SWLAW Blog | Future Students
October 14, 2022
Introducing our 2022-23 Latino Law Students Association Board
In honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month, we'd like to recognize our incredible Latino Law Students Association (LLSA). They play a vital role in building our community and campus culture. Each year, LLSA accomplishes the impressive task of hosting the Hoover Toy Drive for 500+ students at Hoover Elementary School. LLSA also hosts numerous events and initiatives to advocate, build community, and support the students at Southwestern. LLSA is committed to helping its members succeed in law school by providing a supportive forum that addresses minority issues and concerns regarding legal education.
Meet the student leaders on this year's LLSA Board dedicated to making a positive impact at Southwestern and the community as a whole.
Michael Campos — Co-President
- Year: 2L Traditional Day
- Future Aspirations: Music Law and/or Estate Planning
- Activities: Editor, Law Commentator; Vice President, Mindfulness in Law Society; Public Relations Chair, Music Law Society; Marketing Director, Video Game Law Society; Student Representative, Lexis+; TA, LAWS; Peer Mentor; College Application Mentor, Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA).
- Favorite Latin American Dish: Costa Rican Arroz con pollo
- Song on repeat: BEZTI∆ - Crimenta // Twin Tribes - Fantasmas
- Heritage: Mexico (DF) & Costa Rica
Laura Isais Ayon — Co-President
- Year: 3L Traditional Day
- Future Aspirations: To be the best advocate I can be within Immigration Law and Entertainment Law
- Activities: Latino Law Students Association, Mexican American Bar Association, and Committee of the Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Taskforce, Externship at Offices of Michael Felix
- Favorite Latin American Dish: Morisqueta de Michoacan
- Song on repeat: Color Esperanza by Diego Torres
- Heritage: Michoacan Mexico
Lucia Salamanca — Co-Vice President
- Year: 2L Traditional Day
- Future Aspirations: Civil Litigation Attorney
- Activities: Criminal Law TA, Dean’s Fellow, Peer Mentor, Co-Community Outreach Director for Tax Law Society, Westlaw Student Brand Ambassador, Staffer for Southwestern’s Law Review
- Favorite Latin American Dish: Aguachiles
- Song on repeat: Dime - Deorro, Los Angeles Azules, Lauri Garcia; No Se Va - Grupo Frontera; La Muralla Verde - Los Enanitos Verdes (I can’t just pick one!)
- Heritage: Mexicana (Zacatecana)
Ernesto Bustinza — Co-Vice President
- Year: 2L Part-Time Evening
- Future Aspirations: Entertainment and Immigration Law
- Activities: Dean’s Fellow, Treasurer of the Space Law Society, Mentor - First Generation Mentorship Program, Full-Time Paralegal at Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole LLP, Mentor - Minds Matter LA
- Favorite Latin American Dish: Enchiladas suizas
- Song on repeat:
- XT4S1S - Danna Paola; El Que Espera - Anitta & Maluma
- Heritage: Mexicano (Mexicali + Monterrey)
Monica Boston — Secretary
- Year: 3L Part-Time Evening
- Future Aspirations: I hope to one day open a multipurpose nonprofit in the neighborhood I grew up in that provides pro bono legal services, after-school programs, and education on financial literacy.
- Activities: LLSA Secretary and Staffer for Law Journal
- Favorite Latin American Dish: Ceviche
- Song on repeat: Mexicana Hermosa by Natalia Lafourcade
- Heritage: Jalisco, Mexico
Andy Navarro — Treasurer
- Year: 2L Traditional Day
- Future Aspirations: Privacy/Compliance/IP Attorney
- Activities: Homelessness Prevention Law Project Co-Chair, Law Clerk at Carrillo Law Firm, In-House Legal Extern at BlackLine
- Favorite Latin American Dish: Carne en su Jugo
- Song on repeat: Detalles - Roberto Carlos
- Heritage: Jalisciense (Mexican)
Karla Luviano — Historian
- Year: 2L Traditional Day
- Future Aspirations: Labor and Employment Law or Sports Law
- Activities: I am currently a 2022-2023 Deans Fellow and a Civil Procedure TA for Professor Cameron. Outside of law school, I love to watch sports with my family, try new food spots, and work out!
- Favorite Latin American Dish: My mom’s tamales de pollo con salsa verde!
- Song on repeat: Ojitos Lindos by Bad Bunny
- Heritage: Mexican, specifically from Michoacan!
Ashley "Kimmy" Kim — Community Relations Chair
- Year: 2L Traditional Day
- Future Aspirations: Family Law Self-Help Attorney or Entertainment in TV/Movie Production
- Activities: First Gen Law Student Association President, Dean’s Fellow, Peer Mentor, TA for Contracts, Research Assistant for Professor Christopher Robinette, Staffer for Southwestern Journal for International Law, and Vice-Chair for Mexican American Bar Association.
