Damaris E. Zamora-Aguilon 

Congressional Intern, Presented by Visa

Hometown: Maplewood, Minnesota

School: Macalester College

Majors: Political Science, International Studies

Placement: The Office of Rep. Yadira Caraveo

Damaris was born and raised in St. Paul, Minnesota to Guatemalan parents who immigrated to Minnesota in the mid to late 1990s. A Questbridge Match Scholar at Macalester College, she is double majoring in Political Science and International Studies, with a minor in Latin American Studies and a concentration in Legal Studies and Human Rights. She plans to pursue a career in international policy and human rights within the immigration/criminal justice sector. Upon completing her degree, Damaris hopes to attend law school and receive a PhD. 

Damaris is a former Legislative Intern through the Capitol Pathways Program, stationed in the Minnesota Department of Human Rights. Throughout her academic career, she has taken on leadership roles that highlight her passions. At Macalester, she is the Vice President of Central Americans for Empowerment, a competitor in Moot Court, a leader in the Bonner Scholar Foundation, and the Civic Engagement Chair for the Questbridge Chapter Board. Outside of her academic circle, she is a Bonner Scholar Intern at the Neighborhood Justice Center, a criminal defense nonprofit that helps the Twin Cities community with legal services, and a volunteer at the Advocates of Human Rights as an Immigration Court Observer. 

Damaris believes that opportunities in public service will grant her greater knowledge of human rights and engage with communities through purposeful change. With CHCI, she hopes to engage with other like-minded individuals through this rigorous process.