Student Bios: 2026-2027

Michel Alba

Michel is a third-year student double majoring in Political Science and Global Health.

I am a first-generation student and daughter of Mexican immigrants from Jalisco. I was born and raised in Pauma Valley, CA, in a predominantly agricultural, rural, and immigrfant community. I became interested in MRFP because I have previously participated in research at UCSD on immigration policy and would like to deepen my understanding of migrant communities in the Tijuana-San Diego area. Through this experience, I hope to gain the advocacy skills needed for my career, as I plan on pursuing a JD to help underserved communities. 

Riley Arce-Riolo

Riley is a third-year Urban Studies and Planning major with a minor in Political Science.

As the descendant of Filipino immigrants who migrated to Southern California, I have spent the entirety of my life in LA county, home to some of the largest and most diverse immigrant communities in the U.S. Particularly this past summer, witnessing the attacks on members of my community has been extremely disheartening. It’s absolutely impossible not to advocate for the safety and protection of migrant communities. Studying Urban Studies and Planning, as well as Political Science, I have become passionate about inclusive public spaces for migrant communities. It has been an interest to learn more about how third spaces were historically forged by immigrant communities in order to preserve cultural identity and create support systems in an urban landscape that was not created with these groups in mind.

Anezka Contreras

Anezka is a fourth-year Sociology major with a minor in Ethnic Studies. 

I am a first generation college student and I grew up moving around the U.S., mostly living in small, predominantly white towns. I didn’t grow up close to Latino or immigrant communities, so for college I knew I wanted to immerse myself in an area with rich roots for both groups. After coming to UCSD, I found that my passion for social justice was stronger than ever, and over the last few years, the political climate that continues to grow more hostile toward immigrants has driven me to find ways to tangibly help those actively being discriminated against. In MFRP I hope to learn more about immigration law and the injustices immigrants face in order to better serve the community.

Prisha Desai

Prisha is a fourth-year Neurobiology major with minors in Spanish Literature and Global Health.

I am the first-born child of immigrant parents and was born and raised in San Diego. Growing up in a bicultural household and in a city close to the U.S.-Mexico border, I have heard about my family’s experiences navigating life in a new country and developed a strong interest in learning about different cultures and backgrounds. These experiences have shaped my goal of providing culturally competent care as I aspire to pursue a career in medicine and have motivated me to seek opportunities that help me better understand the barriers different communities face. I joined MFRP to deepen my understanding of research in this field while contributing to work that can have a meaningful impact on migrant communities.

Dulce Donabo Miranda

Dulce is a third-year Human Biology major, minoring in Bioethics.

I am a proud first-generation Latin@x college student, born to two Guatemalan parents and raised in the Inland Empire, California. Having grown up in largely immigrant-dominated spaces, especially those struggling with difficulties acquiring legal status, I bear witness to the disparities and barriers that immigrants face when accessing daily necessities. Many of these experiences came through verbal accounts from my parents and other family members, whether it be anecdotes about crossing the border, overcoming language barriers, or persevering toward achieving security and stability. Their testimonies to these sacrifices and lifelong efforts motivate me to join initiatives to close the gap in rights and access to resources that many migrants face. My parents’ sacrifices gave me opportunities and security that I recognize as a privilege, and I hope to use that privilege to advocate for others. As such, pursuing higher education was never just a dream but a goal to be achieved; it was my professor from CCE 1, 8th college’s writing requirement, who introduced me to MMFRP (muchas g, Kat!). Lastly, as a hopefully to-be physician, tackling immigrant-related disparities to me means working directly with these communities, advocating for them not only in clinical settings but in the larger scheme of our healthcare system, especially regarding policy. MMFRP to me is a step in the right direction by further amplifying community-based research!

Anthony Garcia

Anthony is a fourth-year double-majoring in Political Science and Latin American Studies.

