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Victoria Ordaz GarciaProgram Managervordazgarcia@ucmerced.eduBorn in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico, Victoria Ordaz Garcia (She/her/Ella) is the proud daughter of Zapoteco farmworkers, she migrated to the Central Valley at the age of 6. Victoria graduated as a first-generation, undocumented student from California State University Monterey Bay with a B.S. in Molecular Biology. Victoria takes pride in being Oaxaqueña and serves her community by being part of Oaxaqueño Youth Empowerment, which campaigns to obtain support and success for Oaxaqueño youth in higher education. She is also a member of United We Dream (UWD). She can proudly say that her participation in these diverse organizations has ignited her passion for social justice. In her role, she works with undergraduate and graduate undocumented students to increase awareness, access, and address the needs of students impacted by immigration and higher education policies. "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” - Maya Angelou Schedule an appointment:
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Paloma Andrea PuertaImmigration Attorney, UC Immigration Centerpaloma.ucimm@law.ucdavis.eduPaloma is the immigration attorney serving the UC Merced community. Paloma was raised in Arvin, California, a small agricultural town near Bakersfield. Paloma and her older sister were raised by their single mom and they saw her struggle to financially provide for them. Paloma’s background and experiences motivated her from a young age to pursue higher education so she could one day retire her mom and help others in her community prosper and excel. This dream took Paloma to UC San Diego where she majored in Human Development, and later to the Nebraska College of Law where she obtained her J.D. In her free time, Paloma loves going to live music and theater events, all things Taylor Swift, cooking, traveling, and trying the latest coffee drink. Schedule an appointment:
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Lisbeth Portillo PenaComing soon!lportillo9@ucmerced.edu
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Heidi RiveraComing Soon!heidirivera@ucmerced.edu
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Jakelinne BocelComing Soon!jakelinnebocel@ucmerced.edu
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Ingrid GarayLead Student Coordinatorigaray2@ucmerced.eduIngrid Garay is a third-year student majoring in Management, Business, and Economics with a minor in Political Science. Born in San Salvador, El Salvador, and raised in Los Angeles, she aspires to become a judge within the criminal justice system. Passionate about advocating for low-income and undocumented students, Ingrid encourages them to pursue higher education. She is eager to support students at the Monarch Center, ensuring they feel welcomed and assisting with any questions they may have. Schedule an appointment:
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Zaid MartinezStudent Coordinatorzmartinez8@ucmerced.eduZaid Martinez is a third-year student majoring in Computer Science and Engineering at UC Merced with a focus on database management. Growing up in the small town of Pacheco, Zaid actively supported the undocumented community by helping provide necessities and connecting individuals with job opportunities. At UC Merced, Zaid continues to build on this commitment by advocating for access, equity, and representation in higher education and in STEM, while pursuing a career in technology that creates meaningful impact. Schedule an appointment:
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Adriana MartinezLegal internamartinezdiaz2@ucmerced.eduAdriana Martinez Diaz is a third-year Human Biology and Spanish major. She was born in Baja California, Mexico, but was raised in Fresno, California. She aspires to become a dentist and attend dental school soon. She hopes to give back to her community by providing dental care to low-income, Hispanic, and undocumented communities. She holds the Outreach position in the Public Health Society, a club on campus that is dedicated to Prevent, Promote, and Protect while exploring all aspects of Public Health. As the Legal Student Intern, she is eager to be a familiar face at the Monarch Center and to work with students and family members seeking immigration services from the Immigration Attorney. |
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Edwin Gomez LinaresComing soon!egomezlinares@ucmerced.edu |
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Cristina CarbajalComing Soon!ccarbajal4@ucmerced.edu
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Fatima GeronimaComing Soon!fgeronimo@ucmerced.edu
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