Democracy Camp in Berkeley

Joongeun Choi

Class of 2029
2026 Democracy Camp in Berkeley

Hi! I am Joongeun Choi, a first-generation immigrant from South Korea, and a first-year Environmental Engineering Science major with a minor in Public Policy. I am committed to helping communities adopt sustainable practices and adapt to the growing intensity of environmental problems by applying a holistic approach to problem-solving. I am especially interested in how technology, grassroots activism, and public policy can work harmoniously to generate amplified impact.

My passion for sustainability stems in part from my grandparents, who lived through the scarcity following...

Peter Coe

Class of 2022
2021 Democracy Camp in Berkeley

Peter Coe is a third-year undergraduate studying Political Science and Public Policy at UC Berkeley. He is currently rebuilding the UC Berkeley SunRise Movement Club to leverage membership to motivate local and national politicians to champion environmental policies. The Sunrise movement is a "movement of young people to stop climate change and create millions of good jobs" by fighting for the Green New Deal. As a member of the Partners in Health Engage advocacy team, Peter advocates for policies (such as Medicare for All) to reduce health inequity. On a state level, Peter wants to...

Rebecca Banos Conde

Class of 2027
2025 Democracy Camp in Berkeley

Rebecca Banos Conde was born and raised in Inglewood, California as the daughter to an indigenous-Peruvian immigrant and single mother. She is a first-generation college student majoring in Political Economy with a minor in Public Policy. Throughout her upbringing, she’s experienced firsthand the resilience required to overcome legal support, healthcare, and education barriers. This has fostered and cemented Rebecca’s commitment to public service and connecting working-families to essential resources.

Rebecca is heavily involved with community organizations at the intersections of...

Axel Contreras

Class of 2024
2024 Democracy Camp in Berkeley

Axel Contreras (he/him)

Axel Contreras is a current student in UC Berkeley hoping to obtain a degree in political science. He is a first-generation transfer student from Union City, CA. Growing up as the son of immigrant parents, he has witnessed how effects of decisions from past administrations and legislative policies have negatively influenced one’s day to day life through fear of deportation and the tearing apart of families within his community. As a result, Axel hopes to serve as a platform for undocumented immigrants within his community and be the voice of the...

Saida Cornejo

Class of 2021
2020 Democracy Camp

Katie DaQuino

Class of 2023
2023 Cal-in-Sacramento
2023 Jo Freeman Women in Politics Fellow
2022 Democracy Camp in Berkeley

Katie DaQuino is a fourth year student studying Political Science, with minors in Public Policy and Interdisciplinary Human Rights Studies. She is the president of Cal Habitat for Humanity, a community service club that aims to give students opportunities to volunteer in the local community. The club is focused on affordable housing and during her time as president she has worked to expand the advocacy branch of the club. Katie is also an editor for the Undergraduate Public Policy Review Journal, where she published an article about housing policies in California.

She also is...

Maria Davila

Class of 2029
2026 Democracy Camp in Berkeley

Maria Davila is a first-generation student from Southern California, pursuing political science with a strong commitment to civic engagement and public policy. She is currently a Political Science major and she is actively involved in policy research, legal advocacy, and student governance.

At UC Berkeley, Maria serves as a legal intern for the ASUC President, a legal associate for Senator Nikki Nunez Rivera, and a research associate with the Student Policy Institute. Her policy experience includes co-authoring California Assembly Bills AB 1939 and AB 2771...

Iris De Leon

Class of 2027
2024 Democracy Camp in Berkeley
2026 Pathways to Federal Public Service

Iris De Leon is a third-year Political Science major at the University of California, Berkeley, with a minor in Public Policy. Her academic and professional focus is on advancing labor justice and equitable access to education, specifically on their impacts on immigrant and working-class communities. She has gained experience in labor organizing and coalition building through her internships with United Food and Commercial Workers Local 770 and American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees Local 3299. Through Local 3299, Iris helped build student solidarity,...

Tonya DeGruy

Class of 2025
2024 Democracy Camp in Berkeley

Tonya DeGruy (she/her)

Tonya DeGruy is a non-traditional transfer student at the University of California, Berkeley in her second semester. Tonya was raised in the city of Los Angeles with a single mom. Being a non-traditional student returning to school later in life after having many life experiences, she has been able to pursue her goals with tenacity and dedication. Though growing up she was faced with many social and economic challenges, it has enabled her to be goal-driven with perseverance and commitment to her passion for the law and...

Anna Diaz

Class of 2023
2024 Percy Undergraduate Grant
2023 Schaeffer Fellowship
2023 Democracy Camp in Berkeley

Anna is passionate about serving underserved communities through the lens of the law and legal system. As a Berkeley Peter E. Haas Public Service Leader, she worked for Bay Area JusticeCorps, where she helps self-represented litigants navigate the legal system by providing legal information under the supervision of attorneys. Now, with the Public Service Center’s support she works an as Undergraduate Intern at Marin County Public Defender’s Office. She also is a Student Researcher at the Human Rights Center Investigations Lab at Berkeley Law. Currently, Anna also works as a Law Clerk at a...