Melanie Hernandez

Community Organizer

“Everyone deserves access to health, wellness, and education. A fulfilling life is experienced through deep and meaningful connections to our land and others; both of which are understood through culture and community. I aspire to see and contribute to a present where people live freely and connected to the spaces they inhabit.”

Melanie Hernandez is the Community Organizer for Central Valley in San Bernardino County. She grew up in Perris, California, and is a first-generation college graduate. She got her B.A. in Communication with a minor in philosophy at UC San Diego where she engaged in various forms of activism. The exposure to the contrasting landscapes amplified the disparities she saw in the community she grew up in and communities alike. At UCSD, she wanted to mitigate these experiences for underserved communities in higher education and strengthen the graduation pipeline. In doing so, she co-founded an organization chapter: Mujeres Activas en Letras y Cambio Social, worked as the Arte y Cultura intern at the Raza Resource Centro, and also had the opportunity to participate in the Tierra y Libertad project with two of her professors. With strong values on the importance of community, cultural expression, and equity, she is excited to contribute to IPS in helping communities flourish.