Don’t Shop SWAP

By Ashley Kilday

Kaethleen Siguenza is the daughter of two Salvadoran immigrants, mother of two, and a nontraditional, first-gen, transfer student.

And she is determined.

“After a five-year break from college,” said Siguenza. “I returned to finish my degree because I wanted to show my two children the importance of completing a college education.” She is studying Computer Science in the College of Sciences and Technology.

Siguenza was processing a lot of ideas surrounding sustainability when she heard about the Student-Led Success & Equity Mini-Grant Program.

“The motivation behind my proposal for ‘Swap Don’t Shop’ came from multiple sources,” she said. “During orientation, I saw the positive impact of the on-campus Food for Change Market, and I became inspired to help. Around the same time, the question of how ethical it was to shop from ‘fast fashion’ brands began trending on TikTok. I also saw a report on how secondhand clothing from Western countries was contributing to the intense pollution of Ghanaian beaches.”

She synthesized those current events with her desire to help others to imagine “Swap Don’t Shop.”

“I wanted to give students the opportunity to help one another by swapping or donating clothing they no longer needed. In doing so, we collectively increased sustainability around campus and helped students who lacked the time or resources to buy clothing,” Siguenza said.

“During our second event, a student told me that she wears every item she got at our first event to class, and another student told me that he found slacks just in time for an upcoming teaching opportunity.” That feedback helped her know that “Swap Don’t Shop” was on the right track and had a positive impact on students.

Siguenza hopes that “Swap Don’t Shop” becomes permanent at UHD.

“The events are fun, but I feel like having a free community store on campus where students can donate and take all kinds of items (school supplies, home/seasonal decor, etc.) will benefit all students,” she said. “For example, my kids are constantly outgrowing their clothes and toys. Instead of having these items end up at a landfill or going to a resale store, they can stay within our local community and possibly help another student who is also a parent.”