Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated each year between Sept. 15 and Oct. 15, honoring the culture, community and history of Hispanic/Latinx individuals. The School of Social Work’s Field Education Coordinator Jahahi Mazariego Contreras has been working at the ÍƼöÐÓ°ÉÔ´´ since 2017. Contreras started with the University as a social services coordinator providing support to students who were undocumented, students with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status and students in mixed-status families.
“I focus on the interconnected systems that influence social behavior and outcomes as a social worker,” Contreras said. “In my role as the social services coordinator, I had the unique opportunity to develop services that were not only for students but for their family members. I loved collaborating with families and witnessing how a student’s success is a shared achievement for everyone involved.”
Many Latinx students often bear the financial responsibility of their families, Contreras explained. “From covering basic needs or alleviating the financial strain caused by the cost of tuition, many students are at least in part financially responsible for their family members,” she said. “In my previous role, I was often involved in providing support to students’ families, allowing me to connect them with community resources that would alleviate financial responsibilities. I feel a deep sense of purpose when I am able to witness the resiliency of a student and their family.”
Through her work, Contreras was part of the team that helped centralize the services on campus to create what is now known as UndocuPack.
The UndocuPack program focuses on empowering students by providing them with resources and advocacy to give them a sense of community on campus. Programs have since opened at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, the College of Southern Nevada and Truckee Meadows Community College following the establishment of the program at the ÍƼöÐÓ°ÉÔ´´ as a model.
Contreras, a first-generation college student who earned her master’s degree in social work in 2020 at the ÍƼöÐÓ°ÉÔ´´, now works with over 300 students in Reno and all over the United States to help them find practicums in social work in her role as the field education coordinator.
Contreras plans to attend events celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month on campus. She says the events help support the community and she would like to increase conversations of Central and South Americans during the heritage month.
“In the United States, Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month has historically only highlighted cultural traditions relating specifically to Mexico, and oftentimes people’s traditions and customs from Central America and South America are not reflected in topics of conversation,” Contreras said.
“Each community has its own unique celebrations, histories, cultural norms and even accents. While it can be challenging to honor every community, I believe the first step toward greater inclusivity during this month is to challenge the notion that we all share the same experiences.”
Contreras is passionate about her work at the University due to her personal connection with immigration.
“Like many students existing within the Latinx diaspora, my connection to immigration is through my immigrant parents and family members,” Contreras said. “My parents migrated to the U.S. due to the Salvadoran Civil War and although they had the opportunity to become U.S. citizens, not everyone in my family had that ability to remain in the U.S. I witnessed the deportation and self-deportations of close family and/or childhood friends, which inspired me to become a social worker.”
Through her own experiences, she’s been able to help so many others.
“My connection to immigration and the challenges my family has faced have significantly shaped my advocacy for inclusive policies and programs on campus,” she said. “I am committed to supporting not just students but also their families. The Latinx community is interconnected, so one student's success is a success for us all, even if our cultural celebrations differ.”
Contreras feels passionate about creating a more welcoming environment for students today by helping create a real sense of belonging on campus.
“I felt minoritized for the first time in my life when I got to college,” Contreras said. “I grew up in a very Latino community, so I never felt like I was part of a minority. Having events like these hosted on campus is enough to make me feel welcomed and seen in an institution where the majority of students may not primarily look like me or my parents.”
Contreras is dedicated to using her unique skills and passions to help create a better, more inclusive life for others. She compassionately acknowledges our differences and the enriching respect that comes from understanding others' points of view and perspectives. Because of this and so many other qualities she possesses, Contreras embodies The Wolf Pack Way.
A series of events celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month commenced on Sept. 16, one day after the Hispanic Heritage Month began, and will continue past the official end of Hispanic Heritage Month (Oct. 15) to Dec. 2. More information regarding these events and about resources on campus can be found on The Center and the Latino Research Center’s websites and in the Hispanic Heritage Month article on Nevada Today.
