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    Center on Policy Initiatives

Students for Economic Justice – SEJ

Current Class of 2019

Amina Dauood
Arturo Bustos
Cassandra Hernandez
Jessica Weeden
Jesus Suarez
Marianne Delatorre
Nicholas Robbins

Meet the Alumni

Abdul Sayid

“SEJ opened my eyes to the labor movement and the greater social justice movement for racial, gender, & economic equity. If it wasn’t for SEJ, I wouldn’t be in this role today.”
2019-07-29T23:50:22+00:00
“SEJ opened my eyes to the labor movement and the greater social justice movement for racial, gender, & economic equity. If it wasn’t for SEJ, I wouldn’t be in this role today.”

Bernadette Butkiewicz

“SEJ further opened my eyes to the inequities of our county. The Fight for 15 and the right to a union were the sparks that lead me in my fight to correct the injustices that San Diego has tolerated for too long!”
2019-07-29T23:53:29+00:00
“SEJ further opened my eyes to the inequities of our county. The Fight for 15 and the right to a union were the sparks that lead me in my fight to correct the injustices that San Diego has tolerated for too long!”

Daniel Juarez

“I learned a lot about labor organizing in San Diego. Doing this program allowed me to see and practice the discipline you get when working full-time as an organizer.”
2019-07-29T23:54:13+00:00
“I learned a lot about labor organizing in San Diego. Doing this program allowed me to see and practice the discipline you get when working full-time as an organizer.”

Eric Henson

“This program supports young leaders with an existing intuition and vision to create a livable and inclusive San Diego.”
2019-07-29T23:54:55+00:00
“This program supports young leaders with an existing intuition and vision to create a livable and inclusive San Diego.”

Juan Perez

“I knew organizing was something I wanted to do for the rest of my life because of SEJ. I learned tools that I have used throughout my career and I appreciate the opportunity to have been part of SEJ.”
2019-07-30T00:01:33+00:00
“I knew organizing was something I wanted to do for the rest of my life because of SEJ. I learned tools that I have used throughout my career and I appreciate the opportunity to have been part of SEJ.”

Laura Baeza

“SEJ introduced and gave me my first opportunity at organizing. It is one of the best and most fulfilling experiences of my life, especially because it shaped me into the organizer I am today.”
2019-07-30T00:02:53+00:00
“SEJ introduced and gave me my first opportunity at organizing. It is one of the best and most fulfilling experiences of my life, especially because it shaped me into the organizer I am today.”

Maria Elena Morales

“The tools that the SEJ Fellowship equipped me with continue to be essential in my growth as a leader within our communities. They are what I use to build the tables that society once said I could not be at.”
2019-07-30T00:03:51+00:00
“The tools that the SEJ Fellowship equipped me with continue to be essential in my growth as a leader within our communities. They are what I use to build the tables that society once said I could not be at.”

Matt Yagyagan

“SEJ helped me understand the political landscape of San Diego and has opened opportunities for me to network with people that are making positive change.”
2019-07-30T00:04:47+00:00
“SEJ helped me understand the political landscape of San Diego and has opened opportunities for me to network with people that are making positive change.”

Not a student?

