Jacqueline (Jackie) Aguayo is a first-generation senior at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, double majoring in Political Science and Latina/o Studies with a minor in Legal Studies. She currently serves as a Student Programming Coordinator at La Casa Cultural Latina where she is committed to serving the students through community events, cultural celebrations, and upholding a legacy of activism and advocacy.

Kayla Sanchez is a senior studying Political Science with a minor in Business. She is passionate about immigrant justice and social equity, both on and off campus. As a member of I-CAUSE, she helped organize the annual I-HOPE Gala, raising over $3,000 in scholarship funds alongside fellow members to support undocumented students at UIUC. She also volunteers with The Immigration Project as a Spanish translator, supporting immigrant communities in central Illinois through legal screenings and resource access.

Ambar Medrano is a rising senior at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign majoring in Supply Chain Management and Marketing. As a first-generation college student from a Latino immigrant family, Ambar is passionate about advancing equity and access in higher education. On campus, she leads Women Impacting Supply Chain Excellence (WISE), a student organization dedicated to empowering women in the field through mentorship, career development, and industry partnerships. She has also served as a mentor to underrepresented communities through the Illini Mentorship Program and to first-generation students through the Association of Latino Professionals for America (ALPFA). Outside of campus, Ambar has volunteered with Pilsen Neighbors, promoting educational access and community empowerment in Chicago’s Latino communities. Looking ahead, she hopes to pursue a career in logistics and global supply chain operations, using innovation and efficiency to improve systems that impact people around the world.

Maria Emilia Mancero is a senior at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, majoring in Advertising with minors in Business and Informatics. She is deeply passionate about social justice and has been involved in advocacy for undocumented immigrants since high school. On campus, she serves as the President of the Illinois Coalition Assisting Undocumented Students’ Education (I-CAUSE) and is an Undocumented Student Support Fellow with the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. In this role, she offers peer-to-peer emotional support for undocumented students, facilitates educational workshops, and presents faculty and staff ally trainings each semester to increase campus-wide support for undocumented communities. As an immigrant student herself, Emilia is committed to uplifting her community, sharing resources, and fostering access to postsecondary opportunities. This summer, she is a Paid Media Intern at Power Digital Marketing, learning best practices in paid search strategy and campaign performance. In her free time, Emilia enjoys thrifting vintage clothing, creating art through drawing and painting, and staying active at the gym.

Joel Diaz is a first-generation junior at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, double majoring in Political Science and Latina/o Studies with minors in Spanish and Legal Studies. He plans to attend law school to advocate for those forced to live in the shadows and silenced by the threat of status-related injustice. He is currently an Immigrant Family Services Intern at the New American Welcome Center at the University YMCA, where he helps connect immigrants in Central Illinois with critical resources. He is also the Co-Chair of the Resource Gathering Committee with the Illinois Coalition Assisting Undocumented Students’ Education (I-CAUSE), where he leads fundraising efforts to support the organization and its annual I-HOPE scholarship.