Victor
Victor is a first-generation Filipino-American and a proud son of Concord, California. Raised in an immigrant neighborhood, he draws inspiration from his hometown’s diversity, where people from all over the world come to pursue the American Dream. Victor’s early years in Concord’s public schools sparked his passion for activism, where he led his high school’s Gay-Straight Alliance, organized the first Pride Day, and protested the FDA’s gay blood ban. His commitment to service was recognized early on, earning him the titles of “Most Likely to Be President” by his peers and “Student of the Year” by his school’s PTA.
Victor’s advocacy took root in 2018, when he organized the March for Our Lives rally in Walnut Creek, California, gathering 10,000 people to demand sensible gun reform in the wake of the Parkland shooting. His activism earned him the Congressman Eric Swalwell Young Democrat of the Year award. Shortly thereafter, he joined State Senator Scott Wiener’s office as a Fellow, where he edited the landmark California Internet Consumer Protection and Net Neutrality Act of 2018, and negotiated bills protecting intersex infants and commemorating the defeat of the anti-gay Briggs Initiative.
A graduate of UC Berkeley with a degree in Political Science, Victor distinguished himself as a member of the Debate Society and the Berkeley Undergraduate Journal. He interned at Washington D.C.’s Political Violence Lab, working with the United Nations to locate remote refugee camps in Africa. His academic achievements earned him the Cal Pride Scholarship and the Kronenberger Memorial Scholar award, the highest honor from the eQuality Scholarship Collaborative.
Victor has also made significant strides in the political arena, starting as a fellow for Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign and later managing successful campaigns for Jessica Cisneros and Cameron Sasai. Notably, he helped Sasai become the youngest and first Filipino-American council member in Pinole. Victor also made history as one of the first undocumented delegates in the California Democratic Party, where he won as the second-highest vote-getter in a competitive 32-person race for delegate seats.
Currently, Victor serves as a Commissioner at the Economic Opportunity Council of Contra Costa County, where he oversees policies on economic mobility and manages federal funds to alleviate poverty. For his DreamSF Fellowship placement, he is a Legal Fellow at the LGBT Asylum Project, helping LGBTQ asylum seekers find a new home in the United States. Victor’s journey embodies the American spirit of perseverance and service, and as he continues to work toward citizenship, he remains dedicated to giving back to the country that has given him so much. In the words of Senator Scott Wiener, Victor is “a leader who will change the world.”