Jesenia Arias was born and raised in the South Bronx and now works as the executive administrative assistant for Step Up for Better Living (Step Up). Her role involves managing the background of the organization alongside Executive Director Louis Rodriguez. Step Up is special to Jesenia because it serves her community and the organization’s mission aligns with her core values. She has been in some tough situations, including living in a shelter and relying on food pantries, and she wishes she had had a place like Step Up to help her through that period of her life. This personal experience enables Jesenia to understand both the receiving and giving sides of service, and she has many ideas for better assisting the community. Working for Step Up since September 2019 has given her the unique opportunity to produce a positive impact by letting the community members know that they are not alone and that services are available to help ease the pressures of living in New York. At the same time, her skills are critical in ensuring that the organization runs smoothly.