Martín Capuchino 

CHCI Housing Postgraduate Fellow  

Presented by Wells Fargo 

Hometown: Los Angeles, California 

School: Lewis & Clark Law School 

Degree: Juris Doctor 

Placement: Office of Rep. Jimmy Gomez

Martin Capuchino (he/him) was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. He is the proud product of hard-working parents who instilled in him the importance of education, leadership, and advocacy. His Mexican and Guatemalan roots have continually inspired him to pursue a career in public service and advocacy. Growing up in an underserved neighborhood exposed Martin to inequities in public education and housing, particularly those affecting low-income Latinx communities. This exposure propelled him to attend college and motivated him to become the best advocate he can be. 

Martin has a wide array of professional experience throughout his career. He graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and a minor in Education Studies. During his college years, Martin became the president of an on-campus non-profit that provided college resources to low-income students in South Central and across the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). He also volunteered at the Compton Courthouse’s self-help center, where he conducted Spanish-speaking workshops for self-represented litigants with housing issues. After graduating from UCLA, Martin worked for a congressional office in his hometown of Los Angeles. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he worked to provide resources and support to thousands of constituents in need. Most notably, Martin worked with the Department of State to help repatriate constituents who were stranded overseas during the pandemic. 

Martin’s passion for supporting his community motivated him to pursue a law degree at Lewis & Clark Law School. Throughout law school, Martin worked as a Law Clerk for the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA) and was also accepted into their Leadership, Equity & Inclusion Fellowship (LEIF) program. During his time at LAFLA, Martin worked diligently with Spanish-speaking victims of domestic violence who were seeking assistance with the U-Visa and asylum process. He also volunteered at the Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic of Lewis & Clark Law School as a Law Student Intern, conducting interviews with predominantly Spanish-speaking clients and helping with tax-related matters. He eventually became the president of the Latinx Law Society, providing a welcoming space for the Latinx law student community. Martin’s service and leadership during law school earned him an induction into the Cornelius Honor Society, an award granted to a select number of law school graduates. 

As the CHCI Housing Postgraduate Fellow, Martin looks forward to deepening his understanding of housing policy and the legislative process. Martin is committed to supporting policy initiatives that benefit the Latinx community, and he looks forward to all that being a CHCI Fellow entails.