Matsui Center Washington Fellows

Judy Saafein

Class of 2024
2023 Washington Fellowship - Fall
Placement: TBD Placement Location: Washington, D.C.

Judy Saafein is a rising third-year political science and media studies student at UC Berkeley. As an immigrant who knew no English, Judy grew up watching how US government policies affected her family in the United States and her extended family abroad. Activism and advocacy became part of her daily routines, working at CAIR in middle school and engaging in local politics during high school. She is interested in helping her American Muslim and Arab communities by educating them about US civil...

Celia Serrato

Class of 2024
2023 Washington Fellowship - Fall
Placement: TBD Placement Location: Washington, D.C.

Celia is a bright light for her community and brings a refreshing voice and vision for the future. Her passion for Gender and Women's Studies as it relates to liberatory education, women's rights, LGBTQ+ rights, undocumented rights, and environmental justice offer a critical perspective for any movement or organization that seeks to address systemic issues and support and uplift marginalized communities. Rooted in her values and beliefs, Celia strives to further educate herself and others on...

UCDC Spring 2023: The Washington D.C Forest and the Journey as a Hilltern, Part 2

May 10, 2023
Luis Leon Lopez

My time in Washington D.C was one of the most eye-opening experiences in my life. Each day I was able to be enveloped in the beauty of the city and challenge my writing and research abilities in my congressional internship for Representative Glenn Ivey of the fourth district of California. My final day in D.C. was a perfect representation of the fast and thrilling journey I experienced in D.C. On my final day I hit the ground running. My office had a tour of the Capitol building for 45 2nd graders and 6 chaperones. Only I and another intern were assigned to the tour,...

Roberto Ramos

Class of 2024
2023 Washington Fellowship - Fall
Placement: TBD Placement Location: Washington, D.C.

Growing up in a family restaurant, I witnessed firsthand the power of capitalism, which was often hailed as a symbol of equality. From a young age, I took on responsibilities, standing on an upside-down milk crate to take orders. It became a norm for me, shaping my understanding of the world through the lens of immigrant labor and capitalism. However, as I grew older, I began to question the inherent injustices within this system, ones that had previously gone unnoticed. Seeking a path...

Cecilia Wolfcale

Class of 2024
2023 Washington Fellowship - Spring
Placement: Public Defender Service of the District of Columbia Placement Location: Washington, D.C.

Cecilia Wolfcale is a third-year student at UC Berkeley from Castro Valley, California studying legal studies and sociology. She plans to go to law school after completing her undergraduate experience at Cal and has career interests in criminal, civil, and constitutional law. Cecilia currently serves as the Intern Manager for the Incarcerated Scholars Program through Berkeley Underground Scholars. She has worked with the...

UCDC Fall 2022: Leveraging Cultural Identities to Uplift and Engage Marginalized Communities

November 10, 2022
Jennifer Ramirez

As a first generation low income student, having the opportunity to intern in Washington DC for an entire semester has been the most surreal experience of my undergraduate career so far. Over the past few months in the nation's capital, I have interned for the Urban Libraries Council as a program intern under the Strategic Initiatives team. My responsibilities include researching how public libraries can best engage marginalized communities, such as youth at-risk of incarceration, English Language Learners and bilingual children. Because their work interacts with public...

UCDC Fall 2022: Following in the Footsteps of Public Service Leaders

November 10, 2022
Andrew Neciuk

Fireflies are replaced by falling leaves in every color of the rainbow. The warm air that wrapped you like a blanket every time you stepped outside, now takes leave for a refreshing cold crispness that wakes you up and gets you ready for the day. This fall I have the privilege to return to the city I have called home since early summer when I started interning here. Working in this city is something different. You are filling one set of busy shoes out of countless others hitting the pavement every hour of every day. A people driven by the promise of change and progress. I...

UCDC Fall 2022: Centering Self-Care and Compassion as a Core Principle of Professionalism

November 10, 2022
Djulia Sekariyongo-Koita

I’m currently interning at HIPS: Honoring Individuals Power and Strength a nonprofit organization that serves the underserved population in the DC metropolitan area focusing on harm reduction and the sex trade. As a direct service intern, my role is to assist drug users and sex laborers by providing syringe exchange, condom distribution, and overdose prevention supplies via outreach vans and drop-in centers. Through my experience working with HIPS, I have come to an understanding that the concept of “professionalism” varies from company to company. There is no concrete...

UCDC Fall 2022: Public Service in Style

November 10, 2022
Anna Lorenzo

On my first day in D.C., I cried myself to sleep. Being thousands of miles from home, where I did not know anyone and did not have a secured internship, was overwhelming.

Since then, however, everything has settled into place. For the past few weeks, I have been working as a Legislative Intern in the Office of Congressman Mark Takano. Being on the Hill has been an unbelievable experience. When Congress was in session, bumping into Congress members left and right was inevitable. In the office, some of the responsibilities I work on include...

UCDC Fall 2022: "They Are the Authors of Their Own Story"; Social Work isn't about 'Saving' People

December 19, 2022
Djulia Sekariyongo-Koita

My last few weeks in Washington, DC were full of uncertainty but I left with a few opportunities to consider in the future. Being in D.C. exposed me to unlimited possibilities, and the city itself was refreshing to live in for almost four months. I really enjoyed having access to free public transportation. It was very easy and simple to navigate the city with the help of Google maps of course.

Interning at HIPS this fall was an eye opening experience that taught me what I do and do not want to do in my future career. At the same time, being in...