Taylor (They/She) is Bay Area native, born in Richmond and raised across the United States and Europe. From homeschooling with her parents to Middle College High School and Howard University, Taylor’s educational pathway has been anything but standard. Graduating at nineteen years old with a bachelor’s degree in English has helped Taylor recognize the value of exposure and experience that can happen in such little time. In the journey to share this revelation with others, Taylor hopes to use their authenticity, communication skills, and multifaceted background to create stable foundations...
Nicholas Ismael (he/him), raised in Concord, CA, is a first-generation college student. He graduated from UCLA as a Regents Scholar, earning a degree in Design/Media Arts with a minor in Digital Humanities. As an undergraduate, he served in several student-facing roles, including Student Liaison between the Design Media Arts department and its faculty, and Designer-in-Residence for the School of the Arts and Architecture. He leads as the Director of the Design Media Arts Summer Institute at UCLA, where he manages a program offering high school students a multidisciplinary education in...
Shelsea Reyes is a Bay Area native who was raised in Oakland and attended school in Berkeley. She began her academic journey at Berkeley City College before transferring to UC Davis, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Design with a minor in Chicana/o/x Studies. During her undergraduate experience, she worked with Berkeley City College’s Puente Project and UC Davis’ Chicanx/Latinx Student Academic Success and Retention Initiative (El Centro), supporting programs that promote student success and community engagement. As a first- generation college graduate, Shelsea developed a passion...
Suyen (she/her) is a Los Angeles native, raised in South Gate and South Central. She is a proud first-gen who earned her B.A. in Anthropology and Ethnic Studies from UC Berkeley after transferring from East Los Angeles College. During her time in undergrad, Suyen served as a Residential Assistant and EOP Intake Intern, where she supported underrepresented youth through mentorship, inclusive programming, and community engagement. Suyen decided to become a college adviser because she is dedicated to creating pathways for students like herself. She is passionate about educational equity and...
Malia (she/her) is a Bay Area native, born and raised in Oakland. She earned her bachelor's degree in Social Welfare from UC Berkeley. During her time as an undergraduate, Malia was involved in the Experience Berkeley Transfer Program, where she supported underserved community college students from both Northern and Southern California through the college application process. After graduating, she returned to her roots as a college adviser at her alma mater, Oakland Tech. Driven by a passion for equity in education, Malia is committed to helping students explore and pursue postsecondary...
Lorrina Jimenez (she/her) was raised in Oakland and San Leandro. She attended San Leandro High School and moved to San Francisco to go to San Francisco State University. She recently graduated and has moved back to San Leandro. She majored in Race and Resistance Studies, also known as Ethnic Studies and minored in Education & Sociology. While in college she was active in student organizing on and outside of campus and even took a class on it. She was also a Presidential Scholar at SF State which is a scholarship SF State gives out to 4-6 students each year. In highschool, Lorrina was a...
Kayla (she/her) is born and raised in the Bay and is a proud first-generation Pasifika college graduate. She started at Chabot College and earned her Associate’s degree in Ethnic Studies then transferred to SF State where she majored in English Literature with a minor in Race and Resistance Studies. During her time at both Chabot and SF State, Kayla worked with various communities dedicated to supporting Pacific Islanders in higher education, including Nesians Unite at Chabot College, ARC at SF State, and the Critical Pacific Islands and Oceania Studies Department at SF State. She became...
Kelly (she/her) is a Sonoma County native, born and raised in Santa Rosa. She is a proud alumna of Santa Rosa Junior College, where she was an active and engaged member of her community. After community college, Kelly transferred to the University of California, Davis, where she majored in Political Science–Public Service and Sociology–Law and Society. During her time in undergrad, she worked at the Transfer Opportunity Program (TOP) for UC Davis Undergraduate Admissions, where she enhanced the transfer culture by supporting students in transferring to a four-year university. After...
Karla (she/her) is a Bay Area native who earned her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Master of Arts in Education with a concentration in Adult Education from San Francisco State University. Growing up, Karla was an active participant in the AVID program throughout middle and high school, where she learned the importance of academic preparation and self-advocacy. That experience inspired her lifelong commitment to helping students navigate their own educational journeys. As a first-generation Latina, Karla is dedicated to empowering students to advocate for their education and pursue their...
Jordan Espinoza, raised in Richmond, California; and a graduate from UCLA as a Chicanx and Central American Studies major, has focused his professional career tutoring, advising, and mentoring students in impoverished communities. His four years of university were centered around building equity in communities such as Oakland, K-Town, South Central, Lincoln Heights, and the district of Crenshaw. Jordan believes that at the heart of an equitable society, is the investment of its people as thinkers. Through advising at Richmond High School, he aims to equip students with the tools they need...
