Growing up in the Sacramento area, Alejandro experienced the effects of prolonged droughts and wildfires. In his neighborhood outdoor space, Alejandro noticed that the droughts had dried out the seasonal creek bed and the “green” outdoor area became more of a prolonged “yellow” space. In response, his family increasingly became concerned with limiting their resource consumption and electrifying their home. Although these experiences were not unique to him, Alejandro...
Placement: USAID’s Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs Placement Location: Washington, D.C.
Naz Balkam is a first-generation Ethiopian-American studying Political Science at UC Berkeley. As a life-long Oakland resident and the daughter of two working-class Ethiopian immigrants, she has seen the ways in which the government has both failed and succeeded in addressing the socio-economic issues impacting low-income communities and communities of color. Her upbringing has guided her towards a career in serving these communities. Throughout her time at UC...
Placement: Rep. Adam Schiff - Burbank District Office Mentor: Colleen Oinuma
Rosie Echeverria was born and raised in East Hollywood, Los Angeles in a Central American immigrant household and she is a first-generation, low-income, EOP, DSP, Latinx, and LGBTQ+ student at UC Berkeley. She went to Santa Monica College (SMC) for about two and a half years then transferred and moved to UC Berkeley in Fall 2020, toward the beginning of the covid pandemic. She is a Political Science major with a minor in Public Policy and Education.
Nathan Jauregui has always had an interest in justice, the law, and policy, and turned those interests into passions at UC Berkeley. As a nontraditional transfer and deferred student, finding opportunities that pertained to these interests and could serve his communities was a top priority. During his first semester at UC Berkeley, Nathan served in the ASUC as an intern of the Policy and Legislation Department before being promoted to...
Devyn Lopez is a third-year student at UC Berkeley. She is pursuing a major in Social Welfare and a Spanish minor. Devyn was raised in the Bay Area most of her life and discovered how crucial it is to give back to her community when she moved to East San Jose. Devyn is committed to assisting communities of color and under-served populations through direct legal, educational, or social services aimed to help individuals build a sense of agency. She is genuinely passionate about ending gender-based violence and one of her ultimate aspirations is to advocate on behalf of survivors of...
As a first generation student, Luis majored in Political Science at the University of California Berkeley. Raised an in immigrant home in the small City of Vista he was exposed to the every day struggles undocumented family’s faces in southern California from unfair treatment by the justice system to blocked access to basic social programs. This put him on a career path in Law and is planning to attend law school after he graduates spring 2023. Eager to involve himself in the...
Placement: Political Violence Lab Placement Location: Washington, D.C.
Phoebe Pham is an Indo-Chinese-Vietnamese-Japanese American studying Political Science and Legal Studies at the University of California, Berkeley. Growing up overseas on a military base, Phoebe was constantly surrounded by a community that always emphasized a higher calling to public service. She is dedicated to serving the communities she has been fortunate to be a part of, ranging from her time as a transfer student at Ohlone College, where she worked extensively in public policy and...
Jennifer Ramirez is a first-generation Latina studying Economics and Public Policy at UC Berkeley from the Bay Area. Growing up in a mixed-status household, she experienced first-hand the hardships Latinx immigrant families faced, such as the struggle to assimilate, obtain basic needs, and become financially stable. The systematic barriers that limit the upward mobility of historically marginalized communities propelled her to become an advocate in her local community, and pursue a career in public service. After being selected to attend Harvard Kennedy...
Growing up in a family restaurant, I witnessed firsthand the power of capitalism, which was often hailed as a symbol of equality. From a young age, I took on responsibilities, standing on an upside-down milk crate to take orders. It became a norm for me, shaping my understanding of the world through the lens of immigrant labor and capitalism. However, as I grew older, I began to question the inherent injustices within this system, ones that had previously gone unnoticed. Seeking a path...