Name: Crisóforo Garza
CHCI Program: Public Policy Fellow (2005-2006)
Position with the Harvard Journal of Hispanic Policy: Editor-in-Chief
How did your CHCI experience change or impact your life?
CHCI changed my life personally and professionally, and I will be forever grateful to CHCI’s leadership and supporters. As a Public Policy Fellow in the office of Congressman Donald Payne, I had the opportunity to work with DMP (as the Congressman was known) and his wonderful, caring staff. They mentored me and made sure that I learned how to be successful in policy and politics. Whether I was writing speeches on education, statements on the western hemisphere, or questions for hearings, I knew that it was CHCI who put me in the position to become an effective advocate for Latinos, the poor, and the disenfranchised. To put it simply, my career thus far and my path to the Harvard Kennedy School is due in large part to my amazing CHCI experience. Additionally, I cherish the close friendships I made through the fellowship – friendships that will last a lifetime and that continue to make me a better person.
Name: Jeanette Acosta
CHCI Program: Summer Internship (2005)
Position with the Harvard Journal of Hispanic Policy: Managing Editor
How did your CHCI experience change or impact your life?
My experience with CHCI truly shifted my life onto an empowered pipeline toward advanced education and professional achievement. With CHCI’s support and the summer opportunity to work with the inspirational Congressman Xavier Becerra, I not only gained direct exposure to national politics and policy challenges ranging from CAFTA-DR to the National Museum of the American Latino Community Commission Act, but I also met lifelong friends and mentors who introduced me to opportunities such as Public Policy and International Affairs (PPIA) Fellowship and the Fulbright Grant. Since the summer of 2005, whenever I meet young Latina/o students I encourage them to apply for CHCI so they can experience the support and power of the CHCI pipeline and continue to lift others up along with them.
Name: Mayra Suárez
CHCI Program: Summer Internship (2005)
Position with the Harvard Journal of Hispanic Policy: Director of Board Relations
How did your CHCI experience change or impact your life?
The Congressional Internship Program, and my placement with then-Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, gave me the opportunity to see first-hand the establishment of Latino policies. It also allowed me to have a direct impact on the Latino community in Washington, DC through a community service project done in collaboration with Mary’s Center for Maternal & Child Care. It is thanks to these opportunities, as well as their leadership development program, that I continue to remain engaged with the Latino community at Harvard and aspire to become Puerto Rico’s first female Senator.
Name: Joe Carreón
CHCI Program: Scholarship Recipient (2007); Summer Internship (2008)
Position with the Harvard Journal of Hispanic Policy: Senior Editor for Print Interviews
How did your CHCI experience change or impact your life?
CHCI was life-changing. It provided me with the opportunity to work inside the halls of the United States Congress and get a firsthand look at the making of federal policy. This experience, accompanied with lasting friendships and a network of mentors across the country, continues to be instrumental in my professional development. Due to CHCI, I feel more empowered and more knowledgeable about what is needed to create change through government.
Name: Salvador E. Perez
CHCI Program: Public Policy Fellowship (2007-2008)
Position with the Harvard Journal of Hispanic Policy: Senior Editor for Book Reviews
How did your CHCI experience change or impact your life?
I can say, without a doubt, that being a CHCI Fellow was a seminal experience for me – personally and professionally. I can’t think of a better way to have started a career in public service.
Name: Noerena Limon
CHCI Program: Public Policy Fellowship (2005-2006)
Position with the Harvard Journal of Hispanic Policy: Editor-at-Large
Name: Adam J. Gonzales
CHCI Program: Public Policy Fellowship (2005-2006)
Position with the Harvard Journal of Hispanic Policy: Former Editor-in-Chief (2009-2010)
How did your CHCI experience change or impact your life?
Looking back five years after my fellowship experience, it’s clear that CHCI made a huge impact on my life. For one, the Public Policy fellowship allowed me to establish a professional foundation that I’ve been able to build upon ever since graduating from the program. The work experience, the exposure to multiple policy areas, and the skill development have all been huge factors in helping me to grow professionally. Moreover, the networking opportunities and camaraderie of the fellowship class blessed me with life-long friends and mentors. But most importantly, I met my wife Gabby when we were both in the same fellowship class. In some sense, CHCI was like one-stop shopping for a grown-up life! Overall, I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunities that the CHCI fellowship created. As Editor-in-Chief of the HJHP last year, I was proud to publish important policy research being conducted by CHCI fellows and alumni. And of course, I’m very happy to see a new generation of CHCI alums steering the current HJHP volume!
Name: Gabriela Ventura Gonzales
CHCI Program: Public Policy Fellowship (2005-2006)
Position with the Harvard Journal of Hispanic Policy: Former Editor-in-Chief (2008-2009)
How did your CHCI experience change or impact your life?
When I was a CHCI fellow five years ago I knew I was a part of something special. Five years later I realize how extraordinary the experience was – I began my career through CHCI, embarked upon a graduate course of study in law and public policy because of my experiences in Washington, DC, and I even met my husband, Adam, through the fellowship! The network and the friendships are enduring. It was a privilege to serve as a former Co-Editor-in-Chief of the Harvard Journal of Hispanic Policy (HJHP) alongside several accomplished CHCI alumni. It is a testament to the strength of CHCI programs that so many CHCI alumni continue to lead the HJHP.
Name: Emerita Torres
CHCI Program: Summer Internship (2005)
Position with the Harvard Journal of Hispanic Policy: Former Editor-in-Chief (2008-2009)