Donate
On Demand
Donate

Human Relations Ambassador Program

The Human Relations Ambassadors Program (HRAP) is for young people who are looking to take the next step by turning their belief in equality and respect into action. HRAP is a place to meet young people from across OC to discuss ideas, develop a support network and reach out to others with the message of respect, understanding and social justice.

“HRAP could possibly have been the highlight of my year, I feel like I’ve learned so much from each meeting, the knowledge I’ve gained from HRAP is definitely something that will stay with me for years to come.”

Our Goal

Groundswell’s HRAP is a year-long program (September–May) for high school students in Greater Orange County who want to turn their passion for social equity, justice, and community into action. Participants connect with peers across OC, build social justice and human relations skills, learn from local organizations, and create campaigns for real change.

Applications now OPEN!

APPLY HERE

What is HRAP?

The Human Relations Ambassadors Program (HRAP) is a yearlong internship designed to provide advanced human relations training and skills to a diverse cross section of Orange County youths who are committed to diversity, inclusion, and social justice. Ambassadors further the mission of Groundswell by serving as youth representatives of the agency in their communities and at events as participants, presenters, or facilitators.

Our Goal

HRAP seeks to create a safe environment for students to attain the skills and knowledge in order to become leaders that can reach out to the diverse communities of OC as part of a larger human relations and social justice movement.

Program Components

Ambassadors meet bi-weekly to discuss human relations/social justice issues, gain leadership skills, develop workshops and community presentations. Ambassadors must not miss more than (5) meetings to graduate.

Ambassadors meet bi-weekly to discuss human relations/social justice issues, gain leadership skills, develop workshops and community presentations. Ambassadors must not miss more than (5) meetings to graduate.

Ambassadors are encouraged to find ways to bring the knowledge and skills attained in the program back to the Orange County community. Each year Ambassadors are trained to make presentations at local conferences, community meetings, schools and Groundswell events. These presentations help spread the mission of Groundswell of reducing intergroup tension and fostering mutual understanding in Orange County.

Upon completion of all the program requirements, Ambassadors receive certification of completion at a special graduation ceremony in May.

The internship runs September – May and we’ll meet Wednesday’s from 6-8pm at the Groundswell offices located at 1801 E. Edinger, Santa Ana, 92705. Dinner will be provided. Meeting dates are TBD

Applications are now OPEN for 2026-2027 year!

Questions? email [email protected] or [email protected]

Meet our 2025-2026 Graduating Ambassadors!

"Behind the Orange Curtain"

“Throughout our program, we have had the privilege to see how intelligent, insightful, and passionate our youth are. When deciding what we wanted to do for our culminating project, the youth aimed to bring their perspectives on issues of racism, ICE, and economic injustice to the community. This zine represents the voices of the youth of Orange County and their powerful commentary on the issues that are important to them. Seeing their ideas come to life in this zine has truly been inspiring. Every page is embedded with their honesty, creativity, and the care they have for their communities.

We hope this zine inspires others to uplift youth voices, engage in meaningful dialogue, and stand in solidarity with the next generation of changemakers. We are so grateful to have the opportunity to support our Human Relations Ambassadors, and cannot wait to see what they will do in the future!”

A Note from 25-26 Program Leads: Xol Aceytuno & Ignacio Guiterrez

Download Zine

Meet Our H.R.A.P. Youth Leaders '24-'25!

9

Aarav Putrevu

Bio
8

Adonai Yared

Bio
10

Alyesha Shah

Bio
26

Ajean (Chloe) Lee

Bio
11

Bella Ho

Bio
12

Cindy Zhou

Bio
13

Hailey Khetiya

Bio
14

Issie Bolton

Bio
15

Iyla Soumbasakis

Bio
26

Jacob Martinez

Bio
16

Jaydon Nguyen

Bio
17

Keira Kong

Bio
19

Kenneth Emlinger

Bio
18

Layla Alimadadian

Bio
21

Lynn Nguyen

Bio
20

Maddison Nguyen

Bio
26

Melissa Velado

Bio
22

Nikhil Sharma

Bio
23

Paige Hines

Bio
26

Pingrui (Jason) Yu

Bio
24

Rachel Nguyentu

Bio
1

Sailee Charlu

Bio
2

Seven Zenor

Bio
4

Sophia Dang

Bio
3

TV Ngo

Bio
5

Victoria De La Cruz

Bio
6

Vy Phu

Bio
7

Vy (Ny) Nguyen

Bio
9

Aarav Putrevu

(he/him)
Why H.R.A.P?

