Tasha

Newton

I was born in Fort Carson, Colorado. I grew up moving around Colorado, but my father settled in Castle Rock, Colorado. My father remarried and my new stepmother adopted me and my brother. My stepmother came from El Salvador. She had to sons. I attended elementary, middle school, and High school in Castle Rock. I worked part-time throughout most of my high school years and kept up an A average throughout school. I graduated and received three scholarships. I picked Metropolitan State College, at the time it was the cheapest college with a partial dorm. At the start of my college years, I wanted to be an artist but moved away from it once I felt I wouldn't be able to get a job with it quickly. While in school, I volunteered with the Regional Transportation District (RTD). I was Community Emergency Responder. I also volunteer with Goodwill. I mainly work with Career Panels and College Panels. In both these panels, I talk a lot about my college experience and share advice with students. I also worked multiple jobs during school so I could graduate with a low debt. One of my favorite jobs was with Journey Through Our Heritage. "JTOH is one of the nation's most innovative and unique multi-cultural educational programs. Sponsored by Metropolitan State University of Denver (MSU Denver) Department of Chicano/Chicana Studies and Department of Africana Studies, our program partners college peer mentors with local high school students. Our goal is to engage students in a year-long program that enhances the public school systems curriculum in the areas of African American, Native American Chicano/a, Mexicana/o, Mexican American and Latina/o Studies." In the middle of college I decided to seek out a criminal justice degree, I desired to become an officer. I wanted to help change the system towards a more progressive view and help those in need. I grew up very poor and my family needed free food meals for students. I grew up with being viewed differently and experience different kinds of discriminations. From that experience has fueled my desire to enter the justice system to protect people and be more understanding of those hardships since I have dealt with something similar. I also had my minor in digital media, I didn't want to shake my artist desire. I Graduated with a high average. I've sought out criminal justice jobs while working in the cleaning field. I came to ACC in hopes of getting associates to make me stand out more in the job market and work for the custodial department to reduce costs. I'm also a freelance artist, who deals in multiple different art mediums. I'm a proud Pagan and a Bi-Sexual. My most favorite things are to attend cultural events. I love observing and learning new things about cultures. Even as I'm at ACC, I'm studying Japanese. Sadly if you come up to me I won't be able to speak Spanish to you even though I'm an adopted by an El Salvadoran. Sadly the language never stuck, but I adore the culture I grew up in.