Panels
The Latinx Weekend Committee would like to thank all alumni and student panelists. Thank you for sharing your valuable insight and experiences.
Student Panel
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Brianna Gonzalez Ulloa
Brianna Gonzalez Ulloa is a fourth-year English and Psychology major. As a first-generation college student from a single-parent household, she has turned challenges into opportunities for growth and leadership. She is a highly involved student with extensive leadership, research, and mentorship experience, serving as a Resident Assistant, working in a trauma-informed research lab, and mentoring students through Matriculate. Brianna is also the founder and Co-President of UCLA’s First-Generation Pre-Law Association. She plans to apply to law school in Fall 2026 and pursue a career in trauma-informed advocacy.
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Melany Elizabeth Moreno Contreras
Melany Moreno Contreras is a first-year Mechanical Engineer student from Huntington Park who has remained involved in a range of interests, including music, student leadership, and STEM. At UCLA, she works with EAOP, participates in engineering organizations like SOLES, and is a member of Mariachi de Uclatlán, a lifelong passion of hers. While adjusting to college has been challenging, she has found support through mentorship and community, making her experience at UCLA.
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Carolina De Anda
Carolina De Anda is a third-year (first-year transfer) English major and Philosophy minor at UCLA who plans to pursue a career in law. She studied at Rio Hondo College, where she balanced academics with two jobs before transferring to UCLA. At UCLA, she continues to grow academically and professionally, as she participates in research on psychology and artificial intelligence.
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Odalis Rojas
Odalis Rojas is a second-year UCLA student majoring in Nursing with a minor in Chicano Studies. A first-generation student from a field-working family in Santa Paula, CA she is passionate about serving Spanish-speaking and agricultural communities through healthcare. She has experience working with young students and in dentist clinics. Odalis is actively involved at UCLA as she volunteers and takes part in various campus organizations that allow her to grow both as a a student and advocate for her community.
Alumni Panel
Mirian Palacios
Mirian Palacios (she/her/ella) is a first-generation college graduate and Campaign Manager at Women’s March Action, where she leads efforts to elect women to public office. She earned her B.A. in Political Science with a minor in Chicana/o Studies from UCLA in 2023.
As an undergrad, she conducted original research for the Political Science departmental honors program on what unites the Latinx community and worked as a communications fellow with the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute—helping make research more accessible through digital media.
Growing up in a predominantly Latinx community inspired Mirian’s deep commitment to uplifting Latinx voices in politics and creating spaces where everyone feels seen and supported. She is excited to meet new Bruins, answer their questions, and help them feel at home at UCLA, hoping to reciprocate the support she received during her own time on campus.
Natalie Mejia
Dr. Natalie Mejia is a proud UCLA graduate from the Class of 2010 and a Los Angeles native with over 13 years of experience in education. She currently serves as a high school principal at Equitas Collegiate High School, where she leads with a deep commitment to equity, community, and student success.
During her time at UCLA, she found her voice, learned her history, and built lifelong relationships that continue to shape who she is today. As a first generation college graduate, UCLA was a transformative experience that guided her path into education and leadership.
Dr. Mejia is passionate about supporting the next generation of Bruins and is excited to connect with admitted students, share her journey, and remind them that they belong in every space they enter.
Haidy Mendez
Haidy Mendez graduated from UCLA in 2023 with a B.A. in Sociology as a proud first-generation transfer student from Modesto Junior College. Her path to UCLA wasn't traditional, she started college later in life due to family circumstances, but that journey taught her the value of resilience, community, and the transformative power of education.
Today, Haidy serves as Senior Marketing & Development Manager at the Center for Scholars & Storytellers at UCLA, a nonprofit research center affiliated with UCLA's Psychology Department. She manages partnerships and fundraising with major foundations and entertainment companies like Disney, Netflix, Paramount, and YouTube, helping bridge academic research with the media industry to promote positive storytelling for young people. What started as a work-study position has grown into a role she's genuinely proud of.
Haidy is passionate about supporting Latinx and transfer students navigating college while balancing family responsibilities or non-traditional paths. She knows firsthand how challenging and rewarding that journey can be. She's excited about the Latinx Admit Weekend as a chance to welcome the next generation of Bruins, share her story, and remind students that they absolutely belong here, and that UCLA has a community ready to support them every step of the way.
Isabel Ortega Hernandez
Isabel Ortega Hernandez (she/her/ella) is a UCLA graduate from the Class of 2025, where she triple majored in Political Science, Labor Studies, and Chicano/a/e and Central American Studies. She grew up in Santa Ana, CA, in a mixed-status, low-income family with immigrant parents from Mexico. Leaning on her community — from food banks to legal aid support — she learned early on the power of collective care and what it means to show up for one another.
At UCLA, Isabel deepened her passion for equity and social justice through policy, research, and community-based work. She was a Policy Fellow with the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute, collaborated with garment workers through Astin Community Engagement Scholars Program, and interned in a California Senator’s office in D.C. She also studied abroad in three countries!
She currently works at Uproot Talent, a Latina-owned executive search and learning experience firm, as a Career Access and Opportunity Associate. She supports a growing professional network and creates engaging social media content that connects leaders of color to meaningful career pathways.
As a proud first-generation college graduate, Isabel is excited to support new Bruins in their growth, share her journey, and continue building community in spaces that center opportunity and belonging.