I’m a first-generation college student of Mexican and Salvadoran heritage from Los Angeles, California. I often think about the stories my family has shared about navigating life in the United States through an immigrant perspective, including both the joys and challenges that come with it. Growing up, I was always aware of what immigration meant and the lasting effects it could have on families. Because of this, I want to use my voice to advocate for people who contribute so much to their communities and deserve to be recognized for their humanity. I joined MFRP because I hope to become an advocate for the courageous and resilient members of the Latinx community and to better understand the experiences that shape their lives. After completing my undergraduate degree, I plan to begin working toward my paralegal certification and, soon after, pursue a position as a paralegal at a law firm in my hometown of Los Angeles.

Bella Gonzalez

Bella is a second-year Sociology major with a minor in Sociocultural Anthropology.

I am originally from Sacramento, California but my father immigrated here from Jalisco, Mexico with the hopes of making a life for himself. He did this all alone and never gave up even when it seemed like the odds were against him. I am inspired by him and his story everyday, and I have always strived to be as determined and hard working as he has been throughout his life. Through the MFRP program, I hope to advocate for other migrant families, and help them get a fair chance at the life they dream of.

Celeste Huerta

Celeste is a third-year Political Science major with a concentration in Public Law.

I am a second-generation Mexican American from Baldwin Park, CA. My interest in immigration comes from my family and seeing the difficulties they faced immigrating here, as well as seeing the flaws in a system where people are not always given the support they need. I joined MFRP because I want the opportunity to hear directly from people who are experiencing these issues and learn from their experiences. I believe hearing from people who are affected by immigration policies is necessary for understanding what needs to change, which is why I’m excited to be a part of MFRP. I hope to take what I learn from this experience with me, and after graduating from UCSD, I hope to attend law school and continue working on issues affecting immigrant communities. 

Adamaris Jarquin

Adamaris is a fourth-year Global Health major with a minor in Public Service.

I’m Adamaris Jarquin, a first-generation student from Salinas, CA. During my years at UCSD, I have focused my studies and career development around substance-use prevention, community health, and mentorship to other first-generation students. I joined MFRP because it is an opportunity I have been wanting to do since coming to San Diego, an opportunity that opens doors to conducting research and at the same time possibly helping a new community that shares similar background with me. As a continuation of my studies, I want my future career to focus on healthcare implementations and initiatives for underserved populations such as low income, unhoused, and migrant populations. With this in mind I plan to attain an MPH after I graduate and further down the line, I want to challenge myself to accomplish an MHA.  

Kimberly Jimenez

Kimberly is a fourth-year double majoring in Global Health and Linguistics with a specialization in Speech and Language Disorders.

I am a first generation college student from Santa Ana, CA. My parents immigrated from Mexico, so conversations about the border and legal status were very present within my immediate family and in the community I grew up in. The border often felt as something far away, but coming to UCSD it makes you realize just how close it is. I participated in a GLBH summer program, where we volunteered with community organizations in Tijuana, and I really enjoyed the experience which is why I applied to the MFRP program as well! Through this program I hope to expand on what I have learned/experienced and continue to work towards more advocacy and cultural competency through our work within these communities. After I graduate, I plan to attend grad school for Speech Pathology! 

Jesus Clemente Magaña Estrada

Clemente is a third-year Political Science major with a concentration in Public Law and minors in Cognitive Science and Law & Society

My connection to migration is very personal. I was born in Mexico and later came to the United States with my grandparents, who adopted and raised me because of family circumstances involving domestic violence. Because of my own experience, I understand the privilege I have to be here, to have access to education, and to be in spaces where I can learn how to advocate for my community. My work focuses on immigrant justice, language access, youth empowerment, labor justice, and public interest law. Through Casa Cornelia Law Center, Al Otro Lado, the San Diego Superior Court, One Fair Wage, and BIPOC Support Foundation, I have supported immigrant, low-income, youth, and underserved communities through interpretation, legal access, research, outreach, and advocacy.

Sabeen Rasheed

Sabeen is a fourth-year  Global Health and Human Biology double major. 

