Democracy Camp in Berkeley

Angelica Aban is the oldest of three daughters from an immigrant family in Temecula, California. While at Berkeley, she became particularly interested in the role that the law, access to healthcare, and a high-quality education can play in expanding access and opportunities for disadvantaged populations from an upstream perspective. Angelica will graduate in the Spring of 2023 with a major in Legal Studies and minors in both Public Policy and Education.

Outside of the classroom, Angelica is an active member...

Hi, I’m Jocelyn Alexander. I am a freshman, I will be majoring in Public Health at UC Berkeley. I’m a first-generation and low-income woman of color part of EOP, and NavCal. I am an intern for Health Career Pathways where I devised a project on helping the unemployed find jobs. I’m also an intern for Richmond HOPS where I participated in community outreach and advocated for my community’s access to healthy foods. I decided to become an advocate because there are many low-income communities living in food deserts, where there are no fresh food options nearby. Due to food deserts,...

Racceb Arikew is a first-year student at the University of California, Berkeley, majoring in Legal Studies with a minor in Journalism. Raised in a low-income immigrant household, she developed an early awareness of how legal systems and public narratives shape access, justice, and opportunity. Her academic interests focus on gender justice, civil rights, and the role of media in amplifying marginalized voices. Through her studies, Racceb aims to combine legal analysis with storytelling to challenge inequity and promote accountability. By participating in Democracy Camp, she hopes to...

As a first-generation student coming from a low-income background, it has always been a goal of mine to give back to the community that raised me and taught me the values that I hold dear today. Growing up as a child of Mexican and Honduran parents, my identity has shaped how I value and understand the world around me. I’ve come to understand the importance of honoring where I come from and preserving these stories and customs for future generations. Coming into Berkeley, I came with the intention of learning how to use my voice and education to uplift those who couldn’t have the same...