I am hoping to learn more about leadership, public speaking and relations. I love to cook and bake, I am a student in the culinary arts and hospitality conservatory.

8

Adonai Yared

(she/her)
Why H.R.A.P?

I am hoping that I can learn more about how to use my voice for subjects that matter to me! I love to dance! I like to cook!

10

Alyesha Shah

(she/her)
Why H.R.A.P?

I joined HRAP to be surrounded by a community making a change while broadening my perspective on critical issues. I love to coach volleyball, swim in the ocean, and spend quality time with my family.

26

Ajean (Chloe) Lee

(she/her)
Why H.R.A.P?

I am hoping to hear about different perspectives on issues and topics, and learn and acquire the skills needed to lead actions for social justice. My hobbies are dancing, singing, baking, and reading.

11

Bella Ho

(she/her)
Why H.R.A.P?

I joined HRAP to meet new friends, create a safe space, and learn more about social justice and community. In my free time I like playing games with my friends, editing, and making art!

12

Cindy Zhou

(she/her)
Why H.R.A.P?

I joined HRAP with a desire to create a more inclusive and welcoming environment in the community by promoting understanding and respect among diverse groups. Some fun facts about me are that I love Tiramisu mille cake, sleepy all the time, but alway stay really late to study.

13

Hailey Khetiya


Why H.R.A.P?

I joined HRAP to better understand restorative justice, learn how to become a better advocate in my community, and meet new people! I love the inclusive and safe community that has been fostered. In my free time, I love to bake, thrift, and go to dance workshops.

14

Issie Bolton

(they/them)
Why H.R.A.P?

I’m hoping to understand world wide problems that not everyone knows about, being able to expand my own interest and understanding in social issues would be a great key to utilize in the future (especially because law and psychology depend on human interaction/nature). I love building model kits, drawing, gaming, building things out of wood (I built large musical sets for about 2 years)!

15

Iyla Soumbasakis

(they/them)
Why H.R.A.P?

I joined HRAP to learn how to effectively communicate with others, create a safe space, meet/build with others who care about social justice, and become a more active member in my community. In my free time I love to birdwatch, songwrite, and crochet!

26

Jacob Martinez

(he/him)
Why H.R.A.P?

16

Jaydon Nguyen

(he/him)
Why H.R.A.P?

I am hoping to meet a diverse group of people and develop leadership and social justice skills to better my school and community. My hobbies and interests include thrifting, eating, houseplants, going to the gym, watching movies, and talking to friends.

17

Keira Kong

(she/her)
Why H.R.A.P?

I joined HRAP because I would like to brush up on my leadership and advocacy skills, learn how to better communicate with and understand people, and be able to enjoy a judgement-free space. Some fun facts about me are that I like drawing, going to the beach, and sea otters. And I love HRAP!

19

Kenneth Emlinger

(he/him)
Why H.R.A.P?

I would like to improve my leadership skills, improve my social skills, and gain some confidence in myself. That way, I can feel more comfortable with myself, and with others, and with sharing my thoughts and opinions! Some of my hobbies are writing, playing piano, singing, supporting others, and going on evening walks! I also love video games! Especially story based ones!

18

Layla Alimadadian

(she/her)
Why H.R.A.P?

I joined HRAP to gain more knowledge about the world! I love to play volleyball and I am starting a law internship soon!

21

Lynn Nguyen

(she/her)
Why H.R.A.P?

In HRAP, I am hoping to be more educated in issues in our world and figure out ways to improve or reduce these kinds of issues. As well as meeting new people and understanding their experiences, I would love to build my own personal characters from this program. I started getting into the hobby recently, but I enjoy ceramics and creating things with clay; it's fascinating how I can create anything through my creativity from clay! I think a fun fact about me is I love talking to new people and my energy expands when I am open to different energies.

20

Maddison Nguyen

(she/her)
Why H.R.A.P?

I joined HRAP to continue building my advocacy and leadership skills after being part of Bridges last year. I wanted to deepen my understanding of social justice and work alongside others passionate about creating a more inclusive community. HRAP fosters the perfect space to learn, collaborate, and make a meaningful impact. A few fun facts about me are that I love baking, exploring new cafes, and spending time with friends!

26

Melissa Velado

(she/her)
Why H.R.A.P?

