CHCI-Walmart Intern
Hometown: Lakewood, Washington
School: Seattle Pacific University
Major: Political Science
Placement: The Office of Sen. Maria Cantwell
Carly Peña is a first-generation college student born in Lubbock, Texas to a Mexican-American mother and father. Her mother’s family has a long history of roots in Texas and her father immigrated to the US from Mexico at the age of 3. Carly hopes that one day she’ll be able to give back to her parents and sister as a way of saying thank you for the many sacrifices they’ve made for her. She thanks her family and close friends for their endless support, and for molding her into the person she is today.
Carly is currently a senior at Seattle Pacific University, studying Public Policy and Law along with History. Her passion for political science was born out of curiosity from her father’s military service in the United States Air Force, which introduced her to the personal impact that policy can have. She has volunteered regularly at a local homeless shelter in Seattle and served as the Education Programmer of the racial reconciliation organization, Catalyst, on her campus.
As a CHCI intern, Carly hopes to gain valuable knowledge and experience in the American legislative process. In the future, she hopes to attend law school with the hopes of furthering her ability to empower and help those of marginalized identities. Overall, Carly hopes to use her studies and her internship to help achieve progress towards the ideal of a more perfect union.