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...
Paloma Foster (she/her/ella) is a first-generation, Mexican-American, non-traditional student. She is formerly incarcerated, a former foster youth and a transfer student parent from Los Angeles, CA. From her early experiences with foster care and probation to finally becoming a ward of the court and emancipating on her 18th birthday, she knew she wanted to help fix the less than perfect system. Paloma is majoring in political science and is pursuing a minor in public policy. She will also complete the summer minor, race and the law through the...
Noel Arikew is a first-generation, low-income, transfer student double majoring in political economy and legal studies as well as minoring in public policy. At Berkeley, he is a Miller Scholar, and is currently working on his research on anti-Blackness in the immigration system, and possible policy recommendations to humanize the US immigration system. His research aims to shed light on the often overshadowed aspects of systemic injustice, particularly as they pertain to Black immigrants. Through his research endeavors, Noel aspires to be a catalyst for...
Passionate about the intersection of environmental and social justice, Naydelin Chimil, an indigenous woman majoring in society and environment, is a recent transfer student. Fueled by firsthand experiences of environmental and social injustice in her community, she actively advocates against systemic racism. With a relentless curiosity and commitment to public service, Naydelin contributes a unique perspective to public policy. As a former Youth City Council Member for City District 1 of Los Angeles, she brings a passion for further learning...
David Carranza was born and raised in Los Angeles by immigrant parents from Central America. As a child, his parents instilled in him the value of education and hard work and he aspired to go to college, however, as a teenager, David struggled to cope with the emotional trauma of growing up in an abusive household and his father being habitually incarcerated. Although he excelled in high school, he gravitated toward gangs and during his senior of high school was sentenced to life in prison. While incarcerated he found healing from his past and pursued his dream of going to...
Jacqueline Zuno is a first-generation Latina, majoring in Legal Studies and Political Economy. Her academic focus centers on the development of Latin America, shaped by her upbringing in the border between San Diego and Tijuana. Having navigated life and education in both regions, she brings a nuanced perspective to her studies.
Outside the classroom, Jacky is deeply passionate about empowering underrepresented communities. Over the past three years of her undergraduate journey, she has been actively involved with the Raíces Recruitment...
Jovanni is dedicated to addressing the ongoing challenges of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and marginalized communities. At the age of eighteen, Jovanni found out that he was not a U.S. citizen; however, Jovanni was fortunate to qualify for the DACA program and is now protected from deportation. Through this experience, he became aware of the immigration issues and the profound impact on Dreamers. As a first-generation student attending UC Berkeley, Jovanni is dedicating his focus to legal studies with a...
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...
Daisy Flores (she/her) is a first-generation, system-impacted Chicana student from Compton, California, pursuing her Bachelor's degree in Ethnic Studies with a minor in Race and the Law at UC Berkeley. Experiencing the incarceration and deportation of her family and loved ones has prompted Daisy to actively combat white supremacy and the structural racism of our crimmigration system—the simultaneous enforcement of immigration law and criminal law—to advocate for those who have been impacted by all carceral systems through holistic legal, humanitarian, and educational support in various...
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.