I'm hoping to further broaden my education on social justice. I play soccer, I do nails, I like to help others, I love music in Spanish.

22

Nikhil Sharma

(he/him)
Why H.R.A.P?

I am hoping to learn more about the various different types of social injustices, and what role I can play in making the world a more just place. Playing video games, playing card games/ board games hanging out with friends and family, & watching tv shows/movies

23

Paige Hines

(she/her)
Why H.R.A.P?

I am hoping to grow as a student, leader, and person. It's important to me to learn the skills necessary to be a leader for our community to advocate for those who need it the most. Social issues really interest me, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to spread the message of equality and respect with Groundswell. I'm very excited for HRAP and look forward to learning and making a community impact!I love to write! I attend an arts school where I'm in the creative writing conservatory. My favorite forms of writing are either screenplays or short stories. I also love to garden, hike and explore nature. Social issues truly interest me, and I am currently an intern for Multiracial Americans of Southern California as well. I look forward to making a difference with Groundswell!

26

Pingrui (Jason) Yu

(he/him)
Why H.R.A.P?

I joined HRAP because I attended YLI over the summer and after another fun week-long orientation, I wanted to meet more people and learn more about different groups and OC history. I enjoy playing chess and working out, and I am glad to meet you all!

24

Rachel Nguyentu

(she/her)
Why H.R.A.P?

I joined HRAP to expand my knowledge on restorative justice and connect with like-minded individuals who also value inclusivity. HRAP was a fantastic chance to develop my collaboration and advocacy skills. Some fun facts about me is that I am addicted to thrifting, dyeing my hair, and embroidering!

1

Sailee Charlu

(she/her)
Why H.R.A.P?

I am hoping to gain leadership skills and tools to harness my passions, interests and talents to take action in my community on social issues in a method that youth can make an impact on! I'm hoping to connect with like minded individuals and put our power together to make a change. I really love to read historical mysteries, classical piano, watching musicals, watercolor painting and public speaking. I enjoy combining my interests and passions to give back to my community through service and activism. Fun facts about me are that I am very sarcastic and I love the outdoors, especially hiking and bouldering!

2

Seven Zenor

(he/him)
Why H.R.A.P?

I joined the Human Relations Ambassadors Program (HRAP) to expand my knowledge and learn new things about social justice, inclusivity, and leadership, and how to become a better advocate and leader for social justice in my community. HRAP also gave me the opportunity to connect with many friends and mentors in a safe and open space, and connect with myself better. Fun Facts about, I draw and write, I build Gundam models, and my favorite cuisine is yakiniku (Japanese BBQ) .

4

Sophia Dang

(she/her)
Why H.R.A.P?

I hope to better my understanding of current events that constantly continue to negatively and positively impact our world and communities! I also hope to meet new people who share the same interests and love for learning. I like to sing and dance hip hop and I’ve been doing both for about 3-4 years! I have three fish that are about 10 months old! I have a twin brother and live with him, my mom, my dad, and my grandma in Huntington Beach!

3

TV (Thien-Vi) Ngo

(she/her)
Why H.R.A.P?

I joined HRAP driven by a passion to understand my community better and discover meaningful ways to advocate for equity for all, but also allowing me to hear my peers' stories and unique perspectives. Engaging in heartfelt discussions about pressing issues and necessary topics has broadened my worldview and strengthened my commitment to fostering change. Something about me is that I love doing anything art-related and I’m a MAJOR cat enthusiast!

5

Victoria De La Cruz

(she/her/they)
Why H.R.A.P?

I joined the Human Relations Ambassadors Program (HRAP) to level up my skills in human relations, diversity, inclusion, and social justice. As an ambassador, I get to represent Groundswell in my community, events, and gain awesome skills that truly make a difference. It's such an amazing opportunity to be a leader and push for positive change. I have a passion for solving Sudoku puzzles and engaging in mathematical challenges for fun. Additionally, I enjoy watching Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

6

Vy Phu

(she/her)
Why H.R.A.P?

I am hoping to gain opportunities to further my education. I love reading novels and manga! A fun fact about me is I was born in Vietnam.

7

Vy (Ny) Nguyen

(they/she)
Why H.R.A.P?

I joined HRAP to connect with those who are willing to learn and share their knowledge alongside me. I wanted to have a place where I can speak freely with no judgement. A few fun facts about me are that I love Doraemon, drawing, and performing music! Also, I really enjoy interviews.