Karla Vasquez Perez

Karla is a fourth-year student at UCLA, triple-majoring in Labor Studies, Political Science, and Chicanx and Central American Studies, with double minors in Community Engagement and Social Change and Central American Studies. Her dedication to both the LA community and immigrant communities has led her to work across nonprofits, grassroots organizations, unions, and government offices to help bridge community knowledge with policy-making.  She currently serves as the Organizing and Advocacy Director for the ING Fellowship and works at the Refugee Children Center within the Families and Children and Legal Departments, where she is developing a campaign addressing fear and harm caused by ICE raids in communities. Karla is also a student worker, Policy Researcher at the Office of Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell, working across workforce and economic development, justice, and immigration portfolios.  Grounded in the belief of thinking globally and acting locally, Karla was selected as one of 22 women to participate in the She Leads for Peace Leadership Academy through UNITAR under the United Nations, where she centers peacebuilding in policy and community work. She also conducted research across six continents as an Obama-Chesky Scholar for Public Service, further shaping her global perspective on equity and governance. She is passionate about humanitarian and community-based work with a focus on racial justice, radical hope, and care-centered approaches.   At UCLA, Karla serves as Chair of the Labor Studies Student Union, uplifting voices of students interested in the labor movement, Co-Chair of Corazón de UCLA for humane approaches to immigration advocacy and awareness, and a UCLA Data Justice Scholar, where she focuses on community-centered mapping and research, translating a social justice issue into data. She believes that community spaces are deeply interconnected and that lasting change is built collectively. Karla hopes to dedicate her life to public service rooted in racial justice, dignity, and care for all communities.