MEET THE TEAM
Jessika Viveros
President and Co-founder
Jessika Viveros recently graduated from Rio Mesa High School in 2019, and Ventura College in 2020, and will now be attending UCLA this fall as a junior. During her time at community college, she has completed various internships that include interning with local State Assemblymembers and The Port of Hueneme: Oxnard Harbor District. As an indigenous woman and first-generation college student, Jessika dedicates time to be involved in local social justice issues which has allowed her to find her voice and advocate for causes she is passionate about, determined to make a difference in her own community.
Sarahy Torres
Sarahy Torres recently graduated from Rio Mesa High School in 2020 and will now be attending UCLA. She is the co-founder of the Oxnard Student Success organization and a member of multiple community and school organizations. She is a first-generation, low-income student who comes from a family of farmworkers in Oxnard, CA. She loves advocating for her community through the youth. Her passion for education inspired her to major in Chicanx Studies at UCLA. She aspires to be an educator to the youth here in Oxnard, CA. In her free time, she loves reading and swimming.
Vice President and Co-founder
Michael Cazares
Educational Program Director
Michael Cazares is a Pacifica High School alumnus from the Class of 2019! After high school, he attended Ventura College for 1 year, and this upcoming fall he will be attending the University of Southern California (USC) as a Sociology and Law, Culture, and History major. As a first-generation college student, his transition from high school to community college and from VC to USC has by far been his most challenging experience as a student. His goal is to assist in guiding students like himself, accomplish their academic goals, and positively impact families from his own community!
Grace
Dineen-Wimberly
Director of Communications
Grace Dineen-Wimberly graduated from Oxnard High School in 2019. Since she graduated, she was able to attend Ventura College and obtain many new experiences in regards to academia. During her first year at Ventura Community College, she became the Vice President of their Political Science Club which allowed her to gain first-hand experience in the political field. Following that, she joined the Environmental Outdoor Student Organization and realized she had a passion for learning about and bettering the environment. In the course of her time at Ventura College, she was able to discover her passion and how she can use it to aid others around her.
Tania Salceda
Director of Community Outreach
Tania Salceda recently graduated from Channel Islands School in 2020 and will now be attending UC Berkeley. She is the Community Outreach Director/mentor for the Oxnard Student Success organization and a member of several community organizations on and off-campus. She was raised in a single-parent household and is a first-generation, low-income student from Oxnard, CA. Her passion to bring justice for her community inspired her to double major in Political Science and Chicanx Studies with a Pre-Law emphasis at UC Berkeley. She is motivated to establish herself as an immigration lawyer, run for a school board position in Oxnard, and eventually run for a seat in Congress
Christine
Jane canonizado
Director of Social Media
Christine Jane Canonizado graduated from Oxnard High School in 2019 and is a first-generation college student attending Ventura College and plans to apply to universities this upcoming fall. She has been an advocate for our community's youth through various organizations, inspiring her to give back to the community. She plans to go to law school after university and aspires to become an environmental lawyer and advocate for local social justice issues.
Jennifer Martinez
Director of Operations
Jennifer Martinez graduated from Hueneme High School in 2019. She is a first-generation, low-income college student at Stanford University as a Human Biology major. She is passionate about helping out her community and fighting against the injustices against them. She has joined various community organizations to advocate for social and economic justice. She plans to return to Oxnard after finishing graduate school.
Laura Cervantes
Ambassador Program Director
Laura Cervantes graduated from Pacifica High School in 2014. She is a first-generation student and graduated from California State University, Northridge in 2018 with a degree in Child and Adolescent Development. After graduating she gained experience working with children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other disabilities. She is currently working as a long-term substitute in the Bay Area and will soon be completing her applications to attend a dual Credential/ M.A in Education program in hopes to become a teacher in Oxnard. She has a passion for teaching others and hopes to guide Oxnard students into higher education as well as create change within the education system.