Mia Velasco is a sophomore from Perth Amboy, New Jersey pursuing a self-designed major examining immigration, education, and institutional inequality. She is interested in and passionate about expanding access for immigrant communities through immigration law, language regulation, global health policy, and childhood development. For Mia’s first summer experience as a Laidlaw Scholar, she conducted community-based participatory research in El Paso, Texas, focusing on expanding accessibility within the courts for migrants. On campus, she is involved with various cultural organizations, such as Mi Gente and the Mexican American Student Alliance. In her free time, Mia enjoys thrifting, spending time with her friends, and reading banned books.