Democracy Camp in DC

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

June 14, 2023
Megan Collins
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
Fiza Mehmood
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
Tatiana Butte
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...

Fiza Mehmood

Class of 2023
2023 Democracy Camp in DC

As a first-generation student, I am committed to amplifying the voices of those who are not heard. I have spent my life on labels that the government often overlooks, such as low-income or people of color. I have completed research and interned for the City of Sacramento, the Sacramento Mayor’s Office, and Sacramento’s District 3 Office. It was vital for me to have my voice heard and speak about issues the government was not interested in. During my time, I aided the Council in passing a legislative bill regarding plastic pollution. While working with City Hall, I realized how...

Kulsoom Hasan

Class of 2023
2023 Democracy Camp in DC
2023 Schaeffer Fellowship

Kulsoom Hasan is a fourth-year undergraduate student pursuing studies within the Travers Department of Political Science and the Goldman School of Public Policy. Her passion for public service was initially forged through community engagement at the local governmental level as a voter drive organizer and grassroots campaign canvasser. From there, her foray into legislative research and policy advocacy expanded as she further explored the interdisciplinary nature of politics and government through hands-on experience.


Her passion for comparative...

Karen Esparza Lopez

Class of 2023
2022 Democracy Camp in DC

Karen Esparza Lopez is first-generation Mexican Immigrant and former foster youth studying Political Science. During her time in foster care, she witnessed extreme injustices that many foster youth face in the child welfare system. She has seen the ways in which local and federal governments have both failed at meeting the needs of their underrepresented community members in the foster care system. She hopes to resolve these issues through a career in public service. She is most passionate about resolving issues regarding child welfare, social welfare,...

Bianca Torres Murray

Class of 2024
2022 Democracy Camp in DC

Bianca is a proud Mexican-American from Echo Park, Los Angeles. Her ancestors’ grit and determination greatly inspire her. Also, Bianca is a second-year Ethnic Studies major who’s passionate about social justice and community engagement. Specifically, she’s interested in the intersections between race and public policy and how policy impacts peoples’ lives. Bianca has had many experiences working to change policies for the better. As a high schooler, after being denied the opportunity to run for a board seat on her local neighborhood council due to her...

Daniel Munoz

Class of 2023
2022 Democracy Camp in DC

Danny is a transfer student who identifies as re-entry, first-generation, and formerly incarcerated, among other marginalized populations. Raised in Oakland and San Leandro, California, a disadvantaged family dynamic has caused him a great deal of adversity. After decades of going back and forth to jail and a violent lifestyle, in 2016, Danny was shot five times. In 2018, Danny made the decision to pursue higher education, with goals of giving back to his community.

Now, as a Sociology Major and Public Policy Minor at UC Berkeley, Danny aspires to not...