Camila Estrada 

CHCI Child Welfare Postgraduate Fellow  

Presented by Casey Family Foundation 

Hometown: Richardson, Texas 

School: The University of Texas at Dallas 

Degree: Master of Science in Criminology 

Placement: Master of Science in Criminology

Camila Estrada (she/her) was born in Michoacán, Mexico and immigrated to the United States at the age of four. As both a daughter of immigrants and an immigrant herself, she takes pride in her family’s story and Mexican identity. Growing up in a mixed status, low-income community shaped her worldview and inspired her to learn more about the issues affecting underserved communities. Her parents instilled in her the importance of education and supported her academic journey as a first-generation college student. Camila’s passion for advocacy is rooted in her early experiences translating, interpreting, and navigating systems on behalf of her loved ones. These moments continue to guide and inspire her to create a more just and inclusive world. 

Camila attended the University of Texas at Dallas and earned her B.A. in Criminology and Political Science. As an undergraduate, she began to explore her passion for legal advocacy and criminal justice reform through her work with the Innocence Project of Texas. There, she reviewed cases involving potentially wrongfully convicted individuals, gaining firsthand insight into the racial disparities of the criminal justice system and the systemic inequalities embedded in our American political institutions. To give back to the community that raised her, Camila served as an officer for the university’s League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) council. In this role, she organized voter registration drives, coordinated a collegiate conference, supported an ESL program for Hispanic custodians, and planned a high-profile campaign event for gubernatorial candidate Beto O’Rourke. She also competed on the university’s moot court team and learned how to construct and orally present legal arguments, an experience that solidified her decision to attend law school. In her senior year, Camila was selected as a Fellow for the prestigious Archer Fellowship in Washington DC. Her internship with Legal Aid DC was a defining moment in her journey as an advocate, where her experiences included aiding in criminal record sealing petitions, shadowing attorneys at the DC Superior Court, and working directly with low-income clients facing complex legal challenges. These experiences deepened her commitment to serving marginalized communities and ultimately led her to pursue an M.S. in Criminology at the University of Texas at Dallas. As a graduate student, she continued to explore the intersections of poverty, mass incarceration, and immigration, which have shaped her vision for a career in public interest law. 

As the CHCI Child Welfare Postgraduate Fellow, Camila looks forward to learning more about federal policymaking and the legislative process. She hopes to use this knowledge, as well as her background experience, to become the best advocate that she can be for Hispanic children and families.