I am a first generation Pakistani-American from the Mission district of San Francisco. Growing up with immigrant parents, surrounded by one of the most migrant-populated areas in San Francisco, I witnessed how social, political, and healthcare systems disproportionately harm and silence the voices of migrant communities, provoking fear and vulnerability. As a Global Health and Human Biology student at UCSD, I am exposed to the ways that immigrants are left out in the field of public health and biomedical research yielding health disparities. This has motivated me to pursue community health and quality improvement work in the U.S.-Mexico border, where I have worked with community members to develop and implement a point of care diagnostic screening protocol for free clinics in Tijuana and Mexicali. In the MFRP I look forward to developing a community and working with my peers who want to create change in the migrant experience, as well as having conversations with the people that are directly affected by the injustices that come with U.S. migration, to be able to amplify those voices and advocate for migrant rights in every academic, policy, clinical, and research setting I am in throughout my career in immigrant health.

Manuel Rodriguez

Manuel is a fifth-year Ethnic Studies major with a minor in Chicanx Studies. 

I am a first generation college student and come from a family of Mexican immigrants de Guanajuato. My parents settled in the North Bay Area where I was given the resources to exceed expectations of a student like me. However, I was unable to imagine a community outside of my family due to a lack of visibility in my county. Which is a major reason why I joined MFRP in being able to connect, support and see fully the migrants, refugees and those displaced by global affairs and borders. I wish to pursue Graduate School concentrating on Border and Migrant Studies and being able to contribute to the literature that transforms the borderlands as not just a place of violence and death but something more. 

Rubi Crystal Rivera Valdovinos

Rubi is a third-year Communications major with minors in Law & Society and Human Rights & Migration.

I’m a first-generation college student and the daughter of hard working Mexican immigrants from Michoacán and Guerrero. I was born in Lancaster, California, and raised in Stockton before moving to San Diego for college, but when I think of home, I don’t think of a city as much as I think of where my loved ones are. In recent years, I have become increasingly interested in my family’s financial and medical barriers and the role that immigration has played in it. I am particularly drawn to investigating how the immigration experience affects different generations. I am more than ready to be part of a team that aims to immerse in diversity. My goal for my year with MFRP is that through my research in the program I can advocate for immigrant communities and provide information to those who have been kept in the dark or silenced like my parents. I plan to attend law school and hope to continue advocating for immigrant communities through a career in law.

Mani Sefas-Loos

Mani is a third-year double majoring in Political Science and Spanish Literature.

I grew up in Los Angeles, where immigrants and the children of immigrants were fundamental fixtures of my community. In high school, I competed in mock trial and moot court tournaments, sparking my interest in law and the question of who our judicial system does and does not protect. As a freshman in Eleanor Roosevelt College, I enrolled in Spanish to satisfy my general education requirements and then promptly fell in love with not only the language, but how our world changes when we expand how and with whom we can communicate. I found this experience so rewarding that I adopted a double major in Spanish to further broaden my knowledge and perspectives. I joined MFRP to understand how our legal system impacts the experiences of migrants, a lesson I hope to carry into my future career as an attorney.

Zihomara Sevilla

Zihomara is a fourth-year sociology major with a concentration in science and medicine. 

Being a first generation immigrant who grew up in a border town made me more than aware of the struggles that people in immigrant communities face on the daily, simply because of the place they were born and the decision to uproot their lives in pursuit of change and economic opportunities. Seeing my own parents make this decision helped me understand how difficult it can truly be live as an immigrant in America. My goal has always been to give back to the same community that raised me, making their struggle visible but also humanizing them in a world who sees people as mere political talking points. As a sociology student, I hope to find ways to advocate for my community, facilitating access to resources such as medical care and social aids that can be complicated to navigate, especially for immigrants who might face language barriers or other factors that might discourage them from even seeking out resources that they might desperately need. Being a first-generation Mexican immigrant has taught be that above all, community is crucial for survival, therefore I’m really looking forward to becoming more involved and giving back to the communities around me. 

