Stephanie 
Ma

I was born and raised by my parents in Stockton, CA. At a very young age, I saw how the lack of affordable housing in Stockton affected families (mine included). At one point, myself, my siblings, uncle, parents, and grandparents were all living in the same one bedroom apartment. In high school, my grandparents were evicted from this apartment and moved into my uncle's garage, where they remained for the rest of their lives because they could not afford any apartments in the area. Seeing how my family and my community suffered from the lack of affordable housing fuels my passion for affordable housing development. 

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Recently, I graduated from UC Berkeley with a BA on Architecture. While studying architecture, I looked for internships in affordable housing and found BAHIP. This past year in BAHIP has trained me for a future career in affordable housing development. I have been able to acquire new skills and put to test the skills I already have. My host agency BRIDGE Housing has taught me so much and I personally have found a new mission at BRIDGE. 

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My experience with BAHIP and BRIDGE this year has encouraged me to build a career in affordable housing development. I am excited to continue strengthening communities through affordable housing.