In September, YI West welcomed two cohorts of the Young Advocates Program. Folks from Los Angeles and the Inland Empire convened in our Downtown Los Angeles office, and folks from the Bay Area, Central Valley and Sacramento convened in Sacramento.

We are so excited to introduce you to the amazing group of young adults who are ready to create change within their communities and across the state!

 

Yolanda Vargas (She/Her/Hers)
Sacramento

Yolanda Vargas is a proud Disabled, Queer, Fat Latina who has dedicated her life to being a bridge for those without the resources and support they need to flourish. Her passion for communication and community building comes from having eight wonderful siblings, half a dozen amazing niblings, and a father who sacrificed every part of himself so that his children could have more opportunities than he did. Yolanda strongly believes that those currently being oppressed by capitalist systems will be the ones to overthrow it; as well as be the ones to place something more democratic and collectivistic in its’ stead. When she isn’t daydreaming about revolutions she can be found volunteering in her community, nerding out with her friends playing Dungeons & Dragons, and trying to find the perfect concert that will allow her to crowd surf in her wheelchair.

 

Astrid Morales (She/Her/Hers)
Merced

Astrid grew up in South Gate, CA , she always enjoyed volunteering to help her community. After high school, she decided to remove herself from the LA scenery and pursue a degree at UC Merced (first from her family to go to college #FirstGen). She currently works with non-profits that promote a better California for all and spends her free time watching movies with her cat Wednesday.

 

 

Christian Espinoza (He/They)
San Bernardino

Christian Espinoza (he/they) is a first-generation college graduate from University of California, Los Angeles and University of Redlands. They have a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and a Master’s degree in Higher Education-Student Affairs. Christian enjoys hiking, journaling, and spending time with friends and family. He hopes to enroll in a Ph.D. program in Education Policy next Fall term.

 

 

Ana Taukolo (She/Her/Hers)
Sacramento 

Ana Taukolo, Director of Youth Programs at The Alliance for Education Solutions, has worked in the nonprofit sector for over 8 years. As a Sacramento native, first generation college graduate, and advocate for marginalized populations, Ana has always been passionate about creating a positive change in her community. She’s hosted a variety of community-wide events, provided direct services to youth in schools and juvinille detention centers throughout the Sacramento region, and has worked alongside Northern California’s largest coalition of youth serving organizations, Sac Kids First, to pass a sustainable children’s fund measure, since 2016. Her heart work mentality continues to shine through everything she does and she is hoping to gain more knowledge about organizing with the Young Invicibles network.

 

Chris Castorena, MPP (He/Him/Él)
Banning 

Chris’ lifelong commitment to servitude is steeped in his time as a local community organizer and public policy and program professional while holding several executive board roles. He is a first-generation scholar with a Master of Public Policy (MPP) and two bachelor’s degrees in Political Science/International Affairs and Ethnic Studies from UC Riverside — Go Highlanders!

Global travel, professional opportunities, and his inspiring community solidified his moral obligation to help transform current systems. His passion is in creating a just society starting at the local and regional levels and that is wherever he is, with our neighbors, because it takes a village.

 

Dennys Lopez Vega (She/Hers/Ella)
Sacramento 

She is currently a senior at Sacramento State University majoring in International Relations. Has volunteered in her local community events since she first got involved in high school, through her membership in civic and service organizations. Some of her hobbies include watching movies, painting, and eating out (especially if it’s Chick-fil-A)!

 

 

 

Jaquelin Alcantar (She/Her/Hers) 
Moreno Valley

Jaquelin(Jaqi) Alcantar is a beautiful person, she is stylish, creative, and likes to read. Her favorite show at the moment is Bridgerton and her favorite artist is BTS.

 

 

 

Kyleen Vo (She/Her/Hers)
Berkley 

Kyleen Vo is a fourth-year transfer student at UC Berkeley, majoring in Economics and minoring in public policy. She is passionate about uplifting the voices of marginalized communities, and increasing the accessibility of educational and mental health resources for young adults. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, collaging, and film photography.

