Susan was born in Zitacuaro, Michoacán, Mexico, and immigrated to the U.S. with her mom and sister at the age of 2. She is a student at the University of California-Berkeley, majoring in political economy.

Growing up undocumented in Southeast Los Angeles, CA, Susan was confronted with issues related to immigrant rights, economic insecurity and affordable housing. These experiences made Susan passionate about building community and empowering one another in order to unite against oppressive forces.

At UC Berkeley, Susan was involved in a student-led organization called Inside the Living Room, which supports legal staff at the East Bay Sanctuary Covenant in the city of Berkeley. During the 2017-2018 year, Susan helped clients renew their DACA applications. In the following year, Susan served as the Public Relations and Marketing Director for Inside the Living Room.

Susan expanded her knowledge of immigration law as an Immigration Law Fellow for Immigrants Rising in the 2018-2019 cohort. As a fellow, Susan collaborated with an immigration law attorney weekly to compose individualized legal memoranda for undocumented individuals, ages 14 to 35, nationwide. This experience reaffirmed her aspirations to become an immigration law attorney.

As a DreamSF Fellow, Susan’s is placed at Jubilee Immigration Advocates. Susan assists Jubilee’s immigration legal services team with Spanish translation, interpretation, document filing, and meeting with clients.

Cooking with friends, listening to podcasts (like Ear Hustle), and graphic design bring Susan joy