Luz Escobar Zapata 

Congressional Intern, Presented by Toyota 

Hometown: Destrehan, Louisiana 

School: Villanova University 

Major: Peace and Justice Studies 

Placement: The Office of Rep. Hakeem Jeffries 

Luz, a Nicaraguense immigrant, was raised in St. Rose, Louisiana by her mother and Abuela, both immigrants to the United States, along with her father, who was born in Chicago, Illinois. Her educational journey has been pivotal in illuminating the pervasive influence of her Parish’s white supremacist culture on her identities, the inadequacies of infrastructure policies in protecting Louisiana’s marginalized families from environmental disasters, and the fossil fuel and petrochemical industry that put her communities’ and family’s health at risk.  

While at Villanova University, Luz majored in Peace and Justice with an emphasis in Racial and Environmental Justice, along with minors in Africana Studies and English. Upon completing her undergraduate degree, she plans to pursue a career opportunity in DC, where she will work with organizations and people whose goal is to protect and empower marginalized communities. Throughout the last three years, she has actively engaged with entities such as Poder Latinx, the Corridor Latina Coalition, Latinx LIFE, and the Student Run Emergency Unit of Philadelphia, championing the empowerment of young Latinas and addressing environmental and housing injustices. In the process, Luz has been honored as a Truman Finalist, a Faith and Politics John R. Lewis Scholar, and an Obama-Chesky Scholar for Public Service.  

Luz hopes to strengthen her knowledge of the legislative process as a CHCI Intern and gain insight into public engagement work. She seeks to gain insights into the mechanisms through which offices can empower communities and influence federal environmental and health policies.