Benicio Alexander Mares is a Mexican-American first-generation student attending the University of California, Berkeley with a major in sociology and a minor in education. Hailing from Tulare, CA, Benicio carries a great attachment to California's Central Valley. His experience growing up in a tight-knit low-income community has led to a development of a passion for educational and economic equity across the state's most overlooked regions.
At Berkeley, Benicio has actively pursued these goals by involving himself in various on- and off-campus organizations. Benicio works as the CAMP Director of the College Admissions Mentorship Program and as a College Advisor with East Bay Consortium, promoting access to higher education to marginalized students across the Bay Area. Benicio builds his connection with the Latine community by working as the Finance Officer and Social Chair of the Beta Chi Chapter of Lambda Theta Phi, Latin Fraternity Inc. and as a K-12 Committee Intern for the Raíces Recruitment and Retention Center, in doing so providing access to opportunities to achieve a brighter tomorrow for his community. Being apart of these organizations has helped Benicio achieve his goals of uplifting the overlooked and through participating in Democracy Camp, he hopes to gain the tools to achieve new heights in his efforts to advocate for those in need.
In his free time, Benicio enjoys reading comics, exploring the Bay Area with loved ones, and catching up on his favorite games and shows.
Major(s): Sociology
Minor(s): Education