Panels
The Latinx Admit Weekend Committee would like to thank all alumni and student panelists. Thank you for sharing your valuable insight and experiences.
Alumni Panel
Edber Macedo
Edber Macedo (he/him) lives and works in Los Angeles, CA. He grew up in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of the City and spent a lot of time in Downtown L.A., East L.A., and the western San Gabriel Valley. He was a East L.A. College transfer student to UCLA and graduated in 2014 with a major in Chicana/o Studies. Edber's student insight is about learning how to put yourself out there, advocate for yourself, and taking care of yourself. He also has insight on how to make decisions on graduate school, job interviews, and deciding different career options.
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Contact Info: macedoedber@gmail.com
Edber Macedo
Edber Macedo (he/him) lives and works in Los Angeles, CA. He grew up in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of the City and spent a lot of time in Downtown L.A., East L.A., and the western San Gabriel Valley. He was a East L.A. College transfer student to UCLA and graduated in 2014 with a major in Chicana/o Studies. Edber's student insight is about learning how to put yourself out there, advocate for yourself, and taking care of yourself. He also has insight on how to make decisions on graduate school, job interviews, and deciding different career options.
Alma Zungia Munoz
Hey yall! My name is Alma and I am 3rd year PhD student at the Keck School of Medicine of USC where I study how skeletal muscle repairs itself after an injury. My day to day is filled with lots of planning, experiments, data analysis, and research presentations :) When I am not in lab, I love to eat yummy food, lift heavy stuff at the gym, and spend time with friends!
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Contact Info: c.dehice15@gmail.com
Hey yall! My name is Alma and I am 3rd year PhD student at the Keck School of Medicine of USC where I study how skeletal muscle repairs itself after an injury. My day to day is filled with lots of planning, experiments, data analysis, and research presentations :) When I am not in lab, I love to eat yummy food, lift heavy stuff at the gym, and spend time with friends!
Dehice Chavez
I’m a first gen college student. My parents are farm workers in the Central Valley came from a small village in Oaxaca. I was the first one in my extended family to go to high school and also graduate college. I grew up the oldest out of five and was always really good and always loved math and science. I started working in medical devices and then mechanical design in aerospace and ended up in electronics. I love my cat, dancing, and just being active.
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I’m a first gen college student. My parents are farm workers in the Central Valley came from a small village in Oaxaca. I was the first one in my extended family to go to high school and also graduate college. I grew up the oldest out of five and was always really good and always loved math and science. I started working in medical devices and then mechanical design in aerospace and ended up in electronics. I love my cat,
Dancing, and just being active.
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Josslyn Glenn
Josslyn Glenn is a Los Angeles Country born Black Latina transgender producer, writer, spokesperson, and film festival programmer dedicated to promoting nuanced representations of queer and trans people of color that have historically been under- and misrepresented in media. While studying at UCLA, she wrote her first book, She Rotates with Pluto. She has produced branded, editorial, scripted, and unscripted projects screening internationally, such as PeroLike’s “Being Queer in the Latino Community,” ABC’s “Soul of a Nation Presents “Pride: To Be Seen” and “Soul of a Nation Presents The Freedom To Exist.” She was a Production Fellow on Netflix’s "Disclosure." When she is not craving nachos, she is writing her second book, Tranny Pants, a collection of short stories detailing the familial and romantic lives of trans people.
Josslyn Glenn is a Los Angeles Country born Black Latina transgender producer, writer, spokesperson, and film festival programmer dedicated to promoting nuanced representations of queer and trans people of color that have historically been under- and misrepresented in media. While studying at UCLA, she wrote her first book, She Rotates with Pluto. She has produced branded, editorial, scripted, and unscripted projects screening internationally, such as PeroLike’s “Being Queer in the Latino Community,” ABC’s “Soul of a Nation Presents “Pride: To Be Seen” and “Soul of a Nation Presents The Freedom To Exist.” She was a Production Fellow on Netflix’s "Disclosure." When she is not craving nachos, she is writing her second book, Tranny Pants, a collection of short stories detailing the familial and romantic lives of trans people.
Bernadette Pinetta
Dr. Bernardette Pinetta partners with families, schools, and communities to transform learning spaces into empowering and culturally affirming opportunities for youth of color. She is a Chancellors' Postdoctoral Fellow at UCLA where she explores how Latinx youth form their understandings of their identities and how that informs their civic and political action. She recently graduated from the University of Michigan with her Ph.D. in Education and Psychology and holds her B.A. in Political Science and a minor in Education from UCLA. Outside of academia, she is a dog mom to two adorable little dogs (Bella and Francesca) and loves gardening, hiking, reading, and going to the beach.
Dr. Bernardette Pinetta partners with families, schools, and communities to transform learning spaces into empowering and culturally affirming opportunities for youth of color. She is a Chancellors' Postdoctoral Fellow at UCLA where she explores how Latinx youth form their understandings of their identities and how that informs their civic and political action. She recently graduated from the University of Michigan with her Ph.D. in Education and Psychology and holds her B.A. in Political Science and a minor in Education from UCLA. Outside of academia, she is a dog mom to two adorable little dogs (Bella and Francesca) and loves gardening, hiking, reading, and going to the beach.
Student Panel
Andrea Garcia
My name is Ashley Ceballos-Hernandez. I am a fourth-year student double majoring in Public Affairs and Labor Studies. Throughout my undergraduate career, I have worked as a counselor for my college peers, and high school students, and have participated in many public policy fellowships. My current career track is to become a policy analyst or data analyst. I am very passionate about mentorship, and empowering youth and community members. Some of my identities include being first-generation, system-impacted, Latinx, and a woman. As someone with these identities, I hope to pursue a future uplifting and supporting communities of color from institutional structures such as the prison industrial system, and educational barriers. I am incredibly excited for the Latinx Admit Weekend because it is an empowering event for new admits that can help remind students of their power and belonging at UCLA.
