Nataly Del Cid is a first-generation and first year MSW student specializing in Advancing Health and Well-Being Across the Adult Lifespan. She was born and raised by a Mexican-Guatemalan family in SouthEast Los Angeles. Her personal experience with intergenerational poverty, mental distress and trauma has informed her how poverty and inaccessibility to basic needs is directly linked to the collective mental health of marginalized communities. Her personal life experiences and professional experience in the social work and mental health field have fueled her passion in advocating for...
Nicole Balbuena is a second-year MSW candidate, concentrating in Strengthening Children, Youth and Families, and Title IV-E scholar at the University of California, Berkeley. Nicole is an active leader and a driven researcher with expertise in immigration, food insecurity, and intimate partner violence. As a Basic Needs Ambassador, she hopes to increase students' participation rate and reduce stigma when applying to CalFresh Benefits.