Featured Citizen Philanthropist: Coral Zayas

by Brett Walling

Wednesday September 23, 2009 at 4:03pm, EST

Meet Coral Zayas, a photographer and Americorps VISTA at the Northern Arizona University Educational Support Services Program. Through 1Well, Coral partnered with Subtanjalla District in Ica, Peru, to fund equipment necessary to complete a multipurpose classroom for the Centro de Atención Externa (Youth Outreach Center).  Coral has combined her photographic skills with her passion for social justice to raise $1,200 by selling her original photography prints. By completing her project, Coral will provide 50 at-risk children with a classroom for tutoring, studying, and after-school activities in addition to parent and community development workshops. Read more.

With an academic background in International Studies and a passion for volunteerism, Coral has applied herself to a number of social advocacy programs. After attending a Clinton Global Initiative University meeting, she began to focus on poverty eradication through education and made a commitment to take action by building schools in rural parts of Latin America. Coral learned about 1Well’s work through Twitter, and jumped at the chance to make a significant impact. “I follow organizations and individuals that do work I truly believe in and I was inspired by 1Well’s creative approach through their citizen philanthropist program.”

Coral will be working with her local arts community in Flagstaff, Arizona to fundraise to equip a classroom for at-risk children in Subtanjalla, and hopes to use space in the monthly art walks or local art studios to display and sell her photography.  “I really enjoy photography as a hobby,” she states, “and have at times considered having my own website and small business, but I really never wanted the profits. I wanted to give back in some way from those profits. This project has been a fantastic combination that is allowing me to use my photography to fundraise for the Subtanjalla District CAE Classroom.”

Learn more about Coral’s project, and support her goal of providing the Subtanjalla community with an encouraging environment for students to pursue their academic studies.

Interested in becoming a 1Well Citizen Philanthropist? Get involved! Like Coral, you can make a positive impact on Subtanjalla District through funding much needed facilities.  Become a 1Well Citizen Philanthropist and provide 50 children, ages 4-16, with hot nutritious meals through the funding of the Centro de Atención Externa Cafeteria (Youth Outreach Center Cafeteria).  Start by picking your own project here.