CHCI-College of Southern Nevada Intern
Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada
School: College of Southern Nevada
Major: Political Science
Placement: The Office of Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto
Kimberly Padilla-Estrada is a low-income, first generation college student. Being from a low-income household, she has seen the hardships many immigrant Latino families face; however, she has also witnessed the direct benefits and opportunities that supportive government programs can bring to low-income students. Growing up in a large Mexican-immigrant family, she realized at an early age that diversity is what fuels growth in a country. In her adolescence, she recognized that it is through the political system that progress is implemented most efficiently. Since then, she has committed herself to working to ensure that her country continues to advance and create more of the opportunities that helped her attend college.
Kimberly is currently a TRIO student at the College of Southern Nevada. She plans to transfer to the University of Nevada Las Vegas to earn her bachelors in political science. She is a member of her college’s Latino Alliance organization, as well as its Sister to Sister, and Gender Sexuality Alliance clubs. Kimberly is also the founder and chairwoman of Sister to Sister’s Committee on Political Involvement, which encourages students to attend local government hearings and to vocalize their opinions on political issues. Through these organizations, she fights for equality, advocacy, and unity of cultures. She feels it is through her passion for civic engagement that she will continue these fights in her future career.
As a CHCI Intern, Kimberly hopes to broaden her knowledge on the congressional and legislative process, to expand her professional and political network, and to gain work experience at the center of our nation’s government. It is with these tools, and the leadership training she will acquire, that she aims to be an active advocate for her community.