Juan Vivas  

CHCI Public Policy Fellow

Presented by Johnson & Johnson  

Hometown: Bogotá, Colombia / Orlando, Florida 

School: University of Florida 

Degree: B.A in Political Science & International Studies 

Placement: Office of Rep. Joaquin Castro 

Juan Vivas (he/him/él) was born and raised in Bogotá, Colombia, and immigrated to Orlando, Florida, at the age of 17. As a first-generation immigrant, navigating a new country alongside his family, he became aware of the systemic inequities that shape people’s lives, especially those from underrepresented communities. With determination and purpose, he pursued higher education with the idea of one day helping make the Latinx community safer and more equitable. 

Juan began his academic journey at Valencia College, where he earned his A.A. while working full-time and volunteering with local nonprofits. During this time, he conducted independent research on healthcare access for undocumented communities in Central Florida, which was selected for presentation at the Southern Honors Regional Conference. He later transferred to the University of Florida, where he earned his B.A. in International Studies and Political Science, graduating cum laude, with a regional focus on Latin America and the Caribbean. At UF, he assisted as a junior fellow in the Political Science Department, researching Latin American political representation and democracy. He also volunteered with Children Beyond Our Borders, where he supported their ESL Tutoring Program for recent immigrants. 

Juan has also gained experience in both legislative and policy spaces. He interned in Washington, D.C., with Congressman Darren Soto’s office, and was later selected as a fellow for the Public Policy and International Affairs (PPIA) Junior Summer Institute at Princeton University. In the future, Juan plans to pursue an MPP to continue expanding his skills and to prepare for a career in immigration policymaking.  

As a CHCI Public Policy Fellow, Juan expects to continue contributing to the communities that shaped him by understanding how federal policy is effectively implemented, and he hopes to work on issues that allow him to bring both his research experience and lived perspective into spaces that often don’t, focusing on policies that might impact Latinx communities.