2022 Graduating Seniors

My name is Mary Marroquin, a graduating senior and Chicano & Latino Studies (CHLS) and Sociology double-major due to the valuable knowledge and skills I have gained from engaging with CHLS faculty and students.  My best memories at CSULB are the fun times I spent with my friends during my first year at CSULB.  I plan on pursuing a career in school counseling where I can work with students from similar backgrounds as mine.

My name is Valeria Vasquez, I’m 29 years old, I’m a Chicano/Latino Studies major with a minor in American Indian Studies. I’m a first-generation student hoping to continue my education in Grad school. I made the Dean’s honors list and I was an Instructional Student assistant.  I love reading manga and watching Anime with my husband. I play video games when I have time.

My name is Henry Barajas, I am 24 years old and I attend California State University Long Beach. My major is Chicano and Latino studies. I enjoy watching movies, listening to music and exploring places I haven’t been before. I plan on becoming a teacher in the future in order to help future generations achieve their fullest potential.

Saludos! My name is Estreya Moreno. I am a psychology major with minors in Chicanx and Latinx Studies and Forensic Studies.  In the Fall of ’22, I will be attending USC’s MSW program in the Children, Youth, and Family track to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. I will start my practice as a mental health and addiction therapist and focus my practice on children and adolescents. My best memory at CSULB is when my family and I first visited the campus upon receiving my acceptance. I can’t forget the proud look on my family’s face as they toured the campus is something. The best book I read in CHLS is Native Country of the Heart: A Memoir by Cherríe Moraga.

My name is Eriberto Corona, and I am a first-generation scholar born and raised in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles. My academic field of study at CSULB is Chicano/Latino Studies. This Fall 2022, I will be attending UCLA Graduate school of Education and Information Studies. I hope to go into Librarianship/Management to implement the change I want to bring to different communities worldwide.

My name is Gisel Corona and I am graduating as a double major in Chicano/Latino Studies and Communications. My best memory is having the opportunity to meet and be a part of the Chicano/Latino Studies department at CSULB because they give us a really warm and welcoming vibe and they really support students with open arms. My plans post graduation include going into the field of Public Relations and all that the field has to offer.

Hi everyone! My name is Melissa Flores (she/her) and I’ll be graduating in Fall 2022 with my Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design and a minor in Chicano & Latino Studies. I plan to continue my journey as a designer and hope to work behind the scenes on a movie one day!

Hey everyone! My name is Denise Garcia and I will be graduating Fall 2022 with my B.A. in Chicano/Latino Studies and a minor in Criminal Justice. I am a transfer student from Rio Hondo College and will be the first to graduate from my family. Getting accepted into CSULB and earning a place on the President’s List has been a great accomplishment for me. I plan to further apply my studies working with non-profit organizations that assist students in an after-school setting within urban communities.

Hi my name is Esmeralda Vargas. I am a transfer student, having received my A.A. in Chicano/a Studies at Fullerton College and will be receiving my BA at Cal State Long Beach in Chicano/a and Latino/a Studies. My plan is to invest in outreach programs or non-profit organizations which provide resources within academia. My best memory at CSULB was the last semester on campus before COVID and I made friends within my major. One of my favorite books I’ve read is called Mean by Myriam Gurba.

My name is Jason Delgadillo. I am the first person in my family to attend and graduate from a four-year university. Although the Covid pandemic derailed a couple of my years here I was still able to get the full college experience as well as being able to meet new people and make new memories. My best memory would be my very first day of my freshman year since that was the day I realized that in fact I was an actual college student and all of my hard work throughout the years had finally paid off! The best book I read was called Gang Leader for A Day by Sudhir Venkatesh. My plans for the future would be first off to take a small break after graduation and hopefully be able to travel.

Hola! My name is Aide Luevano, and I will be graduating with a Major in Sociology and a Minor in Chicanx Studies with honors. I transferred from Rio Hondo College and will be the first to graduate from a four-year university in my family. I’m taking one year off but then I hope to apply for the MS in Higher Education and Student Affairs so that I can become a college counselor at a Community College and help other first-generation students navigating academia. The best memory that I have had at CSULB was finally stepping foot on campus for the first time. Being a CHLS minor has been amazing, being able to learn about significant activists who paved the way for the Chicano community. With that being said, one of my favorite books has been Borderlands by Gloria Anzaldua. Si Pude!