 

 

Nancy Gomez (She/Her/Hers) 
Bloomington 

Nancy Gomez is a recent graduate from the University of California, Irvine. She received her B.S. in International Studies and minored in Anthropology. She is a proud first-generation college student. She is also incredibly passionate about community organizing and civic engagement.

 

 

 

Kaelynn Olmos (They/Them)
Montebello

Kaelynn is a queer, non-binary, Latinx student pursuing a Master in Public Administration at the University of Southern California. They have an academic background in political science and pre-law with hopes to become a public policy analyst and make a difference in their community. Kaelynn is passionate about social justice advocacy and education pertaining to LGBTQ+ rights, abortion rights, and civic engagement. They are also a devoted dog parent who is obsessed with their Dachshund named Waffles and Yorkie named Trojan.

 

Dorismar Cuevas (She/Her/Hers)
Houston 

Dorismar is a first-generation Mexican-American college student from Houston, studying at Claremont McKenna College. She is studying International Relations, and is excited to explore other cultures and learn about global issues. She is excited and thankful to be a part of Young Invincibles, and meet other passionate individuals who want to advocate and organize.

 

 

Mario Mendoza (He/Him/His/Él)
Montclair

Mario Mendoza is an Inland Empire native that focuses his attention on supporting the surrounding communities. He received his undergraduate degree from Cal Poly Pomona and is currently a candidate for a Master of Public Policy at UC Riverside. Mario is passionate about advocating for younger adults on issues they face, and educating individuals on the importance of civic engagement. In his free time, Mario enjoys being with nature and city life.

 

 

Javier Rodriguez-Rivera (He/Him/His)
Pomona 

Javier joined the Young Advocates Program because he believes it is fundamental that under-represented voices are included in the decision-making process. Raised in the city of Pomona, Javier currently serves as a Pomona Parks & Recreation Commissioner, where he continues to ensure that budget and policy proposals by city staff are responsive to the concerns and creativity of Pomona residents. He is a student at the University of California, Los Angeles, where he aims to complete his English studies and the pre-health program. Upon finishing his education, Javier hopes to begin the work necessary to transform the city of Pomona.

Angelique Lopez (She/Her/Hers)
Sylmar

Angelique Lopez (she/her) is a San Fernando Valley native. She obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from California State University, Long Beach. Angelique is passionate about addressing socioeconomic inequality and the needs of underserved, communities of color.

 

 

 

Marcos Molina (He/Him/His)
Pomona 

Born and raised in Northeast LA, Marcos moved to Pomona to pursue a bachelors of science in Urban and Regional Planning from Cal Poly Pomona. His studies focused on Neighborhood Revitalization/Resilience and Environmental Planning. After working for 4 years in Public Health and Civic Engagement he realized his passion for Education and is studying to become a Social Science teacher at Cal Poly Pomona. On his spare time he loves playing video games and is a bicycling enthusiast.

 

Oluwatoniloba Fakunle (She/Her/Hers)
Los Angeles

Oluwatoniloba Fakunle is an MPA candidate passionate about social justice and policy advocacy. She is an aspiring law student and is enthusiastic about international public interest law.

 

 

 

 

Jesus “Paco” Estrada (He/Him/His)
Los Angeles 

Jesus “Paco” Estrada is a first-generation Mexican-American born and raised in South Central Los Angeles. He is in his third year at Loyola Marymount University pursuing a degree in Theological Studies & Spanish on a pre-law track. He has an emphatic desire to one day serve his community by running for public office and fighting for social justice at the institutional/political level. In his free time, Paco enjoys leisure reading, binging Netflix shows/movies, and bopping his head to Latin music.

 

Taylor Carr (He/Him/His) 
Los Angeles

Taylor is the eldest of 5, hailing from Dallas, Texas. He has a bachelor’s degree in computer science and works as a software engineer. He is an advocate for black civil rights and affordable healthcare for all.