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Community Service & Action

Student: Elaniz Mojica

CSA Story Header for Elaniz Mojica; a headshot image on a maroon and gold background

Elaniz Mojica
She/her

Youth Project Coordinator, Centro Romero

Elaniz has worked at Centro Romero (a Loyola4Chicago partner site) for 5 years. She first started as a part time Youth Worker. She then moved to Lead Community Navigator and Youth Worker and eventually moved up to Youth Project Coordinator. She holds an Associates Degree.

Where are you from?
I was born and raised in Chicago.

What do you like to do in your free time?
In my free time I love working on my art whether its painting, drawing, or beading earrings. I also enjoy being with my cat or attending to my plants.

Why do you engage in the community?
I understand that I have a privilege being here in the USA and having family here that can help me, but others do not have the same privilege. Some people come here with only the clothes on their backs. They do not know the language, the people, or have any resources. For that reason, I want to help the community become self-sufficient.

What is your favorite thing about the work you do?
I love many things about the work I do but one of my favorites would be when we have a city key event or a TPS workshop. Both days can be hectic and stressful because of the amount of people we help, but at the end we are able to reflect on what went well and what we need to improve on.

In the spirit of Sr. Jean and her belief in the goodness of people, where have you seen the goodness of others in your community engagement experiences?
I see the goodness everywhere whether it’s with the youth, our volunteers or with the community we are helping. When I think of the goodness in people I think about the interactions I see with our Loyola volunteers and the youth who are new arrivals. Although the volunteers might not speak Spanish, they make it a point to form a connection between them and the student. 

What advice would you give to an incoming college student at Loyola?
Always work your hardest and put pride into your work, it makes you unforgettable. 

What is your favorite place in Rogers Park/Edgewater/Chicago?
My favorite place in Edgewater is the lake. I love walking to the lake at night when the moons position is close to earth because you get to watch massive waves. In general, I would say my favorite place in Chicago would be Chinatown because there’s a variety of things you can do there.