Matilde (she/her/ella) was born in Usulután, El Salvador where she spent the first eight years of her life. She later immigrated to the United States to reunite with her mother and sister and to meet her father for the first time. Upon arriving in the U.S., she learned a new language and adapted to a new environment and culture. She understood that her parents had made a difficult decision and sacrificed a lot to leave their families in El Salvador to provide and give her and her siblings a better life and future.
Growing up in a predominantly white town, it was difficult for Matilde to find a sense of belonging. She earned an associate's transfer degree from Contra Costa College with honors and then transferred to San Francisco State University. There, she graduated with a degree in Psychology with honors and was on the Dean’s List. At SF State, she found a sense of community and belonging, all while working part time at a restaurant. She is passionate about advocating for the rights of the immigrant community, especially undocumented individuals.
While navigating college as a first-generation student was challenging, she never gave up and persevered through the obstacles she faced. She knows that the knowledge she gained throughout college will be useful for her family’s next generation as she will be able to help them navigate through college and they won’t have to struggle as much as she did. She learned how to advocate for herself and others in her community by being part of I.D.E.A.S, a club that advocates for undocumented students at SF State. Through I.D.E.A.S, she developed the confidence to speak even if her voice shakes.
Matilde is placed at Mission Action for the DreamSF Fellowship, There, she meets with clients to support them with Daca renewals and provide direct assistance through consultations and legal clinics. She helps clients navigate the renewal process and access the resources they need.
In her free time, Matilde likes to scrapbook, go on hikes and watch the sunset. She also enjoys spending time with her (very much spoiled) nine-year old Chihuahua named Tito. She enjoys listening to Karol G, Feid and old school reggaeton.
