Naphtali Garcia Arana

Congressional Intern, Presented By: Walmart
Hometown: South Jordan, Utah
School: University of Utah
Majors: Political Science, Ethnic Studies
Placement: The Office of Rep. Andrea Salinas

Naphtali Garcia Arana is a proud Nicaraguan American and the oldest daughter of Nicaraguan immigrants. She grew up moving frequently but spent most of her life in Virginia and is currently living in Utah. As a first-generation American & college student, she understands the value of letting go of the fear of being the first to pursue certain goals & entering spaces where her community hasn’t been included. This understanding has fueled her passion for advocacy as she pursues her degree in Political Science & Ethnic Studies at the University of Utah.

During her undergraduate career, Naphtali has had the opportunity to hold leadership positions in student organizations such as SOMOS Dreamers where she supported the undocumented community on campus. This summer, Naphtali conducted research on the politicization of Femicides in Latin America with the goal of bringing awareness to the issue and interned with the environmental justice non-profit, HEAL Utah, which advocates for sustainable environmental solutions on the disproportionately affected West side of Salt Lake City.

Along with her goals of obtaining valuable experiences & education, what Naphtali hopes to achieve with her degree is the ability to best advocate for her community within the political system. After completing undergrad, she hopes to pursue a graduate degree in Political Science or Latin American Studies & be the representation of her community in academic or political spaces that she never had.

As an CHCI Intern, Naphtali aims to learn about the legislative process more in-depth & connect with current and future Latino leaders.