Hello! My name is Clarissa Cota and I’m the Executive Director of My Comunidad Foundation. I’m constantly amazed by all the wonderful things that have happened in my life since I started practicing yoga. At first, yoga provided me with physical healing from a lower back injury but I had no idea it would be so much more. Yoga has also been
Hello! My name is Clarissa Cota and I’m the Executive Director of My Comunidad Foundation. I’m constantly amazed by all the wonderful things that have happened in my life since I started practicing yoga. At first, yoga provided me with physical healing from a lower back injury but I had no idea it would be so much more. Yoga has also been a tool in managing my mental health.
I specifically have a passion for working with children of all ages, developmental stages, and diagnoses. For the past few years, I have had the privilege to merge my work with the special needs community, with my other passion, yoga! I have been working with children in many capacities for over 15 years. I received a B.S. in Psychology with an emphasis in Child Development in 2003 from California State University of Fullerton and in 2006, I earned my masters in Psychology from Pepperdine University. In 2016, I completed my 200 YTT, in 2017, I completed training with Yoga for the Special Child, and in 2022, I completed my 300 hr- YTT with Susana Barkataki. Over the past few years, I’ve continued to take yoga workshops and mentorship, and collectively with my experiences as a yoga student and instructor, I was inspired to create My Comunidad Foundation.
In the first few months of being a yoga student, I quickly discovered yoga studios were expensive and only located in certain communities. I signed up for ggroup-onsand new student deals to continue practicing yoga. When I had the privilege of becoming a yoga instructor yoga classes were free for me, which made it easier to practice regularly. Also, I found there was a lack of representation of BIPOC communities, children, the geriatric community, and the special needs community. I feel that yoga and wellness should be accessible to everyone to use as a tool in healing and managing their mental health. My Comunidad Foundation will be a space that opens its door to everyone wanting to practice yoga.
Bio coming soon :)
Hello, my name is Denise Velasquez and I am the Director of Human Resources at the UCLA School of Law. Prior to that I worked in the on the School’s Business and Finance team. I have worked at the Law School for 18 years now. In my current role, I supervise a team of three. Collectively we support a staff of 150 employees from three dif
Hello, my name is Denise Velasquez and I am the Director of Human Resources at the UCLA School of Law. Prior to that I worked in the on the School’s Business and Finance team. I have worked at the Law School for 18 years now. In my current role, I supervise a team of three. Collectively we support a staff of 150 employees from three different units and roughly 200 student employees at any given time. In my role I have made it a priority to champion Equity, Diversity and Inclusion initiatives at the School. Making sure everyone has a seat at the table and feels like they belong is incredibly important to me.
I am also an alumnus of UCLA. l graduated from with a Bachelor’s in History in 2005. I was born and raised in Bell Gardens, California. I graduated class of 1999 from Bell Gardens High School. I know intimately the need for mental health and wellness resources in the surrounding community. I am proud to now serve as the Secretary on the Board of Directors for My Comunidad a non-profit dedicated to doing just that.
My name is Alisa and I’m the treasurer at My Comunidad Foundation. I’ve always had a strong passion to better understand and work with underserved communities. Being part of My Comunidad gives me the opportunity to do this and to also be a part of something that will positively impact the community.
My education includes a Bachelor's deg
My name is Alisa and I’m the treasurer at My Comunidad Foundation. I’ve always had a strong passion to better understand and work with underserved communities. Being part of My Comunidad gives me the opportunity to do this and to also be a part of something that will positively impact the community.
My education includes a Bachelor's degree in American Studies from California State University, Fullerton (CSUF) as well as, a Master's degree in Urban Planning from the University of Southern California (USC). I also have my real estate and broker’s license and have been working in real estate for over 15 years. Additionally, I serve as a board consultant with the South Coast Air Quality Management.
I believe in creating opportunities and resources that will be equitable to BIPOC communities, which includes affordable housing and access to resources/tools that can help improve people’s lives. I’m honored and looking forward to serving in my role as the treasurer of My Comunidad Foundation.
Los Angeles based artist Lorean Bautista or “Miss L” as called by her students, comes from an artistic lineage. At a young age, she learned photography, taking after her grandfather who owned a photo studio in the Philippines. Surrounded by a family of artists, performers, and musicians, this environment enhanced her creative language.
Los Angeles based artist Lorean Bautista or “Miss L” as called by her students, comes from an artistic lineage. At a young age, she learned photography, taking after her grandfather who owned a photo studio in the Philippines. Surrounded by a family of artists, performers, and musicians, this environment enhanced her creative language.
In 2007, she spent 4 months in Europe studying how art shapes communities and tells the history of their people. Using travel as a tool for learning, she puts education at the forefront of her experiences and truly believes in the universal healing power of art.
She earned her BA in Studio Art from Cal State University Long Beach in 2011 and has been honing her skills for over 10 years. Currently the Communications Specialist for a local city, she has designed publications, and outdoor signage, and worked with local muralists for the Paramount Paints program. In these 7 years of public service, she has assisted small businesses and local organizations with promoting goods and services that enrich the community’s quality of life.
Miss L’s past work experience includes Curatorial Research for The Muckenthaler Cultural Center in Fullerton, Museum Education as a Docent at Muzeo in Anaheim, and a Certified Art Instructor for Art Innovators and Connect Studio Space. She is also an Arts4LA Fellow for Cultural Policy, a program designed to explore public art initiatives and community strategies.
She is excited to connect My Comunidad to their community through ethical marketing practices and community art projects.
“What is done in love is done well” - Vincent Van Gogh