials to Spanish.

If you are interested in supporting or contributing to the event, contact me (ac06@hampshire.edu) or Laurie Smith (lsmith@hampshire.edu)

Relay for Life
Fund Raiser &amp; Team Member (April 2005-February 2008) - American Cancer Society; Pioneer Valley &amp; Puerto Rico


 * Raised funds &amp; motivated community members to join our fund-raising team.
 * Introduced face painting stations for the event at the Pioneer Valley.

Make a Wish Foundation of Puerto Rico
Wish Granter (August 2002-May 2006)  - Puerto Rico


 * Assisted granting wishes for children with life-threatening medical conditions between the ages of 5 and 10.

To learn more about PR's Make a Wish chapter, click here

Graduate

 * Health Law & Bioethics Association, secretary, fall 2012-present
 * Latino Law Student Association, public relations representative, fall 2012-present
 * Women's Law Student Association, member, fall 2012-present
 * Asylum Law Project, volunteer, fall 2012-present

Undergraduate

 * Third Wave (Hampshire College's Feminist Group) member and former Chairperson, spring 2008 – spring 2010
 * SCI-Net (Students of Color and International Students Sciences Network) member, spring 2007 – spring 2010
 * Circus Folk Unite! (Circus Arts Performance Group) fire-eater and dance performer, fall 2006 – spring 2010
 * Raíces(Pan-Latino Student Group) member, fall 2006 – spring 2010

Skills

 * Fully bilingual (Spanish/English), oral and written
 * Exceptional leadership, organizing, troubleshooting, and communication skills; very detail oriented.
 * Assertive, accountable, dedicated, and outgoing; work well independently and as part of a team.
 * Proven ability to not only engage and work well with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures, but also balance groups' experiences and skills to create efficient and productive teams.
 * Trained in proper Clinical Trial conduct, including
 * Good Clinical Practice / International Conference on Harmonisation (ICH) Obligations of Sponsors, Monitors, and Investigators
 * Good Clinical Practices for New Product Investigations
 * Informed Consent


 * Proficient in Microsoft Office (Front Page, Publisher, Power Point, Word, and Excel).