ARIA CAMPOS

Hometown: Bakersfield, CA
School: California State University, Bakersfield
Degree: Master of Social Work
Placement: Office of Congressman Adam Schiff

Aria Campos (she/her) was born in McFarland, CA, and raised in Bakersfield, CA, to a blended family. Aria’s father immigrated to the United States from Guatemala, and Aria attended her father’s naturalization ceremony while in grade school. Witnessing her father’s drive to succeed and hearing of her father’s life experiences in Guatemala, Aria had a strong desire to pursue a university education to serve her community in Kern County.

As a first-generation college student, Aria graduated from California State University, Bakersfield, with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a strong inclination for the helping profession. After undergraduate study, Aria started working with a community-based nonprofit serving victims and survivors of intimate-partner violence, sexual assault, child abuse, and human trafficking. During this time, Aria also volunteered as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for children in foster care. While volunteering as a CASA and serving in both supervisor and management roles in the nonprofit setting, Aria earned a Master of Social Work from CSU Bakersfield. Aria completed over 900 hours of fieldwork, providing advocacy and clinical social work services to community members experiencing violence preceding and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Aria’s community involvement led to her collaborating with California’s recognized domestic violence state coalition, California Partnership to End Domestic Violence (CPEDV). During Aria’s collaboration with CPEDV, she assisted in forming a culturally specific advisory committee comprised of community-based advocates dedicated to promoting culturally responsive practices at domestic violence shelters and community centers throughout California.

As a Registered Associate Clinical Social Worker, Aria provided specialty mental health services to “youth in transition” or “transition age youth” (TAY) aging out of the foster care system in Kern. In this professional capacity, she became aware of the barriers foster youth face when transitioning to independence after they turn 18 years old. Aria’s commitment to serving this population deepened after learning of the complex trauma youth experience due to adverse childhood experiences and multiple interactions with the child welfare system.

Aria brings in-depth knowledge of present and historical barriers to access trauma-informed mental health services, language justice in social service provision for children and families, and culturally responsive care. As a CHCI Child Welfare Graduate Fellow, Aria hopes to learn and contribute to policy work addressing social problems affecting children and families experiencing violence, traumatic experiences, and behavioral health challenges.