Esmeralda was born in a small agricultural town in Sinaloa, Mexico and at a young age was brought to the United States to live in a different agricultural city in the Central Valley of California. Growing up in these traditional environments was lonely for Esmeralda, and she learned to be independent because of the severe isolation. She was an independent young woman her entire family could depend on. It was not until she moved to the Bay Area to attend university that she learned to advocate for her needs, listen to her mind, soul, and body, and realize she has always been capable of love and being loved. 

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Esmeralda is a recent graduate of the University of California, Berkeley with a bachelor’s in economics and minor in public policy. During her time there, Esmeralda participated in a variety of campus programs, specifically those that uplift the voices of undocumented students. These programs include: the Undocumented Student Program, the East Bay Community Law Center, UndocuScholars, and the Center for Equity, Gender & Leadership at Berkeley’s Haas Business School. A majority of her time at Cal was spent advocating for undocumented students through presentations, mental health awareness, and overall bringing humanity back to immigrant narratives.

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Esmeralda is pursuing a law-related career, whether it be as an attorney or related fields of law she’s passionate about, such as: labor, international, and civil rights law. As a DreamSF fellow, she is placed with Mission Action (formally known as Dolores Street Community Services) and is working with their Deportation Defense and Legal Advocacy Program (DDLAP). Through this work, she will support immigrants facing deportation and uplift those who face the harshest consequences of the legal system in this country. 

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Outside of her professional passions, Esmeralda enjoys doing nail art, driving while blasting music, arts and crafts, reading, watching shows, pretending she shares a podcast with her friends, and trying to purposefully find joy in everyday life.