Anais Hernandez

Los Angeles native and passionate multimedia storyteller. Anais graduated Cum Laude and a President's Scholar from Cal Poly Pomona with a Bachelors in Science, Communications with an emphasis in multimedia journalism + a minor in Spanish. 

Bilingual Creative Storyteller | Content Creator | Social Media Marketer

Former Editor-in-Chief of La Voz de Pomona & Bronco Guide Magazine

Explore a featured selection of my writing for The Poly Post, PolyCentric, and CPPNews below.

Haro Siblings Serve Traditional Mexican Cuisine with Modern Flavors

By Anais Hernandez

When you walk into Al Pastor Taquería in Montclair, the aroma of seasoned meats and the warmth of handmade tortillas transport you straight to the heart of Mexico City.

It’s not just the food that makes this taqueria a neighborhood favorite, but it’s the Cal Poly Pomona sibling duo behind it — Joseph and Brenda Haro — who are blending family tradition with distinctive flavors.

Joseph, a business student studying computer information systems at CPP, grew up in his father’s re...

From Battlefields to Bookshelves: Professor Liam Corley Releases New Poetry Book

Cal Poly Pomona Literature Professor Liam Corley has always been a man with many roles — a poet, a professor, a father and a military officer. His diverse background and life stories have shaped the person and professor he is today.

Corley recently published a poetry book, “Unwound,” a collection that serves as a reflection of his journey as a writer, but also a way to organize his thoughts and express what he was going through when he was deployed to Afghanistan in 2008.

“A lot of these poems

Cal Poly Pomona's Bronco FSAE Team Takes Center Stage at LA Auto Show

In a showcase of innovation, the Bronco Motorsports Formula Society of Automotive Engineers (FSAE) team took center stage at the prestigious 2023 LA Auto Show, held at the LA Convention Center.

The LA Auto Show organizers acknowledged the team's excellence at the November event by sponsoring a dedicated spot for Bronco Motorsports to display their two best performing racecars in the history of CPP FSAE.

The team had the opportunity to unveil their 2023 design, BM-23, which consisted of new liv

CPP Celebrates Black History with a Month of Engaging Events

Cal Poly Pomona is gearing up to honor Black History Month with a series of events that promise to engage, educate, and celebrate the rich contributions of the Black community.

From thought-provoking lectures to lively karaoke nights, the Black Resource Center (BRC) and Black Student Union (BSU) have collaborated to create a diverse program aimed to inspire students, faculty and staff. The university has also created a zoom background to honor Black History Month that’s available for download.

Cal Poly Pomona Celebrates Latinx Heritage Month | PolyCentric

Cal Poly Pomona welcomes Latinx Heritage Month on campus with celebrations of the rich tapestry of Latinx history and cultures.

Latinx Heritage Month is celebrated annually across the United States from Sept. 15to Oct. 15. The purpose of this celebration is to honor the Latinx community for their contributions in our communities, as well as acknowledge the history and culture of more than 20 Latin American countries.

All students, faculty and staff are invited to participate in workshops and e

New Beginnings at CPP: Orientation Helps Students Forge Path to Success | PolyCentric

Beginning a new journey can be nerve-racking for some. Whether students are coming into Cal Poly Pomona straight after graduating high school or transferring from a community college, embracing an unfamiliar environment can be out of their comfort zone.

Orientation aims to alleviate the stress that comes when beginning a new chapter by providing a transition into a new academic community that is a seamless as possible. Students get a chance to network with their peers, campus leaders and depart
The Poly Post •

Bronco Motorsports showcases race car at Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach

Bronco Motorsports made its presence known at the 48th annual Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach over the three-day weekend event as the team showcased its skill in design and manufacturing as well as its updated livery.

Cal Poly Pomona’s very own Formula Society of Automotive Engineers, better known as the FSAE, had the opportunity to showcase its race car at the three-day event in Long Beach, which attracts racing enthusiasts from all around the world. Bronco Motorsports was one of only three tea
The Poly Post •

Women belong in male-dominated sports

“It’s lights out and away we go!”

The familiar voice of Formula One commentator David Croft echoed from the living room. It was our usual Sunday routine, morning worship at church followed by watching Sunday’s Grand Prix race. My dad and I sat on the couch, talking about team strategy and why Sergio Perez was a promising driver. I laughed, telling him he was being biased because they shared the same name.

As we continued watching the British Grand Prix that warm summer afternoon, I cherished t
The Poly Post •

Bronco Motorsports place 1st in the SoCal Shootout racing competition

On Oct. 15, Cal Poly Pomona’s Bronco Motorsports team won their first competition of the season, placing first at the SoCal Shootout.

The team participated in the second annual SoCal Shootout Scholastic Racing hosted by Adams Motorsports Park in Riverside, where they won the first-place prize of $1,000 and a hardware award.

After weeks of testing and improving their race car, Bronco Motorsports drove directly towards P1, securing first place against six other universities with UC Berkeley comi
The Poly Post •

Bronco Motorsports gear up for another year of success

Bronco Motorsports revs its engines preparing for another successful year at competition. Cal Poly Pomona’s very own Formula Society of Automotive Engineers team has been working on their race car for the first competition of the season this upcoming October.

