Sarah Michelle Orozco

Hi, I’m Sarah Orozco. I’m a 1st-gen, low-income, Oaxaquena Senior transfer student from UC Berkeley. My family is from the Sierra Norte region in Oaxaca, Mexico, a small pueblito called San Mateo Cajonos. I’m majoring in sociology and plan to attend graduate school to get a PHD in Education. I'm apart of many communities on campus, such as EOP, transfers, basic needs center, DSP, and also most importantly uplifting the Oaxacan community at CAL and the bay area. I am currently involved in 3 position in the Center for Educational Equity and Excellence: at the Transfer student center as a Lead for the Transition course , EOP as a Peer academic counselor and Leader for the IPAC internship, and BNC as a Food pantry ambassador. These CE3 centers provide guidance to students to connect them with every resource available and network with staff/faculty that are allies for students who come from non traditional backgrounds. The community of students I advocate for are resilient and driven to come out of the struggle that's been produced by this severely unbalanced structured system we are being worked by. I serve as a pillar to the communities that are underprivileged, underrepresented, underserved, or low socioeconomic status, I serve those from my own neighborhoods. I will further my studies I plan to serve those who are system impacted and underrepresented student, especially indigenous student. I chose to attend Cal to make change and eradicate the system, while bringing light to the indigenous community on campus and in the bay area to continue on my passion of everyone having access to higher education.