Rebecca Sanchez
Fourth-year
Politics and LALS double major
Volunteer at Santa Cruz County Immigration Project
Q: What inspired or pushed you to pursue this internship opportunity?
A: I am a Latin American and Latino Studies (LALS) and politics double major with an emphasis on immigration. I have always been interested in immigration policies and wanted to get hands-on experience helping people with their legal status. I know how important it is to have a work permit and how valuable it is in Santa Cruz County. When I saw this internship opportunity, I immediately knew I wanted to get involved. This experience has been amazing, and I look forward to continue interning at Santa Cruz County Immigration Project (SCCIP).
Q: What does the organization do, and what role does it play in our
community?
A: SCCIP is a wonderful resource for low-income, undocumented immigrants in Santa Cruz County. This organization helps undocumented immigrants apply for Citizenship Status, Permanent Resident status and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). SCCIP plays an important role in our community because it helps its citizens gain legal status. This allows them to contribute to the economy and enables them to make decent living wages to support their family.
Q: What is your role in your internship?
A: There are different applications SCCIP helps fill out — I focus on the DACA applications. I conduct consultations to make sure people qualify for the application. I have successfully filled out the application and sent in multiple applications to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Office. It’s a sense of accomplishment to help people file for their work permit. Being a Spanish speaker allows me to also translate and interpret. I dedicate an average of six hours a week to this organization and it definitely helped me figure out what I would love to do for my career.
Anna Hoch-Kenney
Fourth-year
Sociology major
Social Media Intern at The Lakota People’s Law Project (Romero Institute)
Q: What inspired or pushed you to pursue this internship opportunity?
A: I’ve always been interested in the legal system — it’s something that plays a huge role in our society, and we often forget how much progress and change can be accomplished through the legal system. For a while I considered going to law school, and I wanted to get a better idea of what the legal world was like. I was really excited when I found a law firm working on a non-profit legal case and working toward the benefit of society. It seems like something you really don’t see too often.
Q: What does the organization do, and what role does it play in our community?
A: It’s a law project focused on fixing current problems in Native American foster care, particularly for the Lakota in South Dakota. South Dakota hasn’t been following regulations, and Lakota families have suffered as a result of this. The Lakota People’s Law Project is bringing these issues to court and making the nation aware.
Q: What is your role in your internship?
A: I work mostly on social media and communication — writing Facebook statuses, Twitter updates and blog articles, as well as raising general awareness. But there’s always something unpredictable going on, like putting together info packets for Congress or publishing responses to NPR. There’s quite a bit of excitement, now that I think about it.