Learn about our other flagship San Diego-based leadership development program:
Thanks so much and shout out to Cassie Castillo with @losandiego for guiding us on an urban hike around Balboa Park
Let's come out tomorrow Aug 16, 3-5pm at Ralphs in Mission Valley to support grocery workers in their fight for a fair contract.⠀ ⠀ Vons, Albertsons, and Ralphs are trying to cut workers’ pensions, healthcare, and access to full-time hours. #StandWithGroceryWorkers #OneJobShouldBeEnough⠀ ⠀ For more information here is the link to the event page: https://buff.ly/2KD0737
So proud of our #StudentsForEconomicJustice fellows Sarah Farouq (2017) and Ignacio Valverde (2018) for being awarded the 2019 Sargent Shriver Youth Warriors Against Poverty!! #SEJ 👏🏽👏🏿 🔥⠀ ⠀ Learn more about Sarah, Ignacio and the other awardees here: https://caseygrants.org/who-we-are/inside-mcf/marguerite-casey-foundation-announces-2019-sargent-shriver-youth-warriors-against-poverty/
It’s the last day of the #SEJ fellowship and we’re so sad that we won’t be seeing the fellows every week but they’re now part of the family and can’t get rid of us!! We can’t wait to see what they’ll do next and will be there to support them.😭😭😍😍👏🏽👏🏽 Special shout out to our Ledership Development Coordinator and Organizer Ana Laura Martinez @la.awkward and our SEJ Coordinator Jesus Mendez @metamorfosis.eterna . Ana and Jesus are holding a special gift the SEJers organized for them 😭
“We’re not going anywhere.” Rashida Tlaib @popdemoc
Detroit’s Fight is Our Fight! 💪🏽 @popdemoc
Incredibly honored to have spent this evening with the San Diego legends Linda and Carlos LeGerrette, who shared with our 2019 #SEJ Fellows some of their experiences as key members of the UFW and lessons learned over a lifetime of organizing and troublemaking throughout California and the country. Sí se puede! ✊
So proud of @nick_alex_robb and the work he is doing with @ibew_569. Thanks @ibew_569 for continually supporting our #SEJ program and all the young organizers who are changing #SanDiego. #youthpower #unionpower #Repost @ibew_569 with @make_repost ・・・ #IBEWproud repost from our @cpisandiego SEJ Fellow @nick_alex_robb - He’s learning about organizing and assisting with voter registration and climate action research that would create more jobs #IBEW members! ⚡️💪🏽⚡️#UnionStrong #sejustice
#JeffBezos—the richest man in history—continues to amass wealth today on #PrimeDay by profiting off the detention of immigrants & exploitation of Black & brown workers.⠀ ⠀ Boycott Amazon on #PrimeDay #StrikeAmazon #AmazonVSImmigrants
Say hi to Jesus Suarez, #SEJ Class of 2019! ⠀ ⠀ A proud second-generation American and first-generation college student from Latinx, immigrant background, he currently attends Cuyamaca College, where he serves as president of the associated student government and the only LGBTQIA+ student club on campus. He's transferring to the University of California, Berkeley this fall.
Help us give a warm welcome to Nicholas Robbins, #SEJ Class of 2019!⠀ ⠀ Born and raised in Northern California, he moved to San Diego in 2006. After serving 10 years in the US Navy, Nicholas enrolled full time at San Diego City College and started working for the American Federation of Teachers Local 193. After college he plans on being a community/union organizer right here in sunny San Diego.
Say hello to Marianne Delatorre, #SEJ Class of 2019!⠀ ⠀ The daughter of immigrant parents, Marianne recently graduated from #UCSD, where she was very involved in the Filipino-American student organization Kaibigang Pilipin@, was social awareness coordinator and scriptwriter for the annual Pilipin@ Cultural Celebration, and held other leadership roles centered around educational access and retention work for UCSD and San Diego communities, in addition to working on grassroots campaigns for local political leaders.

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Thanks so much and shout out to Cassie Castillo with @losandiego for guiding us on an urban hike around Balboa Park
Let's come out tomorrow Aug 16, 3-5pm at Ralphs in Mission Valley to support grocery workers in their fight for a fair contract.⠀ ⠀ Vons, Albertsons, and Ralphs are trying to cut workers’ pensions, healthcare, and access to full-time hours. #StandWithGroceryWorkers #OneJobShouldBeEnough⠀ ⠀ For more information here is the link to the event page: https://buff.ly/2KD0737
So proud of our #StudentsForEconomicJustice fellows Sarah Farouq (2017) and Ignacio Valverde (2018) for being awarded the 2019 Sargent Shriver Youth Warriors Against Poverty!! #SEJ 👏🏽👏🏿 🔥⠀ ⠀ Learn more about Sarah, Ignacio and the other awardees here: https://caseygrants.org/who-we-are/inside-mcf/marguerite-casey-foundation-announces-2019-sargent-shriver-youth-warriors-against-poverty/
It’s the last day of the #SEJ fellowship and we’re so sad that we won’t be seeing the fellows every week but they’re now part of the family and can’t get rid of us!! We can’t wait to see what they’ll do next and will be there to support them.😭😭😍😍👏🏽👏🏽 Special shout out to our Ledership Development Coordinator and Organizer Ana Laura Martinez @la.awkward and our SEJ Coordinator Jesus Mendez @metamorfosis.eterna . Ana and Jesus are holding a special gift the SEJers organized for them 😭
“We’re not going anywhere.” Rashida Tlaib @popdemoc
Detroit’s Fight is Our Fight! 💪🏽 @popdemoc
Incredibly honored to have spent this evening with the San Diego legends Linda and Carlos LeGerrette, who shared with our 2019 #SEJ Fellows some of their experiences as key members of the UFW and lessons learned over a lifetime of organizing and troublemaking throughout California and the country. Sí se puede! ✊
So proud of @nick_alex_robb and the work he is doing with @ibew_569. Thanks @ibew_569 for continually supporting our #SEJ program and all the young organizers who are changing #SanDiego. #youthpower #unionpower #Repost @ibew_569 with @make_repost ・・・ #IBEWproud repost from our @cpisandiego SEJ Fellow @nick_alex_robb - He’s learning about organizing and assisting with voter registration and climate action research that would create more jobs #IBEW members! ⚡️💪🏽⚡️#UnionStrong #sejustice
#JeffBezos—the richest man in history—continues to amass wealth today on #PrimeDay by profiting off the detention of immigrants & exploitation of Black & brown workers.⠀ ⠀ Boycott Amazon on #PrimeDay #StrikeAmazon #AmazonVSImmigrants

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