Matsui Center Washington Fellows

UCDC Fall 2025: "Still Here": Holding Ground and Advocating at LULAC Through a Government Shutdown

December 17, 2025
Ines Alvarado

Serving as a Fellow at a national civil rights organization in Washington, D.C. means learning quickly that policy work does not pause, even when everything around it feels unstable. During my time at the LULAC National Office, my fellowship unfolded amid a government shutdown, shifting federal priorities, and heightened political uncertainty.

For the communities most impacted by policy decisions, waiting is not an option.

At LULAC, I supported research and federal policy advocacy, including engagement with the...

UCDC Fall 2025: "Aquí 'stoy": Tracing Roots and Resiliency while Interning at LULAC in Washington, D.C.

December 16, 2025
Ines Alvarado

This fall, I served as a Policy and Research Fellow at the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) National Office, the largest and oldest Latino civil rights organization in the United States, founded in 1929. LULAC’s legacy of advocating for educational equity, civic engagement, and political inclusion feels especially present in Washington, D.C., where policy is not theoretical; it is lived, negotiated, and contested daily.

During my residency at the UC Washington Center, where I lived and studied just ten minutes from the White...

UCDC Fall 2025: "A Second Living Room": Supporting Safe Community Spaces in the Humming Humidity of DC

October 14, 2025
Gwen Tam

I currently work at the DC LGBTQ+ Community Center, a community space for queer folks. They provide food, community events, basic needs, and generally, a space for people to exist. People who come in are encouraged to think of the space as a sort of “second living room.” I am technically the social media intern, but I perform other day–to-day operations tasks as well to help keep the center running smoothly, such as logging visitors, taking inventory, and helping out community members with their non-social-media needs.

The location of the...

UCDC Fall 2025: Finding Resilience in Chaos and Uncertainty: Supporting Constituents During a Historic Government Shutdown

October 15, 2025
Christian Dieguez

Few experiences capture the tension of DC quite like a government shutdown. Witnessing firsthand the frustration and resilience of our representatives has come with both uncertainty and confusion. While it is deeply disheartening and disappointing to see programs halted, employees laid off, and political divisions deepen, this experience has reminded me why public service matters and how fragile, yet critical, our institutions are.

As a Legislative and Press Intern for Congresswoman Judy Chu (CA-28), I’ve had the privilege of working with...

Matsui Center Washington Fellowship

The Matsui Center Washington Fellowship offers financial support for Cal undergraduate students participating in the UC Berkeley Washington Program (UCDC). The fellowship provides a $1,000 stipend to help defray the costs of spending a semester in Washington, DC.

Eligibility

This Fellowship is only open to UC Berkeley students who have already been accepted to the UC Berkeley Washington Program. Visit the UC...

2026 Washington Fellows

Lucas Maldonado

Class of 2026
2026 Washington Fellowship - Spring

Lucas Maldonado is currently in his last semester studying Political Science, with a concentration in International Relations. While he was born in San Jose, CA, he grew up in Lima, Peru. He decided to pursue higher education in California in 2022, which led him to enrolling in El Camino College, a campus that gave him the essential support needed to to start his college journey.
The experiences he had during his time in community college led him to transfer to Berkeley in the Fall of 2024, hitting the ground running by immediately joining a URAP project and an on-campus research job....

Monserrat Patino Real

Class of 2027
2026 Washington Fellowship - Spring

Monserrat Patino Real is a first-generation student at UC Berkeley pursuing a double major in Legal Studies and Psychology with a minor in Journalism. Her academic and professional interests center on immigration, educational equity, and community empowerment which has been shaped by her experience growing up in California’s Central Valley and her lived experience navigating systems as a first-generation student.

Monse’s commitment to advocacy extends across campus and throughout California. At UC Berkeley, she has supported student organizing and community-focused programming...

Kalie Jimenez

Class of 2027
2026 Washington Fellowship - Spring

Kalie is a first-generation Latinx student at UC Berkeley, majoring in Political Science and minoring in Public Policy. Born and raised in Northeast Los Angeles, she witnessed firsthand how immigrant communities are shaped by cultural and political life. Her grandfather, who migrated from Mexico at a young age, was an entrepreneur who achieved the “American Dream.” His experience was partnered with discrimination, economic hardship, and legal barriers. As the child of working-class parents, she understands the difficulty of navigating our complex legal system due to technological...

Mohammad Nasrat

Class of 2026
2026 Washington Fellowship - Spring


Mohammad Mustafa Nasrat is a fourth-year student, majoring in Political Science with double minors in Public Policy and Persian Language and Culture. His regional expertise focuses on the Middle East, Central Asia, and the broader Eurasian region, with particular interest in states that emerged following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Academically, his concentration lies at the intersection of American politics, foreign policy, national security, and emerging technologies.

Prior to and during his time at UC Berkeley, Mohammad Mustafa has held various positions across...