Democracy Camp Berkeley

Emily Chamale Hernandez

Class of 2026
2024 Democracy Camp in Berkeley

Emily Chamale Hernandez (she/her)

Born in Guatemala and raised in South Central Los Angeles, Emily's experiences have shaped her into a driven and passionate advocate for positive change. She is a first-generation student at UC Berkeley, pursuing a double major in political science and ethnic studies. Growing up in South LA, she observed the inadequate resources her community received. During her freshman year of high school, an Ethnic Studies class deepened Emily's connection with her history and identity, revealing a global cycle of enduring injustices and igniting a...

Elena Hsieh

Class of 2024
2024 Democracy Camp in Berkeley

Elena Hsieh (she/her)

Elena Hsieh is a third year from San Diego studying English and conservation & resource studies, with a minor in politics, philosophy, and law. Within these spheres of interest, she is most passionate about environmental litigation, animal welfare, and ecological literature. She is driven to pursue the legal field as a means to substantiate change for those from less privileged backgrounds, as she witnesses the disproportionate impacts of climate change across all life forms, especially people divided by wealth disparities....

Cristal Amezcua

Class of 2025
2024 Democracy Camp in Berkeley

Cristal Amezcua (she/her)

Cristal Amezcua is the daughter of Mexican immigrants and is a first-generation, junior transfer student at UC Berkeley. She is majoring in political science with a minor in public policy. She was raised in the California Central Valley where she became passionate about immigrant rights, especially those unique to her community such as fieldworker rights. She began her interest in civic work when she initiated a farm laborer campaign Standing with Farm Workers in high school, in collaboration with the Visalia Unified School...

Annmarie Le

Class of 2025
2024 Democracy Camp in Berkeley

Annmarie Le (she/her)

Annmarie Le was raised in a Southern California immigrant household by hardworking and resilient parents who started from scratch. She has always been passionate about learning and hopes to research foreign policy and international affairs. This passion is rooted in her experience growing up in an immigrant household, which exposed her to the difficulties of the immigration process.

Transferring to UC Berkeley in fall of 2023, she aimed to maximize the resources available. With a Political Science degree and...

Angelica Castellon

Class of 2025
2024 Democracy Camp in Berkeley

Angelica Castellon (she/her)

As an undocumented individual, growing up I faced a lot of struggles. I came to this country as a child, not knowing the obstacles that being undocumented would create for my future. After high school, there were not many options for me as I faced a new life as a single, undocumented mom at the age of 17 years old. Since then, I worked various jobs in which I often saw people of my community get taken advantage of due to their undocumented status by the employers, as well as by our criminal and immigration systems. I often felt frustration...

Axel Contreras

Class of 2024
2024 Democracy Camp in Berkeley

Axel Contreras (he/him)

Axel Contreras is a current student in UC Berkeley hoping to obtain a degree in political science. He is a first-generation transfer student from Union City, CA. Growing up as the son of immigrant parents, he has witnessed how effects of decisions from past administrations and legislative policies have negatively influenced one’s day to day life through fear of deportation and the tearing apart of families within his community. As a result, Axel hopes to serve as a platform for undocumented immigrants within his community and be the voice of the...

Anna Maria Diaz

Class of 2023
2024 Percy Undergraduate Grant
2023 Schaeffer Fellowship
2023 Democracy Camp in Berkeley

Anna is passionate about serving underserved communities through the lens of the law and legal system. As a Berkeley Peter E. Haas Public Service Leader, she worked for Bay Area JusticeCorps, where she helps self-represented litigants navigate the legal system by providing legal information under the supervision of attorneys. Now, with the Public Service Center’s support she works an as Undergraduate Intern at Marin County Public Defender’s Office. She also is a Student Researcher at the Human Rights Center Investigations Lab at Berkeley Law. Currently, Anna also works as a Law Clerk at a...

Jennifer Ramirez

Class of 2024
2024 Percy Undergraduate Grant
2023 Cal-in-Sacramento
2022 Washington Fellowship
2022 Democracy Camp in DC Student Co-Director
2022 Democracy Camp in DC
2022 Democracy Camp in Berkeley

Jennifer Ramirez is a first-generation Latina studying Economics and Public Policy at UC Berkeley from the Bay Area. Growing up in a mixed-status household, she experienced first-hand the hardships Latinx immigrant families faced, such as the struggle to assimilate, obtain basic needs, and become financially stable. The systematic barriers that limit the upward mobility of historically marginalized communities propelled her to become an advocate in her local community, and pursue a career in public service. After being selected to attend Harvard Kennedy...

Alma Castillo

Class of 2025
2024 Democracy Camp in DC
2023 Democracy Camp in Berkeley

Alma Castillo is a first-generation, low-income, second-year student at UC Berkeley from South Central Los Angeles. At Cal, she is a part of the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), Disabled Students Program (DSP), and Biology Scholars Program (BSP). She also participates in the College Corps Fellowship and is the Public Relations co-chair of UC Berkeley’s Comunidad for Health Equity (CHE). She is majoring in Public Health because she wants to help people from low-income communities live healthier lives by connecting them to health resources. She also wants to...

Aisha Elbgal

Class of 2025
2022 Democracy Camp in Berkeley

Aisha Elbgal is a first-generation Muslim Yemeni-American with an intended major in Social Welfare. She was born and raised in Oakland, California where she has witnessed a plethora of issues engulf her beloved city coupled with the lack of action at the hands of those in power. This sparked a passion in Aisha from a young age when she gave a speech at her middle school about the early rise of gentrification and displacement in what was once a beautiful and diverse Oakland. She is now working to address issues such as educational inequity, public health and safety, homelessness...