Name: Yannina Casillas

Recipient Year: 2012

Major: Law

Description: I was born in Merced, California as the daughter of Mexican immigrants. I grew up in the small city of Moreno Valley. At fourteen I was in a carjacking and shot at. Since this event, I have been determined to advocate for disadvantaged communities and become involved in community service.As a convert to Islam and a first-generation college student I faced many unique challenges while attending UCLA. To address the anti-Muslim sentiments on campus, I co-created the first curriculum that addressed the Muslim student experience. As the Vice President of the Muslim Student Association I was a part of a coalition of diverse student advocacy groups on campus. My experiences  have given me the opportunity to assist the through various projects. These projects provided a greater context of the struggles these youth face. IYTP in particular gave me the opportunity to address the issue of violent crimes.UPDATE Yannina graduated in 2015 and works at CAIR-CA as the Statewide Legislative & Government Affairs Coordinator.

School Name: UC Hastings College of Law

Sponsor: MPAC

LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yannina-casillas-a5403215/