CHCI–UPS Intern
Hometown: Olympia, Washington
School: Evergreen State College
Major: Government
Placement: The Office of Sen. Patty Murray
Growing up in San Diego, Andrew lost friends and family to gang-violence and incarceration. Andrew recognizes that involvement in gangs tends to be an intergenerational issue. Despite nearly falling into the same cycle on numerous occasions, he was able to remain focused on his path towards higher education.
Andrew is now studying Public Policy at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington. Through Evergreen’s Center for Community-Based Learning and Action (CCBLA) Andrew has had the opportunity to give back to the community by teaching English to newly arrived immigrants, mentoring at-risk youth, and educating the community about mental health.
Andrew hopes to work on policy that will create a more restorative criminal justice system. As a CHCI intern, Andrew hopes to gain the insight and confidence to stand up and be an advocate for his community.