Steering Committee, Advisory Council Members and Collaborative Team

Anna Cooper is a first-year student at DePaul University College of Law. Before law school, Anna attended Illinois Wesleyan University where she graduated with a BA in History with a double minor in Political Science and Religious Studies. Because of her background as a Korean Adoptee, her research was largely focused on the Korean independence movement. Currently, Anna works with the DMC as an Advocate Intern and is focused on highlighting alumni experiences in the migration field through the DMC’s Migration Advocates Video Project.

What does working for the DMC mean to you?

For me, working for the DMC has been a rewarding and enlightening experience. Because I have yet to decide which specific area of law I want to pursue, being able to interview established DePaul alumni about their current work within the fields of migration and immigration has been an invaluable experience that is irreplicable within a classroom environment. Through these interviews, I am able to talk to and learn from experienced professionals within the migration and immigration fields about subjects that I have not have much prior exposure to but are at the foundation of American society.

Dominique has focused on forced migration issues since she was an undergraduate student at the University of Richmond. She has experience in resettlement services; has partnered with the International Rescue Committee, Church World Services, and the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigration; and is a certified immigration law specialist. She currently focuses on highlighting alumni experiences in the migration field and is pursuing her Master of Science in Refugee and Forced Migration Studies at DePaul.  

Julian Trejo Bax is an undergraduate student at DePaul University majoring in Film production with a concentration in documentary filmmaking. Julian was born in Mexico City, Mexico and moved to the United States at the age of 5. He also holds citizenship from Belgium, and currently resides in South Bend, Indiana. Julian aims to share stories of immigration and stories that explore different cultures, communities, and traditions through his documentary films. Some of his current projects are focused on the Latinx soccer community in Chicago, and immigrant stories of DePaul University athletes.

Mecca Wilkinson is a third-year student at DePaul University College of Law. After undergrad and prior to law school, Mecca worked as an HR and corporate social responsibility professional. She worked with an external legal team to manage the organization’s corporate immigration, as well as oversaw the organization’s global philanthropy and volunteerism. Mecca’s interest in the DMC stemmed from her passion for social justice and international human rights law. Her previous work in immigration sparked her interest in law and since becoming a law student, her interest has expanded to migration more generally. Getting an opportunity to connect with and interview alumni who are now professional advocates for migration, is an opportunity to further explore her passion for this topic.

Andrew Camilleri (Graduate Student, Community Psychology Program) is from the Mediterranean island of Malta, where he worked with asylum seekers in refugee status hearings. He later formed part of the first cohort of teachers to work on a curriculum for an integration initiative for the government of Malta. Following up on his work and activism in Malta, Andrew is currently working within Dn Dr Joseph Ferrari’s lab looking into sense of home and sense of belonging in migrants.

Safa Asad is a first-generation immigrant born and raised on the northside of Chicago. Safa’s immigrant and socioeconomic background influenced her decision to pursue graduate studies in Community Psychology to help her understanding of the systemic barriers faced by ethnic minorities and refugees. Her current research focuses on disparities in access to education/educational opportunities experienced by immigrants and ethnic minorities, enhancing educational systems, mentoring, and school-based interventions.

Wendy de los Reyes Moore (Graduate Student, Community Psychology Program) was born in Havana, Cuba and grew up in Miami, Florida after migrating to the U.S. at age 6. Wendy has worked on a number of research projects surrounding the immigrant and refugee experience, from issues surrounding the employment and health of adults to youth development. While in Chicago, she has collaborated with the Rohingya Culture Center, RefugeeOne, the Coalition of Immigrant Mental Health, and MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership. Currently, she is leading a research project on the sociopolitical development of first- and second-generation immigrant youth.

Yesenia Garcia Murillo (Doctoral Student, Community Psychology Program) was born in Guanajuato, Mexico before migrating to the U.S. at the age of 3 and settling in the South suburbs of Chicago with her family. Yesenia is pursuing her PhD in community psychology with a research focus on the experiences of undocumented/immigrant students and the role of mentoring and ethnic-racial identity

Mars Pattabiraman is a first generation student majoring in User Experience Design with a minor in Graphic Design, and is also pursuing a masters in Human Computer Interaction. They enjoy digital art and designing visual interfaces. They are also focused on creating an equitable future for DePaul students through STARS.

Tanisi Chand is an international student from Nepal majoring in Information Systems (B.S) at DePaul University. She is passionate about photography and creating innovative human-centered design solutions backed up by data. Apart from designing, She is equally passionate about gender equality, especially in Nepal.