Veronica Fernandez-Diaz
Colorado College
Veronica Fernandez-Diaz, a third-year student at Colorado College, is a civic leader committed to building a more equitable and inclusive society. She acts as an unwavering advocate for marginalized communities, engaging in immigration reform efforts both locally and nationally.
On CC's campus, Veronica works to broaden support for first-generation and DACA students through her work in the Office of Admissions and as a Bridge Scholars Program Mentor. She leverages her sociology major to create opportunities for students to learn about and engage with immigrants in detention facilities across the country.
When legislative actions last fall threatened the community of "Dreamers," Veronica applied her dedication, passion, and leadership to national activism efforts. She has collaborated with United We Dream and the Catholic Immigration Network to engage in organizing training in Washington, D.C. She has also pursued these efforts locally, as a core leader of the community's Dream Team.
Veronica is on track to complete CC's 3-year Community Engaged Leadership Certificate Program, demonstrating her long-term commitment to civic leadership. With her collaborative spirit and passion for community organizing, she holds great potential to solve issues of access and equity.
Personal Statement
"It is our duty to fight for our freedom. It is our duty to win. We must love and protect one another. We have nothing to lose but our chains." I first heard this chant as I trained for one of the biggest fights of my life-demanding rights for the undocumented community. This chant made me feel seen, cared for, and for the first time, I felt I wasn't alone. I've been committed to my community through volunteering and youth service programs since middle school, but what I've found in the past couple of years is different-it is liberating. In the past month, I led sit-ins, chanted until my voice gave out, and called out representatives for their failure to advocate for our community. The power of our people inspires me to continue blending my academic experiences with organizing skills to fight for our community on all fronts. I'll continue to believe that people power will liberate us, that everyone has a place within the movement, and that our community deserves more than broken promises and broken families. As I fight alongside my community, I'll hold on to the most important lesson I learned-be unafraid and unashamed.
