From an early age, Catherine Ramirez Mejia understood firsthand the importance of public policy. “Growing up as an undocumented immigrant, I saw how immigration policy impacted not only my life, but the lives of my family members. I wanted to use this knowledge to have a say in the shaping of these policies and be a part of these decisions.”
A Passion for Community Service
Catherine’s focus on a career in immigration policy began while she was an undergraduate studying Urban and Community Studies at the University of Connecticut. As part of her coursework, she conducted research within Hartford, Connecticut, and gained an understanding of the needs of the community. After graduating, Catherine joined AmeriCorps VISTA in Hartford to continue this public service.
During the two-year AmeriCorps VISTA program, Catherine served at the North Hartford Promise Zone, an urban renewal initiative based out of the City of Hartford’s Mayor’s Office. Catherine began as a data and research team member, and later became a team lead. Much of her work involved mapping and compiling census data, answering population questions, and organizing roundtable discussions with local partner organizations focused on different areas such as housing, health, job readiness, and economic development.
“I remember taking the minutes for these meetings and feeling so informed afterwards. I was able to listen in on conversations with the partner organizations about what they were doing, the areas we needed to focus on, and how my skills and the data I gathered could be applied.”
From AmeriCorps to Heller
After completing her term with AmeriCorps, Catherine was confident that the next step in her career was pursuing a master’s degree in public policy. “I knew that Heller shares some of the same values as AmeriCorps and appreciates the real-world experience members bring to their graduate programs, so it seemed like a perfect fit.” She was also drawn to the concentration in children, youth, and family policy at Heller, an area she had become passionate about while working alongside staff of the City of Hartford’s Department of Families, Children, Youth and Recreation.
“In class, whether we were discussing similar issues or responding to policy questions, I was reminded of the conversations I heard two years prior during my term with AmeriCorps. It was immensely helpful to be able to draw upon this previous experience while coming up with tangible solutions to related problems.”
Making Policies More Accessible
Catherine’s interests and expertise converged after she graduated from Heller and joined the Massachusetts Immigrant & Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA), a statewide coalition of over 140 organizations dedicated to promoting the rights, opportunities, and integration of immigrants and refugees in New England. As an Access & Resource Specialist, Catherine creates public-facing factsheets and conducts presentations across Massachusetts on immigrant rights, resources, and public benefits that immigrants are eligible for.
“I’m seeing how everything that I’ve learned at Heller has culminated in the skills I need to be successful in this role. Just yesterday I was thinking about one of my courses on policy implementation and how it applies directly to the work that I’m doing today and the topics we’re focusing on.”
Catherine’s latest work involves ensuring that immigrants in Massachusetts have access to the resources that are being implemented as a result of newly passed policies. “At the end of the day, we’re focused on serving as many immigrants as we can. Addressing these issues within my own community makes the work feel really rewarding.”
Advice for Current Students
Learn about topics beyond your concentration: “There were so many classes I was curious about but didn’t have time to fit into my schedule. Luckily, my classmates who took those courses were always happy to talk about what they were reading and learning about. My education at Heller was really enriched by the collaborative spirit and passion for policy that I shared with my peers.”
Advice for Prospective Students
Focus on an area of policy that matters to you: “Identify a population or policy subtopic that you are greatly interested in and then continue to research and dig deep into that topic throughout your graduate studies. I was primarily focused on minority populations, specifically LGBTQ populations and immigrant families within the children, youth, and families sector, and so many of the papers and projects I did worked through that lens. Knowing exactly what I wanted to study really helped me make the most of my two years in the program.”