Embark on the Journey: UnidosUS

Working in one of the largest Latino policy and advocacy organizations in the country has been a learning experience. UnidosUS holds multiple sectors, and each is full of dedicated people. There’s the immigration, education, health policy, and even advocacy sectors. My first days were full of getting to know staff around the office and being able to participate in the meetings that my supervisor, Eric Holguin, had to be in. It was interesting getting to see a bit of his hectic day, and I learned a lot about his goals and future plans.

My supervisor is from the valley, and it’s been nice being able to bond with someone else about the region. Another person in UnidosUS is also from the valley. It really opened my eyes about how I can get to the places I never thought I’d be in.

For one of my first tasks, I was placed to help the education sector update early childhood education (ECE) factsheets within the Latino demographic. I found this project engaging since Migrant Head Start is part of ECE. It was interesting to see how the needs and demands of ECE have changed since the pandemic.

UnidosUS is currently organizing their big conference in July. There will be different panels, such as issues involving gun violence or health. Another project that I found incredibly interesting is Eric’s vision on expanding voting registration in the valley. All in all, I value what UnidosUS works towards, and I am confident that my time here is going to enrich my mind and expand my knowledge like I never knew before.