The summer 2023 Students for Economic Justice (SEJ) program is now in full swing! Beginning in 2000, the SEJ internship program has trained San Diego’s next generation of social change and economic justice leaders and organizers. This intensive full-time, $20 an-hour, six-week program provides college students with a framework that centers worker and racial justice and ways to approach local politics, organizing, and political education through that lens. The program is paired with hands-on experience with community organizations and local labor unions. After completing the program, SEJ graduates have gone on to work in local unions, social justice nonprofits, and elected offices in the San Diego region.
This year our SEJ coordinator Sarah Farouq is joined by SEJ 2022 alumni, Nick Martin. Nick is a recent graduated from SDSU with a Bachelor’s in Economics. Last year his host site was Pillars of the Community.
“As an SEJ alumni, I am now part of a network of folks who are committed to the overall improvement of the working-class. It is because of this that I wanted to do my part and pay it forward by dedicating my time to the incoming interns. I am glad that I can contribute to the impactful work CPI and their partners put into the SEJ program.”
Having been in their shoes last year, Nick shares the following wisdom with them: Embrace the moment and seek fulfillment in the work that you do and the life that you live.
We are excited to introduce our 2023 Students for Economic Justice (SEJ) Interns. Read below and get to know the interns!
Satori Jelden
Satori Jelden (she/her) is a transfer student at UCLA. She transferred after earning her Associate’s Degree for Transfer in Sociology from San Diego Mesa College. At UCLA, she is working towards earning a degree in Sociology with a minor in Public Affairs. Satori strongly believes in the power community has to bring people together and bring about meaningful change. She hopes to have a career where she can give back to her community.
Host Site: Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA)
Kelly Ports
Kelly Ports is a second year at City College. She’s been an intern with the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) for the past year. Her experience as an intern has grown her interest in organizing, the labor movement, and joining the fight for social and economic justice. In her free time, she enjoys playing guitar, singing, and hiking.
Host Site: SEIU 221
Lana Al Any
Lana Al Any (she/her/hers) is a Palestinian and Iraqi- American and a first generation immigrant student. Her different identities are a big contributor as to why she strives to include social justice lends in all she does. Lana is a Public Health student studying on a pre-medical track at Grossmont Community college. She aspires to create and devote time and effort to activism that would benefit many communities. She hopes that by doing so she can expand understanding on institutional inequality and discrimination. Knowledge is power as many iterate, and activism is apparent in that power in so many ways I hope to express in my future.
Host Site: Majdal Center
Aida Arredondo
Aida Arredondo grew up in San Diego and spent a lot of her childhood visiting family in Mexico City and the Midwest. She has always been passionate around issues of social justice, especially involving reproductive rights and childcare. She is currently a student at San Diego City College, and is pursuing a childhood development degree. She hopes to become an elementary school teacher that is an active union participant and organizer.
Host Site: Mid City CAN
Narly Ramirez
Narly Ramirez is a Chicana, second year student at San Diego City College studying Political Science. As the daughter of a single immigrant mothers, she saw what it was like to live in a constant state of fear and silence. From the age of 11, she’s dreamt of becoming a lawyer and using her voice to speak up against injustices. Narly likes spending her summers at the beach and lives by the motto “knowledge is power” and by “ The lazy song” by Bruno mars.
Host Site: SEIU-USWW
Tristin Beery
Tristin Beery graduated from Cuyamaca College in 2022 with his Associate of Arts in Political Science and is currently attending San Diego State University. During his time at Cuyamaca, before and throughout the pandemic, Tristin served as the president of the Associated Student Government and amplified the student voice in order to create a more equitable campus. He also served as a student representative on many integral college councils and committees, regularly seeking input from students and bringing feedback forward to help shape the future of the College. Tristin most recently served as a student leader in developing the College’s 2022-2028 Comprehensive Strategic and Facilities Plan, which centers on the student experience. Tristin plans to earn his master’s in Political Science, focusing on comparative politics and public policy. Among his largest concerns and areas of interest are drug policy reformation, improving social safety nets, and investing in a High-Speed Rail system across America.
Host Site: Youth Will
Brianna Carignan
Brianna is a second year student at San Diego State University majoring in Urban Planning and Management. She is a member of the Aztlán Youth Brigade, a member of the San Diego chapter of the Communist Party, as well as an artist specializing in portraiture. She enjoys learning in community about radical, empathetic methods of healing for working class communities. She wants to contribute to the larger labor movement by disrupting individualist dialogue in pursuit of our collective healing and liberation.
Host Site: Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE)
Julie Nguyen
Julie is a third year at UCSD majoring in Human Developmental Sciences with a specialization in equity and diversity and minoring in Communications. She is from Portland, Oregon and looks forward to learning more about the San Diego community. Working a variety of jobs from food service to math instruction, she is passionate about labor and economic justice not just because of her own experiences but also those of her coworkers, or as she likes to call them, her comrades! On campus, Julie is part of the Houselessness Service Organization and the competitive tennis club. In her free time, she loves all things crafty like crocheting, knitting, sewing, etc., virtually anything sports-related, and spending every waking moment with her friends like game night!
Host Site: Asian Solidarity Collective (ASC)
CPI San Diego
