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America Hernandez-Lemus

America Hernandez-Lemus

America Hernandez-Lemus

Hernandez-Lemus became an activist at age 18 when she fought for rights of  undocumented university students to pay in-state tuition.

America used her agency and revealed her status publicly and became a face for a community normally relegated to the shadows. As a DACA recipient and undocumented immigrant America is proud to say she Belongs in California. 

America Hernandez-Lemus

Now as a new mother and the proud holder of a Master’s in Social Work, Hernandez-Lemus hasn’t stopped fighting for her community—but she’s gained valuable perspective on prioritizing her own wellness and releasing perfectionism that the trauma around societal marginalization can bring.

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“When I was in the university, there weren't people that were saying, 'I'm undocumented.’ I was one of the first… And it was a scary thing, I remember trembling”

“So my story and what I've been trying to accomplish is to have people see us in a way that they see our humanity, and that they see that we are just like the next person, and that we come in all types of shapes, colors, backgrounds, education levels. And I think that that's been the core of what I'm trying to accomplish through my activism”

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The matter of Belonging is core to our theory of change as a health equity-minded foundation.