CHCI- Walmart Intern
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
School: California State University – Dominguez Hills
Major: Criminal Justice
Placement: The Office of Rep. Salud Carbajal
Steacy Trinidad was born in Esquintla, Guatemala and raised by her maternal aunt and uncle. She met her mother when she was eight years old, who decided to bring her and her sister to the U.S in search of better opportunities. Steacy started living on her own when she was 16, and faced many challenges while being undocumented.
Steacy later legalized her immigration status through the 245(i) provision of the Legal Immigration Family Equity (LIFE) Act with the help a pro bono lawyer. Legalizing her status was one of the most valuable opportunities she was given and allowed her to provide a more stable life for her two children. Steacy and her fiancé now own 4 homes, and provide affordable housing for four families. Her experiences helped her understand the struggles of everyday life, and motivated her to empower people in overcoming life’s obstacles.
Steacy attended college 13 years after graduating from high school, transferring from Los Angeles Southwest College to California State University Dominguez Hills. She will graduate with a BS in Criminal Justice Administration this spring. She strongly believes in investing in youth and helping adjust people’s immigration status, and is considering law school to become an immigration lawyer and someday pass an immigration bill that allows others to adjust their status.
As a CHCI Intern, Steacy will focus on learning valuable lessons DC offers to help reach her goal to empower others. She plans to return to her community and implement what she’s learned to empower Latino youth.