Deisy Amezcua Tarelo was born in Jacona, Michoacan, Mexico and migrated to the United States with her family when she was 2 years old. Having received permanent residency, Deisy’s father petitioned for his family’s adjustment of status. During the long process of obtaining residency, Deisy’s family migrated to Watsonville, CA where they continued working as strawberry farmworkers. Her family’s tough labor and resiliency have helped Deisy appreciate all of the opportunities for success presented to her.

Deisy’s parents instilled the importance of education in her at a young age. She excelled in her academics and graduated valedictorian of her high school. Currently, Deisy is a junior at the University of California, Berkeley double majoring in Political Science and Chicanx and Latinx Studies.

After witnessing the injustices her parents—and the broader Latinx community— faces, Deisy wants to help her community by pursuing a career as an immigration attorney. Eager to obtain career experience, Deisy has worked for immigration attorneys in both high school and college and has recently volunteered at East Bay Sanctuary Covenant (EBSC). At EBSC, she assisted attorneys and paralegals with the preparation of many adjustment of status cases, DACA renewals, and other immigration applications.

For the DreamSF Fellowship, Deisy is placed at OneJustice, where she will prepare materials for “Justice Bus” clinics, which provide legal services to rural communities in California. This placement aligns well with Deisy’s interests to learn more about crimmigration and immigration law in general. She is excited engage with rural communities and help bring legal services to those who may not have access to them.

In her free time, Deisy enjoys journaling, reading, going on spontaneous adventures with friends and family, as well as hiking. She hopes to travel the world and gain a better understanding of international politics.