Originally hailing from Mexico, Xitlalli Godinez migrated to the Bay Area of California at the tender age of one. Despite moving so young, she maintained a strong connection to her Mexican heritage due to spending her childhood in the Mission District of San Francisco. Growing up in a place with a diverse environment afforded her the opportunity to learn about the different cultures that make up the region. This exposure to various perspectives, coupled with unrestricted access to a wide array of diverse topics in regards to civil rights, nurtured her love for history and instilled in her a deep sense of justice.

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Xitlalli pursued a career in public interest because she believes it is important for individuals from a community to help that community, as they better understand the perspectives of its members. At the University of California, Berkeley, she majored in legal studies, exploring the sociological aspects of how the law functions. While at Berkeley, she worked at Mission Language Vocational School, a non-profit where she helped immigrants and first-generation individuals train for jobs in the hospitality and medical sectors. Her goal is to attend law school and become a public defender.

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As a DreamSF Fellow, Xitlalli is placed at We Rise SF, a non-profit specializing in legal services for immigrant union members and their families. Eager to expand her legal knowledge and further her commitment to supporting her community, Xitlalli is enthusiastic about contributing to We Rise SF and advancing towards her goal of a career in the immigration legal field.

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Outside of her professional endeavors, Xitlalli finds enjoyment in general media consumption. She loves going to the theater to watch new movies, starting new shows, listening to new music, and reading non-fiction books. She also has an interest in fashion, collecting Vogue magazines, and sewing in her free time.