The team has been competing since 1986 and has won multiple awards over the years. Their most recent win came in June. Bronco Motorsports placed 13th out of 50 combustion teams, beating Ivy League universities and other collegiate organiza
The Poly Post •

Cal Poly Pomona prepares to offer abortion pills for students by January

Cal Poly Pomona students will be able to access free abortion pills by January 2023 after Senate bill 24 was passed, allowing California State University and University of California to provide a non-surgical way to terminate pregnancies.

Amid the overturning of Roe v. Wade in May, the right to abortion no longer exists in many states after nearly 50 years of abortion access for women. Following the decision from the U.S. Supreme Court, getting an abortion in states other than California is nea
The Poly Post •

Ayana Fields Nominated as NCAA Woman of the Year Candidate

Cal Poly Pomona’s very own track and field star, Ayana Fields, has been nominated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association as a ‘Women of the Year” candidate. The four-time NCAA Division II outdoor track and field champion prides herself on being a winner in the classroom and on the track.

For the average Bronco, running isn’t the sport of choice. Oftentimes, athletes are stereotyped as not being academically driven, but that’s not every athlete’s story. For Fields, her determination and
The Poly Post •

Students welcome new semester with stories of summer

Summer vacation is what most college students look forward to all semester, especially with COVID-19 restrictions being lifted.

As summer break ends, nearly 29,000 students welcome a new academic year at Cal Poly Pomona. Whether their vacation involved catching up on sleep, relaxing, traveling or building up their resume, one thing is for sure, all students had a summer story to share.

“This summer I spent almost a month in Costa Rica visiting my family and getting my full Costa Rican citizens
The Poly Post •

CPP reports a rise in COVID-19 cases

By Anais Hernandez and Lauren Chavez, May 17, 2022

After the indoor mask mandate lifting and transitioning away from completing the online daily health screener, Cal Poly Pomona announced via email on May 4 that positive COVID-19 cases are rising within Southern California and on campus.

Even with increasing positive COVID-19 cases on campus, CPP still continues to align with the guidelines implemented by the Los Angeles Department of Public Health, including abstaining from the indoor face ma
The Poly Post •

Cal Poly Pomona architecture students produce Chavez Ravine Project with Neutra VDL House

Neutra VDL House launched a new exhibition in collaboration with LANZA Atelier architects titled “A Table for Hundreds,” where Cal Poly Pomona architecture students showcase the story of the Chavez Ravine through various creative mediums.

“A Table for Hundreds” is an exhibition that tells the story of hundreds of Mexican Americans who were displaced and forcefully removed from their homes, due to a residential complex project that the Los Angeles City Housing Commission planned to execute with
The Poly Post •

CPP alumni find success at Monster Energy

For many, thinking outside the box is a challenging task. However, for Cal Poly Pomona alumni Katie Tju and Chad Lynn, having a creative eye for design was a perk in their path to success at Monster Energy.

During their time at CPP, Tju (’21, visual communication design) and Lynn (’16, graphic design) networked their way into their current positions as category analyst and motion designer for energy drink brand, Monster Energy.

“I have the benefit of being employed now, thanks to networking fr
The Poly Post •

LA County lifts mask mandate; students share mixed opinions

Cal Poly Pomona’s Safer Return Task Force announced that students will be required to continue masking indoors until March 25, before the start of spring break. The campus announcement follows Los Angeles County lifting its mask mandate, giving people the option to stop masking in indoor spaces.

Although campus community members are still required to use face masks indoors, students shared their thoughts with The Poly Post on whether they will continue to mask once it’s no longer a requirement
The Poly Post •

Alumnus launches CPP-tailored food delivery service on campus

In time for the return of in-person instruction, alumnus Mikel DuBenion (’21, economics) launched HotSpot Lunch on Feb. 14, a budget-friendly food delivery service catering to Cal Poly Pomona students.

HotSpot Lunch provides food delivery services from nearby restaurants like Chick-fil-A, Chipotle, Jinza Teriyaki and JJ’s Boba. Students can order food directly from the HotSpot Lunch website and pick up their food at select pickup locations on campus.

DuBenion had the idea to start a business w
The Poly Post •

Born to be an artist: CPP alumna paves her way in the art world

Cal Poly Pomona alumna Bianca Ornelas is skilled in all forms of art from chalk murals to digital illustrations and even paintings. The two-time winner of The Pasadena Chalk Festival now has the opportunity to collaborate with renowned brands.

Ornelas uses her colorful art to shed light on sociopolitical issues by creating murals relevant to current events while teaching younger generations how to express themselves creatively.

She is an illustrator, visual artist and art teacher from Pomona,
The Poly Post •

Radical pop-up courses continue to expose students to real world topics

Cal Poly Pomona introduced pop-up courses in spring 2019 to expose students to real-world problems through unique topics and are continuing to expand with potential topics of new pop-courses arising in the future. It is not every day that students can enroll in classes with topics covering misinformation in the media, understanding COVID-19 through different perspectives and automation in the future.

Pop-up courses are offered to students as a one-time opportunity to learn about a particular re

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