A Future in Social Justice

Edgar, UCLA Labor Studies Major pictured at graduation event

Edgar Perez is a recent graduate from UCLA. He is from the North County region of San Diego, from a small rural town known as Valley Center.

Edgar selected his  UCLA Labor Studies major because he wanted to participate in a program that was reflective of his personal experiences. He ultimately chose it because the focus is centered around human rights and social justice.

Through his studies, he was able to learn about the Labor Movement and how labor has become what it is today through a historical lens. 

Edgar is currently collaborating with Building Skills Partnership as a UCLA Fellow; an annual, 8-week, national fellowship of the UCLA Labor Center’s Dream Resource Center (DRC).

Through Dream Summer, the DRC has provided over 1,000 fellowship opportunities to immigrant youth and allies and has partnered with over 265 social justice organizations across the country. Dream Summer:

• Empowers immigrant youth and allies to be the next generation of social justice leaders through leadership and professional development, movement building, and on-the-ground experience in social justice organizations.

• Creates a safe and healing space for immigrant youth and allies to connect and build with one another.

• Promotes an intersectional, cross-racial, and intergenerational approach to social justice that addresses the needs of immigrant communities.

Fellows are placed within social justice-based host organizations and work closely with their host organization to incorporate and strengthen the role of immigrant rights issues alongside the organization’s social justice work. 

Edgar (far right), pictured with BSP staff and volunteers in Los Angeles

Through his work with BSP, Edgar has helped register workers for ESL and Citizenship & Civic Engagement classes. He has also spoken to participants about the other programs that BSP offers, such as Health and Wellness and Financial Capabilities.

Through his work experience and education, Edgar’s career goals are to gain a masters degree in Urban Planning at La Universidad de Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras and forge a career at the intersection between unionization, workers rights and city planning.

In the future, he also aims to contribute to the California High Speed Rail project which is the construction of the first ever high speed rail in North America.

BSP was honored to collaborate with Edgar in his UCLA fellowship and wishes him the best in future aspirations!