Murphy Hernandez serves as Program Coordinator in support of all programs at Words Alive. Murphy has significant volunteer coordination and volunteer leadership experience in political, community-based, and humanitarian nonprofits in Riverside County (CA), Las Vegas (NV), and New Delhi (India). They also have years of experience in crafting and digital design, childcare, inventory management, and customer-facing retail sales. Murphy is expecting to complete dual Associate’s degrees in Sociology and Arts & Humanities this year from Saddleback College and move on to complete their Bachelor’s in Sociology here in San Diego. Outside of work, Murphy enjoys spending time with loved ones, cooking, gardening, crafting, playing with their dog, and learning new things.
Now, a few words from Murphy!
What intrigued you about Words Alive? Why did you want to join the team?
I moved to San Diego earlier this year and found Words Alive when I was looking for ways to get involved in the community. Out of all the options I came across, I was drawn to Words Alive the most. Not only does Words Alive have a powerful and important mission, but it was also clear from what I found online that they really live out that mission and are dedicated to improving the lives of children and families in a major way. I attended a volunteer orientation and couldn’t contain my excitement with all the great volunteer opportunities presented. When I saw the Program Coordinator job posting soon after, it felt like my dream position opened up and I was determined to become a part of the team!
What are you most excited about in your new position?
The most exciting elements of my position to me are the creative aspects, the organizing, and learning. I am a crafter at heart and have been loving all the opportunities to contribute to the creative projects for the kids. I also love the organizing aspect because I feel it’s a way I can contribute to an efficient and smooth process for such an important mission. There are so many amazing people on our team and any way I can help them and therefore help the overall mission, makes me happy! The opportunity to help and work with such great leaders in the non-profit field also fills me with joy as a learner. I’m excited for all I could learn from this team!
What is your relationship with literacy and learning?
Many of my earliest memories are tied to literacy, learning, and creating. Up until I was five my family lived with my grandparents, cousins, and other family, all together. The house was full of kids and fun and our favorite part of the house was the library. The hallway in the center of the house had been converted to an amazing library by my contractor grandpa and that’s where my cousins and I would spend most of our time. Before we could read much on our own, we’d play with the books, making towers and stacks and playing librarian. As we learned to read, my family started to order a subscription to a reading adventure series that would be mailed to us regularly. We did many of these throughout my early childhood and I always remember being so excited to learn new things with each kit. My mother would also do super engaging story times for us, even writing and illustrating her own short stories when we requested it. The opportunity to learn and be creative with reading, writing, and drawing was a huge part of my life from a young age that helped me through many difficult times as I got older. After I finished chemo a few years ago, I got a tattoo of a stack of books to commemorate the stories that helped me through so much. I wouldn’t be who I am today without the stories I’ve read and the things I’ve gained from reading and learning.
What are you currently reading?
I am currently reading a lot of textbooks for school because I’m back in school full-time and working towards my degree in Sociology. When I have the time though, I’m also reading The Fork, the Witch, and the Worm by Christopher Paolini. The Inheritance Series (Eragon) was one of my favorites as a teen and I was so excited to hear that Paolini made a short story series in the same universe!
