Matsui Center Cal-in-Sacramento Fellows

Leila Phillips is a first-generation transfer student at UC Berkeley majoring in political science. She was raised by a single mother who emigrated from Mexico and encouraged Leila’s academic journey throughout her life. Leila constantly looks for opportunities to use her academic background to benefit her community. On campus, Leila interns as a Student Assistant for the Transfer Student Center, helping facilitate transition courses for incoming transfer students. Interning with the Transfer Student Center allows Leila to fulfill her passion of contributing to one of the communities...

Eric Zhu is a current second-year student at UC Berkeley intending to major in political economy. Coming from a struggling, low-income, single parent, immigrant household, he has witnessed the mother’s hardship in struggling to make a living for his and his sister's education in the United States. He has grown a great interest in supporting struggling low-income immigrant families, and other marginalized communities, in finding better economic opportunities in the US. Currently, he is working with Asian Immigrant Women Advocates in coordinating outreach...

Swasti Johri is passionate about tackling housing insecurity and houselessness in the Bay Area and beyond. Having worked with Hamilton Families and Small House Inc., she is an ardent supporter of combining the housing first approach with multi-faceted, research-based solutions to the symptoms and causes underlying poverty. She centers her work around sustainability and environmental justice; she is a firm believer in indigenous remediation techniques and carries an appreciation for time and human-tested practices into her work.

Rooted in the city of San José, Emely draws strength from her experiences supporting her immigrant parents in navigating life in the United States. Her childhood was shaped by the challenges posed by her mother's severe work injury, pushing Emely into a role of care and support. From accompanying her mother to medical appointments to translating legal documents, Emely developed invaluable skills that fueled her commitment to community service and advocacy.

Guided by dedicated teachers and community leaders, Emely honed her abilities and emerged as a community...