Yitzel Jimenez
Volunteer
UC Santa Barbara
Belen Bernal Community Service Award
Yitzel has been an intern at CLI for three years. She appreciates this organization for its commitment to social justice lawyering and closing the gap our community faces to access legal services. As a Lynwood native, Yitzel was passionate about CLI and it’s commitment to create a space in our community where youth can meet lawyers and give back to their community in ways they never thought possible. She is currently an educator at Dream Tree Community Center, a non-profit in Pasadena working with Korean immigrant families. She just accepted a position at Color Compton, a newly founded non profit down the street from us, dedicated to bringing the arts and history lessons to Compton youth. She hopes to pursue a law degree in the future. Interning at CLI has demonstrated to her how important it is for first generation students to pursue a law degree and return to help their communities who are the most vulnerable to the legal system.