Center For Progressive Leadership

2008 New Leaders Summer Interns

Denice Vélez

Hometown: Los Angeles, CA

Age: 22

School: University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Interests: basketball, walking everywhere

Internship: Economic Policy Institute

Denice Vélez is a second-year Dual Degree Master student of Public Policy and Higher Education at the University of Michigan, originally from Los Angeles, California. She graduated from the University of California Berkeley in 2007, where she majored in Ethnic Studies and Chicana/o Studies. While at Berkeley she was involved with recruitment and retention of students of color.

As the Legislative Assistant to City of Berkeley Councilmember Kriss Worthington, she collaborated with Cal Berkeley to recruit people of color and students to City Commissions. She has also served as the Co-Executive Director of the bridges Multicultural Resource Center at Cal Berkeley. Denice hopes to continue working for and with students of color to attain higher education.

"In the policymaking arena, there is very little room for dialogue between policy makers and the people who will be affected by the policy the most. I think it’s really important that organizers understand how policy works so that they can better serve their communities."

- Denice Vélez,
2008 New Leaders Summer Intern

More about Denice

What are you most passionate about?
My passion is to see people of color have the opportunity to enter institutions of higher education. I have been inspired to do this work by the example of my parents’ history and by the example of my community’s struggle.

You're stranded on a deserted island. What is one book or album that you can't live without?
Anything about history written by authors from marginalized communities.

What do you hope to take away from your experience as a CPL New Leader?
I hope that through the New Leaders Program I am able to gain organizing skills that are transferable to writing policy. Knowledge about how policies are developed is a skill I need in order to be a more effective organizer. In the policymaking arena, there is very little room for dialogue between policy makers and the people who will be affected by the policy the most. I think it’s really important that organizers understand how policy works so that they can better serve their communities.

<< view all 2008 New Leaders Intern Profiles