What makes someone a leader? Some may list traits like caring, brave, insightful or responsible. Janely Cardenas, one of our peer educators, is all of those things. Janely is the administrative coordinator for the CAPS peer education program. She is a dedicated individual in all her endeavors, including many organizations she participates in outside of CAPS. All of us at CAPS are proud to work with someone as inspiring as Janely and happy to share things about her with you all!
What do you do regularly to relieve stress?
I tend to always be stressed out, whether it’s from school, family, friends, extra curricular activities, or just my own inner funk; I constantly have to calm myself down. In order to relieve some of that stress, I like to do breathing exercises at ocean views on campus. I also like to journal and write down what has been on minding before I go to bed or if I have time in between classes. But, if I do end up having any extra time, I also like to go to the gym and run on the treadmill, then finish off with some yoga poses.
Tell us something you’re passionate about outside of school (clubs, hobbies, interests, volunteering, activities, etc.)
I am extremely passionate about social justice and fore coming social change. Within this advocation for social change, discussions about inaccessibility to mental health care services, the decolonization of everything, the tearing down of white supremacy, the dismantling of patriarchy, the understanding of collective well-being, and the brainstorming of how militant sisterhood can be achieved, fuel my spirit and overall existence. Aside from being a social change advocate, I love to write, take photos (of myself + others), dance cumbia, cloudy beaches, and spending time by myself (as well as with family, especially my mom).
If you could share one thing you would like your peers to know about CAPS, what would it be?
As a low-income Latina, I know that CAPS can be intimidating and even scary! But one thing that I’d like you all to know is that CAPS is here for all types of students! They are here to help, support, and assist you with different aspects of your life – not just academics! As a Peer Educator of CAPS, I am here to help you locate resources in order to make sure that your mental, physical, and emotional health are in great shape; but, I am also here to advocate for adequate representations of marginalized experiences and narratives. With that being said, I am not only a part of PEP to help reduce the stigma around mental health, but also to be a friend to you and be someone whom you can trust and rely on!