Cristina Jimenez Flores

Congressional Intern, Presented by Walmart
Hometown: West Valley City, Utah
School: University of Utah
Majors: Political Science; Psychology; Sociology
Placement: Office of Rep. Andrea Salinas

Cristina was born and raised in West Valley City, Utah. She was raised by her two immigrant parents, who came to the United States from Jalisco, Mexico, at the age of 18. Growing up, her family faced many financial and social hardships, many of which profoundly impacted her and inspired her commitment to advocacy and public service.

She started by interning at Comunidades Unidas, a local nonprofit focused on helping immigrants, during COVID-19. Since then, she has worked to support the undocumented community and has focused on public education, health, and community engagement. She also helped expand Salt Lake City Peer Court, a youth diversion program that empowers young people through restorative justice and leadership development. In addition, she conducted research on Utah’s new redistricting map, which added a new congressional seat in Salt Lake City.

Cristina is a triple major at the University of Utah in Political Science, Sociology, and Psychology. She is also involved with the Latinx Club, First Gen, and works for Housing & Residential Education. Cristina hopes to attend law school and continue helping undocumented immigrants.

As a CHCI Intern, Cristina hopes to deepen her understanding of policymaking at the federal level. She sees CHCI as an opportunity to learn more about the policymaking process and the leaders shaping it. She aims to gain a greater understanding of the impact of immigration status on policy and the role of grassroots efforts in the policymaking process.