CHCI- Coca Cola Congressional Intern
Hometown: Houston, Texas
School: St. Edwards University
Major: Political Science
Placement: The Office of Representative Sheila Jackson Lee
Growing up in 5th Ward, Houston, Alejandro learned that transformative policies should reflect the experiences of his community. As a first-generation Honduran and DACA recipient, Alejandro built his public service career trajectory to better understand and challenge systems of inequity.
At St. Edward’s University, Alejandro studies Political Science and serves as the President of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) chapter. Throughout his time as an undergraduate, Alejandro sought to address the negative impacts of university developments that do not recognize the needs of minority students. He joined campus leaders from organizations that represent marginalized communities in a campaign that vocalized the impacts of multiple institutional changes, which included curriculum changes, retention concerns, and lack of financial transparency. Alongside student leaders, he successfully championed a program that addressed low-income students’ experience with food insecurity and offered emergency resources for students undergoing financial hardships.
After his Teaching Fellowship with Breakthrough Houston, Alejandro found that his passion lies in developing methods to advance educational equity and narrow the opportunity gap low-income students of color experience. His drive to dismantle systemic inequities led him to internship experiences with the Texas House of Representatives, Texas Future Project, Annie’s List, the Office of Mayor Steve Adler, and the Public Policy and International Affairs (PPIA) Program at the University of California, Berkeley.
As a CHCI Intern, Alejandro hopes to uplift the narratives of undocumented immigrants and understand how federal policies can facilitate equity. In the future, Alejandro intends to pursue joint master’s degrees in public policy and law to broaden his understanding of constitutional roles at the federal and state level, and to immerse himself in methods of challenging disparities by developing appropriate systems.