- Favorite Latin American Dish: Enchiladas de Mole con Pollo
- Song on repeat: Maluma/Perdón - Maluma y Yandel
- Heritage: Oaxacan (Mexican)
Stevie Thackeray — Academic Director
- Year: 3L Traditional Day
- Future Aspirations: Civil Rights Attorney
- Activities: Moot Court Board of Governors Judge’s Chair; LAWS TA, Civil Procedure TA, RA for professor Cameron, Academic Director for Latino Law Student Association, LLSA Mentor
- Favorite Latin American Dish: Pupusas
- Song on repeat: “La Bachata” by Manuel Turizo
- Heritage: Salvadoreña
Angie Gonzalez — Co-Social Chair
- Year: SCALE II
- Future Aspirations: Be the best advocate I can be! :)
- Activities: I love to watch reality TV, take my puppy to the dog park, and binge-watch Survivor with my family!
- Favorite Latin American Dish: Tamales de mi Mamá!!
- Song on repeat: Kali Uchis!!!
- Heritage: Mexican 🇲🇽
Rashara Brown — Co-Social Chair
- Year: 2L Part-Time Evening
- Activities: Peer Mentor, Research Assistant for Professors Carpenter and Hart, Delta Theta Phi, LLSA Mentor, Admissions Office Ambassador/Tour Guide, Big Sister (Big Brothers Big Sisters of America), Full-Time Legal & Contracts Analyst
- Favorite Latin American Dish: Chili Relleno (and anything else my mom makes…the limit does not exist)
- Heritage: Michoacan, Mexico
Vivian Meza — Moot Court Chair
- Year: 3L Traditional Day
- Future Aspirations: Hope to work as a criminal defense and/or immigration attorney
- Activities: Currently Secretary of the Immigration Law Students Association (ILSA), Secretary of the National Lawyers Guild (NLG) student chapter, Certified Law Clerk for the Riverside Public Defender’s Office, and a Judge Harry Pregerson Public Service Fellow.
- Favorite Latin American Dish: Menudo or tamales de rajas con queso
- Song on repeat: Fuera del mercado by Danny Ocean
- Heritage: Soy Mexicana (Jaliscience y Durangense)
Vanessa de la Torre — Alumni Relations Chair
- Year: 2L Traditional Day
- Future Aspirations: Appellate Litigation
- Activities: Moot Court Honors Program, Southwestern Law Review, Dean's Fellow, Contracts TA, and Christian Legal Society
- Favorite Latin American Dish: Ropa Vieja or Enchiladas Suizas
- Song on repeat: Ojitos Lindos by Bad Bunny
- Heritage: Mexican, Cuban, and Salvadoran
Natalie Diaz — Upper Division Representative
- Year: 2L Traditional Day
- Future Aspirations: Criminal Defense- Public Defender
- Activities: Delta Theta Phi Member, Street Law Student teacher at Dorothy Kirby Center, Legal Research Assistant for Professor Brown
- Favorite Latin American Dish: Carne en su jugo with tortillas de harina
- Song on repeat: Woman by Doja Cat
- Heritage: Soy Mexicana y Salvadoreña ( Jalisco, Mexico + San Salvador, El Salvador)
Tiffany Romo — Upper Division Representative
- Year: 3L Traditional Day
- Future Aspirations: Labor and Employment Law and/or Immigration Law
- Activities: I am a TA for Remedies, and in my free time, I enjoy watching TV shows, trying new places to eat, and working out.
- Favorite Latin American Dish: Chilaquiles and tacos dorados de papa
- Song on repeat: PUNTO 40 – Rauw Alejandro
- Heritage: Jalisco, Mexico
Francisco Castro — 1L Section A Representative
- Year: 1L Traditional Day
- Future Aspirations: Immigration Attorney with an emphasis on domestic violence
- Activities: LLSA Section A Representative, Christian Legal Society Member, and eating chipotle.
- Favorite Latin American Dish: Pozole or pan dulce
- Song on repeat: Otra Atardecer by Bad Bunny
- Heritage: Michoacano
Victoria Venegas — 1L Section B Representative
- Year: 1L Traditional Day
- Future Aspirations: Criminal defense and civil litigation
- Activities: Women’s Law Society and Criminal Law Society
- Favorite Latin American Dish: Maduros con queso and arroz con pollo
- Song on repeat: El Apagón by Bad Bunny & En Tu Orilla by Julieta Venegas
- Heritage: Costa Rica
Justine Barraza — 1L Section C Representative
- Year: 1L Traditional Day
- Future Aspirations: Health Law or Sports Law
- Activities: At Southwestern, I am a part of the Women’s law society, First Gen Law Student Association, and Overground Reproductive Law Project. In my free time, I enjoy watching TV and playing basketball.
- Favorite Latin American Dish: Enchiladas
- Heritage: Mexican
Franklin F. Franco — SCALE I Representative
- Year: SCALE I
- Future Aspirations: Entertainment (TV/Music) Law
- Activities: I’m a former marathoner; I write poetry; and am obsessed with astrology.
- Favorite Latin American Dish: Pupusas
- Song on repeat: Loco by Beéle
- Heritage: Salvadoran