Chloe Terani

Chloe is a fourth-year Political Science major with a concentration in International Relations and minors in Human Rights & Migration and Sociology

I am originally from Los Angeles and have seen how immigration can shape a city, as it does families. I have felt the impact of immigration breaking apart family ties first hand, tearing relatives apart across continents that once spent everyday together. After interning in Washington D.C. and Egypt, I felt MFRP would be an incredible way to continue deepening my understanding of the law a bit closer to home. I say this as I am hoping to pursue a career in law after graduation in order to aid people that are often overlooked in the legal systems, whether that be through Immigration, Criminal Justice, or International Humanitarian Law. 

Gabriela Tovar Tychsen

Gabriela is a third-year International Studies and History major with a minor in Human Rights and Migration

I am a 3rd-generation Angeleno and proud granddaughter of immigrants from Jalisco and Tampico who came to this country through the Bracero program with the hope of providing their children with the resources and opportunities they didn’t. As farmworkers and proud union members, they marched in Delano, participated in protests in LA, and supported the Chicano community by becoming founding members of the Brown Berets.  Without their sacrifices and fight for a better future for themselves and their community, I would not have this blueprint for advocacy to model myself after and the opportunity to participate in the MMFRP.  This strong, driven immigrant community I grew up in inspired me to pursue studying authoritarian societies in college, to get involved in refugee nonprofits, and to use my privilege to fight the corrupt system we operate under, which is directly concerned with keeping the backbone of our country down with the feet of politicians on their necks. I hope to one day get my JD-MSW and continue to work directly with immigrant communities, in particular within the realm of refugee and migrant workers’ law and human rights. Being a part of the MMFRP is so much more than providing immigration resources; it’s about building the foundation for systematized social and political change.  In order to see the change we have to be the change and break this cycle of hate and social disparity.  

Mindy Valdez

Mindy is a fourth-year Latin American Studies major with a concentration in Borders and Migration

“I am a first-generation transfer student and dog mom (my dog, Arlo, pictured left) from Boyle Heights, Los Angeles. I was raised by my maternal grandmother, from the age of five, after my mother was deported. This, along with my experience in navigating both of my parents’ incarceration, has greatly influenced the work that I do in my community and my goals for the future. I currently work with justice-involved youth and their families, providing re-entry resources both inside and outside juvenile halls. I plan to become a public defender for juvenile defendants. I joined MFRP because I am curious to learn more about the diversity found within immigrant experience.

Mia Lora Cacho

Mia is a fourth-year Neurobiology major and a Health Care-Social Issues minor.

I am a first generation student who was born in Iowa but grew up along the San Ysidro border with my family, who is from Tijuana. Crossing to and from Tj was constant, and I saw how it was a way of life for many of my friends and tio/as. By growing up near the border and now being able to work with refugees and (im)migrants in Tijuana, I have formed a personal and emotional connection with the communities. I joined MFRP for a second time because of this connection and because I believe in the importance of acknowledging and advocating for the many people and cultures that have migrated to Tijuana and continue to contribute to the city’s culture which in a way has become mine too.

Dulce Velazquez

Dulce is a fourth-year double major in Latin American Studies (Concentration in Migration and Border Studies) and Political Science: Race, Ethnicity, and Politics

I am a first-generation Mexican-American born and raised in the Sacramento area. Both of my parents are from Jalisco, Mexico. My mom would always tell me the story of how she came to this country at 17 years old, knowing no English, and had to create a new life for herself. She always pushed me to follow my dreams which inspired me to go to college and pursue higher education since she was unable to do so herself. Over the summer I interned at the Consulado General de México en Sacramento, working in the Department of Protection and Legal Affairs. The department works to protect Mexican citizens’ rights here in the U.S. and provide legal assistance when needed for a variety of issues, including those related to immigrants’ rights and advocacy. Through this experience, I learned more about the injustices immigrant communities face, and it was meaningful to learn in an environment dedicated to helping our communities firsthand through a variety of resources. After graduating, I hope to go to law school and eventually practice as an immigration attorney to continue helping people and fighting for immigrants’ rights. I love everything MMFRP stands for and I hope being in the program will teach me valuable hands-on experience helping migrant communities while learning new skills and continue working towards my future goals. 

Josephine Mascareñas Wyland

Josephine is a third-year Sociology major with a concentration in Law and Society and a minor in Human Rights and Migration.