MICHELLE AILEEN FLORES

Hometown: El Paso, Texas
School: St. Edward’s University
Major: Political Science
Placement: The Office of Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez

Michelle was born and raised in the border city of El Paso, Texas. The daughter of proud Mexican immigrants, her parents instilled in her a determination to always pursue her passions. Michelle is currently a first-generation college student at St. Edward’s University majoring in Political Science with a minor in International Business.

Heavily influenced by both the American and Mexican cultures, Michelle has always been curious about the apparent disparities between these cultural identities. This led her to pursue research through the McNair Scholar’s Program that evaluates barriers to representation the Hispanic/Latino community faces in the United States. Selected as a 2021 Texas Legislative Fellowship Scholar, she has worked full-time in the Office of the Honorable Senator César J. Blanco during the 87th regular session as a Legislative Assistant covering public education, jurisprudence, and nominations.

These experiences have solidified her understanding of the challenges minorities face in America as well as taught her how to develop new and impactful initiatives that may serve to strengthen our sense of community. In the future, Michelle hopes to follow her drive for advocacy and change-making by pursuing a joint master’s degree in Public Policy and Law. Her ultimate career goal is to represent her community through public office.

As a CHCI Intern, Michelle hopes to further develop her understanding of the legislative system, as well as strengthen her knowledge on creating public policy. She hopes to use this experience to build a network of equally motivated individuals who hope to make a positive impact.