Melani Osiris Ramirez Ozuna was born in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico, and immigrated to the Bay Area with her mother at the age of 10. In San Francisco, she found a welcoming community, a sense of belonging, and the support system she always wanted. As a high school sophomore, she joined a youth program through a local non-profit, Literacy for Environmental Justice (LEJ), where she was first introduced to advocacy, community organizing, and environmental justice. What began as a curiosity grew into a long lasting commitment to social justice and supporting underserved communities.
Since then, Melani has worked and volunteered for various non-profit organizations, including Sutro Stewards and San Francisco Women Against Rape (SFWAR). Through this work, she fell in love with workshop facilitation, community outreach, and building meaningful relationships within her community. In 2024, she returned to LEJ and came full circle by providing youth with the same support and empowerment that once helped her grow.
Now a student in City College of San Francisco’s transfer program, she’s pursuing a degree in sociology. One of her long term goals is to become a program manager and serve as a trusted resource for transitional-age youth. She wants to create safe and empowering spaces where youth can focus on professional development, advocate for the social issues they care about, and step confidently into leadership roles.
As part of the DreamSF Fellowship, Melani is placed at Good Samaritan Family Resource Center. She provides one-one support to newcomer immigrant families, helping them access appropriate community resources. Melani works closely with both youth and parents, helping them strengthen family relationships and support their process of navigating and finding belonging in their new home.
In her free time, Melani enjoys being outdoors. You can find her running, hiking, and mindfully exploring the world of plant medicine.
