Democracy Camp in DC

Salvador Uribe

Class of 2023
2023 Democracy Camp in DC

Salvador Uribe is a non-traditional student obtaining his undergraduate degree as an older student at UC Berkeley. Salvador immigrated to the United States at a very young age, along with his two parents and older brother. For someone like Salvador and his background, a first-generation, low-income, transfer, re-entry, disabled student navigating higher education, the terrain is uneven, which places him at a disadvantage among many of his peers that grew up with the privileges of generational knowledge. Salvador is passionate about the law and will pursue a J.D. after...

Cal Undergrads Chart a Path to Public Service in Year 2 of the Democracy Camp in DC pilot program

June 14, 2023
Cal Undergrads Chart a Path to Public Service in Year 2 of the Democracy Camp in DC pilot program “Flying over the lush greenery and tiny monuments, I was starting to get jittery with excitement about what the week had in store for me. I never thought I would have the opportunity to be in D.C. and somehow, I managed my way there. I could not wait for what was to come.” – Fiza Mehmood (Political Science, minor in Public Policy, ’23)

2023 Democracy Camp in DC Journal

June 14, 2023
Friday, May 19th

Flying over the lush greenery and tiny monuments, I was starting to get jittery with excitement about what the week had in store for me. I never thought I would have the opportunity to be in D.C. and somehow, I managed my way there. I could not wait for what was to come.

Friday was a short day, I got to D.C. in the late afternoon. We checked into the UCDC building and had some time to settle in before dinner. The UCDC building was very spacious, completely unlike the housing in Berkeley. The week was already starting off great....

Ash Rosas

Class of 2024
2024 Democracy Camp in DC

Ash Rosas (she/her)

Ash is an undergraduate at the University of California, Berkeley, studying legal studies. She was raised in a working-class community in Los Angeles, where her passion as an organizer and researcher flourished. She began working with grassroots youth organizations that focused on the impacts of climate change on communities of color and environmental policies in Los Angeles County. Her experience as a community organizer influenced her research, as she now focuses on labor and worker rights.

At UC Berkeley, she joined the Latinxs and the...

Mayra Lua Reyes

Class of 2024
2024 William K. (Sandy) Muir, Jr. Leadership Award
2024 Democracy Camp in DC

Mayra Lua Reyes (she/her)

Mayra Lua Reyes ('24) is a first-generation student earning a double major in Political Science and Legal Studies and a minor in Public Policy. She was born and raised in the Central Valley (Merced, CA) and is the daughter of Mexican immigrant parents.

Mayra’s lived experiences and the knowledge she has gained at UC Berkeley have shaped her career aspirations and her interests in public service. For Mayra, public service means creating opportunities and pathways to break generational barriers and increase access to economic mobility. This includes...

2022 Democracy Camp in DC Journal

June 24, 2022
Sunday, May 22 2022

Today was a day of remembrance and reflection. We were touring the National Mall in DC, although I have my reservation on what a mall resembles, let's not get into that. In today's venture, we had our first stop at the Jefferson memorial; at first glance, you're taken back by the Potomac River surrounding the monument. You see the Washington memorial overlooking the district, then through the cherry blossoms tree not yet in bloom, view the south side of the White House lawn. Our tour guide informed us of the cherry blossom rebellion, which depicted the...