John Holemans

An interview with John Holemans was conducted on April 30, 2021, in New York, NY, by Ines Anous for the Becoming the Change Interview Project.

John Holemans is an Accelerated Studies in the Associate Programs (ASAP) student at Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) studying accounting. John has been on the road for most of his life. Through his constant travels, John opened his eyes to new possibilities of ways of living. In this interview, John challenges the dominant western culture of individualism and invites us to practice more empathy. Watch John’s interview to hear his reflection on the current economical system and its possible alternatives.

Jose Huete

An interview with Jose Huete was conducted on June 03, 2021, in New York, NY, by Ines Anous for the Becoming the Change Interview Project.

Jose Huete is a former student in the Accelerated Study in the Associate Programs (ASAP) at the Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC). He is a Biology Tutor for ASAP, helping students reach their dreams. Jose is graduating with a degree in nursing from Hunter College in Spring 2021. Jose is a proud Honduran who is determined to become a certified nurse despite the high cost of school tuition for international students like him. In this interview, Jose reflects on the shortcomings of the entry tests to nursing programs and how and why these tests should be adjusted to give credit to students’ social-emotional skills in addition to the current focus on academic content knowledge.

John Holemans

My name is John Holemans and I grew up in Belgium. Being the eldest of four siblings and the Chief of the Boy Scouts in my native country, I came to appreciate collectivism rather than individualism. At a young age, I traveled to many countries in Central and Eastern Europe, and South Asia. My fascination with other cultures and conversations with people from these cultures have contributed significantly to my outlook and intellectual growth. My major at Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) is accounting, though recently, I have discovered a new passion for statistics and reconnected with math. My dream is to become certified as an actuary.

I live by the motto…”I wake up with determination and finish my day satisfied.”

Interviewee

Jose F. Huete Montoya

My name is Jose Francisco Huete. I came from Honduras to the United States in January 2017 to pursue an associate degree in science for health professions. I always knew I wanted to be in the medical field but I didn’t know at the moment what my calling as a professional would be. Once I took my first anatomy and physiology classes at Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC), I fell in love with biology and medicine. I then realized, thanks to my professors and classmates, that I wanted to become a nurse.

I transferred after two years to Hunter College and fought really hard to enter the Nursing Program at Hunter Bellevue School of Nursing. This upcoming semester, Fall 2021, will be my first semester as a senior nursing student and I am planning to graduate in Spring 2022.

Besides my passion for biology, I love to watch movies and play video games. When I am not doing my homework, I like to go out for walks or play poker with my friends.

Interviewee

Camille Neves

My name is Camille Neves (she/her). I was born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. I moved to New York City almost four years ago. I am a multimedia programming and design student. My main passion is design and besides that, I also enjoy to paint, draw, and sculpt. I hope to spread empathy through design and art.

Interviewee

Stephany A. Pineda Cardoso

I am nineteen years old and originally from Mexico. As a brown undocumented immigrant, I have overcome language, culture, and identity barriers. I received my communication studies associate degree from Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC), where I discovered my passion for social justice. I want to continue studying human behavior, and experience, and intersectionality while also pursuing my love for writing, music, and dancing.

In my spare time, I work on creative projects and help my community through Zoom workshops. I believe that through education we could pave the way to better understand each other.

Interviewee

Aniqa Mannaf

An interview with Aniqa Mannaf was conducted on March 2, 2021, in New York, NY, by Wesley Sanders for the Becoming the Change Interview Project.

Aniqa Mannaf is a former Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) student who currently studies at Lehman College, where she is pursuing her Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry. Aniqa is a Chemistry Tutor as a part of the Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP). Aniqa was born and raised in Bangladesh and moved to New York City after graduating high school. In this interview, Aniqa reflects on the need for gender reform and the disparity between the way men and women are treated in Bangladesh when it comes to equal rights.

Camille Neves

An interview with Camille Neves was conducted on April 27, 2021, in New York, NY, by Ines Anous for the Becoming the Change Interview Project.

Camille Neves is a student in the Accelerated Studies in Associate Programs (ASAP) at Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC), where she studies multimedia programming and design. Camille loves to express herself through the arts and her preferred mediums are painting and sculpture. In this interview, Camille reflects on her life in New York City as a Latina from Brazil and discusses ways in which the arts can be applied to advocacy.

Khamit Orumbaev

An interview with Khamit Orumbaev was conducted on April 20, 2021, in New York, NY, by Opeoluwa Olaniyan for the Becoming the Change Interview Project.

Khamit is a tutor for the Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) and at the Math Lab, and provides support with all math and physics classes taught at Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC). He is passionate about teaching and leaving a positive impact on the students. In this interview, Khamit discusses the importance of prioritizing the quality of human connections over money and other forms of material gains. He also reflects on the importance of improving our face-to-face interactions and communication in general so as to improve our personal lives, and also create a better world for everyone.

Stephany A. Pineda Cardoso

An interview with Stephany A. Pineda Cardoso was conducted on April 20, 2021, in New York, NY, by Ines Anous for the Becoming the Change Interview Project.

Stephany A. Pineda Cardoso was a student in the Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) at the Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) where she earned an associate degree in communication studies. Stephany is passionate about social justice and believes that education is a means towards creating equity. In this interview, Stephany is not afraid of being vulnerable and sharing painful experiences she endured in high school as an immigrant Latina in New York City. Watch this interview to hear her story and learn about the creative ways in which she helps her community.