Hi! I’m Andrea. I was born and raised in South Central, Los Angeles. Im a middle child and a first gen Latina. My time at UCLA hasn’t been the easiest. There has been plenty of times where I’d second-doubt myself but there truly is a place for everyone on our campus. Unfortunately, for the reason that I felt like I didn’t belong, I haven’t been able to join any clubs until now. There are several opportunities that I didn’t take advantage of and now I’m pushing myself out of my comfort zone! This campus is all about putting yourself out there in order to make great connections, join several clubs, and overall make several memories!
My name is Leslie Castelan Chavez (she/her) and I am a fourth-year Cognitive Science major with a specialization in Computing and a Minor in Public Affairs. I am a first-generation Mexican American student and I’m excited to be on this year’s panel! My background is in technology, public policy, and music. I have a wide variety of interests but I am currently interested in going into the field of technology in music companies. I hope to be able to work on applications such as Spotify where I can come up with new ways of sharing and enjoying music such as wrapped playlists where people can see their top songs of the year. I currently intern for Livenation and work as a tutor for a computer science class at UCLA. I also have an interest in community service and am Project SPELL’s Vice President. We tutor UCLA workers in English! In the past, I’ve also been involved in student government, and organizing, and hope to continue to uplift my community throughout my life. I am excited to be here and help answer your questions about UCLA!
Jasmine Aner
My name is Jasmine Aner and I am a second year from the San Fernando Valley majoring in political science and minoring in theater. I have a strong interest in the intersections of entertainment, law, business, and marketing, as well as social and racial justice. I enjoy dancing, traveling, meditating, journaling, and doing spontaneous things. My experience at UCLA has been unforgettable. My first year was truly memorable and I believe I made the most of every opportunity. I've had a great second year so far filled with amazing memories. Given that the Freshmen Summer Program (FSP) is a major factor in my success at UCLA, I believe I have made the most of the university's resources and opportunities and will continue to do so!
Leslie Gomez
I was born in raised in Escondido, California and am a current Senior beginning my last quarter at UCLA! My time at UCLA allowed me to find what I'm passionate about and engage in different activities, organizations, and overall have a great experience!
Aiyannah Lopez
Hello everyone! Happy to be a part of this space. My name is Alex Valdivia and I am a first-generation student like many of y’all. I am a 4th year (2nd year transfer) double-majoring in political science and labor studies, and I will be taking next year off to study for my LSAT and apply to law school, where I later intend to go into public interest law. Throughout my time at UCLA I have been involved in various programs and clubs including the Latinx Pre-Law Organization where I serve as the President, the USAC External Vice President’s office where I lobby on education policy at the state and federal level, and the Astin Scholars program where I am doing a year long research project. I am so glad y’all are joining us at this event, which I know will be helpful for many of you as it was for me when I first got into UCLA and went to the Latinx Admit Weekend. Feel free to reach out and/or ask any questions, as I am always willing to help out other Latinx Bruins!
As a first-generation Mexican American student in my second year at UCLA, I'm pursuing a major in psychology with a minor in education. My aspiration is to earn a doctorate in psychology and establish my own practice one day, blending my academic passion with a desire to help others. Coming from a family of four, with one sister and two supportive parents, I've been fortunate to have a strong foundation of love and encouragement.
My time at UCLA has been marked by opportunities for growth and connection. I've relished in making friends and immersing myself in a community of ambitious individuals all striving towards their goals. The vibrant atmosphere and diverse perspectives at UCLA have enriched my collegiate experience, broadening my understanding of the world and shaping my academic and personal journey.
Through my studies and experiences at UCLA, I'm gaining the skills and knowledge necessary to pursue my dreams while also cherishing the connections I've made along the way. My time here has been transformative, and I look forward to continuing to learn, grow, and contribute to both my academic field and my community.
Hi, soy Ashley (: I am a 2nd year Civil Engineering Major first gen Mexicana from the Inland Empire. Some external interests of mine include basketball, football americano, music, and sunsets! For my time at UCLA so far, my two years here have flown by but have been filled with the best experiences, learned lessons, and self-discoveries I am ever so grateful for. I have been involved with organizations such as CEED, ASCE, SOLES, EERI-SEAOSC, LAW, and currently work for UCLA Youthsource.
I could not imagine myself anywhere besides UCLA now being here. The fast pace, diverse, and complex environment has allowed me to grow out of my comfort zone, and access so many opportunities. I have been able to get involved in research, student projects, networking with industry, career fairs, outreach, intramural sports, and more.
I attended my year’s admit weekend, in which it really brought a feeling of community at the place I was going to call home for the next four years. It wasn’t until then that I realized how important it was to me. I did not have this community in high school, so the event left me so excited and happy to come in the fall.
Ashley Hernandez
Hi! My name is Ashley and I am a first generation student from the IE who is also a sports and music junkie. I am a junior majoring in civil engineering with aspirations of becoming a structural engineer. At UCLA, my main involvement is an ASCE student project called seismic design, where we construct a 5’3’’ structure designed to resist earthquake ground motions. Apart from that, I have enjoyed all things UCLA has to offer such as sports games, block parties, Westwood, and other extracurriculars! I have been so lucky to have met so many people here and am grateful for the opportunity to potentially share my experiences with potential latinx students.