Hello everyone! My name is Liz Anhel Lozano, I am a first generation college student with a major in Chicanx/Latinx Studies, and minors in Spanish and Italian. Although the pandemic limited my interaction with campus, I will forever remember the event Profesora Patricia Amezcua organized for Día de Muertos my first semester at CSULB. It was an event I personally connected with, and it was also an experience I got to share with my mom. A book that will always stay with me, was introduced this spring semester by Dr. José Moreno, and it is called Subtractive Schooling: U.S.-Mexican Youth and the Politics of Caring by Angela Valenzuela.

My name is Linda Vargas-Tovar, I am 23 years old and a Chicano/Latino Studies major. I am the first one in my family to graduate from Community College with an Associates Degree, and now a BA from California State University of Long Beach. One of my favorite books is Becoming Mexican American by George J. Sanchez. My plans for the future is to one day become a counselor and run my own organization.

Hello everyone! My name is Roxana Garcia and I am a first-generation graduate. Getting accepted into California State University, Long Beach was the greatest accomplishments for me in 2019. I am a Chicanx/Latinx studies major. One of the best memories I have while attending Long Beach would be when I started my first semester and got to meet so many amazing people, such as my best friend who got accepted at the same time as me. I am very grateful for the help that I received from faculty and staff as they helped me get to where I am today. I am also am very grateful for my family who have given me the opportunity to receive an education at CSULB.

Hola! My name is Alejandra Rojas.  I am a senior graduating in the Spring of 2022 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Chicano & Latino Studies and a minor in Sociology with honors. I am a transfer student as I transferred to Cal State Long Beach from my local community college in South Los Angeles. I earned my place on the President’s Honor List several times. I have hopes of one day becoming an Academic Advisor at a Community College. I found that reading Becoming Mexican American: Ethnicity, Culture and Identity in Chicano Los Angeles, 1900 – 1945 gave me the opportunity to broaden my understanding of the start and progressing struggles of the Chicano student.

Hola! My name is Cindy Gutierrez. I am a first-generation college transfer student graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Chicano/a and Latino/a Studies. My favorite book while studying CHLS has to be “Critical Race Counterstories Along the Chicana/Chicano Educational Pipeline” by Tara J. Yosso. This book allowed me to draw various connections between my own complex educational journey and that of other students. My favorite memory at CSULB has been making honor roll.

My name is Yesenia Rodriguez Roman. I am 35 years old, I am completing a Bachelor’s in Chicano and Latino Studies with a minor in Human Development. My favorite book from a CHLS class is Borderlands by Gloria Anzaldua.

My name is Jazmin Olivera, I’m a graduating senior majoring in Chicanx/Latinx Studies. The years I’ve spent on this campus have been filled with spontaneous adventures and stressful nights, but memorable nonetheless. My favorite memory would be the game night with my organization, Delta Sigma Chi. We played Just Dance and a long game of Uno in the Student Union, it was a way to have fun during a stressful point of the semester. The best book I’ve read in a CHLS class was The Latino Question: Politics, Laboring Classes and the Next Left by Rodolfo D Torres and Armando Ibarra. I used to be afraid to plan for the future, but I’m set on wanting to work with college students. I’m considering a career in student affairs because I have been a part of many university communities and have a student’s perspective. Additionally, I’m looking into becoming a CHLS professor. Both career options would make me happy, and I can’t wait to apply to graduate school to enhance my career opportunities.

Saludos a todos! My name is Ilse Villegas. I am a first generation college student and DACA recipient. I am graduating with a major in Chicano and Latinos Studies and minor in fashion merchandising, and I am currently working on getting certified in UX Design.The best memory I have at Csulb is the Friendsgiving dinner at the Chls department where we all brought a homemade dish and had an overall good time. The CHLS department became my second family and I am forever grateful! One of the best books I read was Subtractive Schooling: U.S- Mexican Youth and the Politics of Caring by Angela Valenzuela. After graduation, I plan to apply my knowledge and experience in my future career as a UX designer.

My name is Katherine Escobar. I am 24 years old and the oldest of four siblings. I am the first generation to go to college in my family. I transferred to CSULB from Santa Monica Community College. I am a Women Gender Sexual Studies Major, with a minor in Chicano Latino Studies. My best memory at CSULB is meeting and becoming a part of Hermanas Unidas during my last semester at Long Beach.

Hi everyone, my name is Julia Solano. I am a kinesiology major with a focus on exercise science and a minor in Chicano Latino Studies. My favorite memory at CSULB was volunteering at the undocu5k prior to covid. The best book I read in a CHLS class was pedagogy of the oppressed by Paolo Freire. In the future I plan to attain my doctorate in physical therapy, while helping to dismantle the language barrier in the medical field. All patients deserve proper care regardless of the language they speak.