Help Get First Gen, Low Income Student to DC

Hi! My name is Daisy Loya and I am a fourth-year student at UC Berkeley, participating in UCDC (UC-affiliated undergraduate internship program in Washington DC) for the 2022 Spring Semester. I am asking for financial support to make it possible to attend as I am a low-income, first-generation student struggling financially to meet the expenses incurred by the program.

Why I want to pursue the program:

I grew up in Southeast Los Angeles (SELA), where an elementary school was built on a landfill, 6 out of the 17 California oil refineries are established within a 20-mile radius of my home, and a clean-up for Vernon’s battery spill is still pending.

Experiencing a disproportionate amount of environmental burdens in SELA and witnessing extreme global climatic events, I felt compelled to focus my career on climate change mitigation and environmental justice. Having seen the connection between environmentalism and public health, I decided to major in Conservation and Resource Studies with a minor in Global Public Health. I explored this intersection by researching and writing a paper on prenatal exposure to lead, a toxin emitted by oil refineries, and its neurotoxic effect in children; an issue that disproportionately affects low-income communities and communities of color. Furthermore, I worked in the legislative department of the Associated Students of the University of California (ASUC) Eco-Senator’s Office where I helped research UC Berkeley and UC-wide environmental issues and write resolution bills. UCDC would allow me to continue this work by providing me with the opportunity to intern at an office addressing environmental justice and climate change and take classes while immersing myself in the political landscape of Washington D.C. With the tools gained from my undergraduate coursework, lived experience, and internship, I aspire to work in federal or state policy focusing on the most pressing environmental issues relating to human rights.

What your contribution will support:

I do not have the means to attend the program without financial support. When I was on campus, I supported myself through a work-study job, but that opportunity is not offered at D.C. Additionally, my D.C internship is unpaid. Already with a work-study job on campus, I struggled to support myself, but the living and tuition costs of UCDC are even steeper. Due to the time constraint and rigor of my coursework and internship, I am not able to work a part-time job. I applied for scholarships, and while they help, they are not sufficient to cover my expenses. The donations from this fundraiser would help me cover the costs of professional and warm attire, day-to-day expenses, therapy and medication, tuition, and (air) transportation. Any donation is greatly appreciated. If donating is outside of your means, please feel free to share it with your friends and family! Thank you from the bottom of my heart.