Antonio Cáceres

Antonio Cáceres, a senior at UC Berkeley, is dedicated to tackling economic inequality through housing and education policy reform. Driven by a passion for meaningful and lasting change, he seeks to apply his academic and leadership experience to build more equitable systems that uplift marginalized communities.

Currently studying History with a minor in Public Policy, Antonio specializes in Latin American history and antiquity, with a particular interest in the intersections between historical events and contemporary policy challenges. His senior thesis centered on the work of student activists at the University of Havana during the Cuban Revolution of 1933, exploring the critical role of student movements in shaping political and social change during times of upheaval. 

Beyond his academic work, Antonio has taken on key leadership roles at UC Berkeley, particularly in student government. As the ASUC Student Advocate, he leads the Student Advocate’s Office, a team of seventy caseworkers who provide free and confidential assistance to over five hundred students annually. In this capacity, he has worked to amplify student concerns, navigating bureaucratic systems to push for meaningful educational policy changes. One of his most significant initiatives was establishing the Student Support Fund, the first dedicated financial resource across the UC system to help students cover childcare expenses.

Outside of UC Berkeley, Antonio has twice been a Getty Marrow Undergraduate Intern, contributing to arts and cultural initiatives at El Pueblo Historical Monument and the Los Angeles Library Foundation. Through these experiences, he helped develop public programming and supported efforts to make civic institutions more accessible. In 2024, as a Leonard D. Schaeffer Fellow, he interned in the district office of Representative Jimmy Gomez, where he refined his casework skills by assisting Los Angeles residents in navigating federal agencies and bureaucratic challenges.

Antonio aims to complete his Gardner Fellowship in a government office focused on reforming federal policy to support economic mobility. He is especially interested in organizations that shape and implement policies that remove systemic barriers in higher education and expand access to affordable housing.