Vanessa Orozco Espinoza

I joined the Esperanza team in December 2024 as a Case Manager. I am passionate about immigration advocacy, social justice, and mental health specifically in adolescents and young adults. I graduated from California State University of Los Angeles with a bachelor's in criminal justice. I aspire to obtain my master's degree in School-Based Family Counseling in the coming years. I was born in Michoacan, Mexico and was brought to the United States with my parents and older sister when I was only 3 years old. I was undocumented until I was 24 years. This is why immigration advocacy is very important to me. My family and I were impacted by the complexity of immigration and had to navigate on our own for many years. I use my own experience as inspiration to help others that struggled and felt lost. In 2022, I worked as a youth care worker at an Office of Refugee Resettlement shelter in which I worked with unaccompanied minors who were separated from their families at the border. I continue to fulfill my passion by giving back to my community and provide the support needed. In my personal life, I enjoy practicing self-love. This includes going to the gym, going on a beach run every Saturday morning and attend church on Sundays! I love to spend quality time with my family and my two kids, Eric and Mariana.