Araceli Garcia
Stanford University
Araceli Garcia, a junior at Stanford University, is committed to advancing social justice, specifically in immigration reform; understanding and celebrating Chicanx and Latinx histories, narratives, cultures, and identities; and building a vibrant and inclusive community on campus. She has played a leadership role in multiple organizations, including Stanford's El Centro Chicano y Latino community center; MEChA student organization; Casa Zapata residence hall focused on the Chicanx and Latinx experience; and mentorship community Hermanas de Stanford. She has also served as a cohort lead in the inaugural year of Stanford's Emerson Fellowship, a year-long program focused on equipping students to explore the root causes of social inequities, effectively engage across difference, and catalyze social change. Araceli has also pursued internships focused on safeguarding migrants' rights, especially those seeking asylum in the United States, gaining invaluable experience and insight that will serve her well as a future immigration attorney.
Personal Statement
"As an aspiring immigration attorney, I'm currently pursuing a Chicanx/Latinx Studies major and Education minor at Stanford. In fall quarter of my freshman year, xenophobic and anti-immigrant sentiments were given power and a platform at the highest levels of elected office. As the daughter of a Mexican immigrant, with many undocumented family members and friends, I immediately understood the dangers that undocumented workers and students on campus would face. I became heavily involved in Stanford Sanctuary Now, organizing for the university to better support them and officially declare Sanctuary Campus status. As a firm believer in activism as a form of public service, I began to work for RAICES in San Antonio, Texas, as a Karnes Pro Bono Project intern, aiding in providing direct legal assistance to women and children seeking asylum in the Karnes County Residential Center and to men who had been separated, then reunified, with their sons. My passion for immigration reform and dedication to activism stem from a deep commitment to advocating on behalf of the most vulnerable people in my community. In a world that refuses to recognize their humanity, I hope to amplify the voices and defend the rights of migrants."
