I am an Oakland native and graduated from the California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, with a bachelor's degree in Political Science in 2003. While at Cal Poly, I was a member of Sigma Omega Nu and was the resident advisor for the multicultural tower of Yosemite Hall during the 2000-2001 school year. My passion for education and Oakland inspired me to focus my senior project on the state takeover of the Oakland Unified School District in 2003. After graduation, I returned to Oakland and was an AmeriCorps member in Oakland from 2004-2005, working on community building in Sobrante Park.
Last month, I attended the Latino Equity Summit at the Sheraton Grand in Sacramento, California. The Summit brings together Latino leaders, advocates and policymakers in[Read more]
Last month, the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office hosted the Bay Area Human Exploitation and Trafficking (H.E.A.T) Watch Coalition’s first meeting of the year to[Read more]
On January 30, 2016, I, along with my fellow Oakland Voices correspondent Aqueila Lewis, attended a town hall on gun violence hosted by Rep.[Read more]
Growing up in East Oakland, in a Mexican-Catholic home, one of my favorite traditions about the holidays were Las Posadas at our local church in[Read more]
For five years now, La Luz del Mundo has set up a fundraising Christmas tree lot on 104th Avenue off of International Boulevard. I had the pleasure[Read more]
During times of change, especially unwarranted change, I turn to certain quotes to remind me that change can be good. Oakland is undergoing a transformation[Read more]
“The tears are for those stories that need to be told.” – Albertina Zarazúa Padilla, Curator for MiHistoria Earlier this month, the César E. Chávez Branch of[Read more]