Maria Alejos
Fall Undergraduate Intern
Maria Alejos is a Junior at the University of Southern California (USC) studying Political Science with a Minor in Social work in Juvenile Justice and is expected to receive her degree in May 2027.
I am proud to be from Compton, and my experiences growing up here have shaped my commitment to social justice and to pursuing a future in the legal field. I have seen firsthand the disparities in resources and opportunities, which has motivated me to give back to my community through activism and legal work. At USC, I assisted in creating a grievance resource guide for incarcerated individuals, interned with Dignity and Power Now in the expungement unit, worked with the LA County Commission on Human Rights, and even presented at a United Nations youth conference on the school-to-prison pipeline. These experiences have strengthened my belief that everyone deserves dignity, human rights, and a fair chance regardless of their past. Community Lawyers, Inc. represents the kind of work I want to dedicate myself to—accessible, community-rooted legal support—and it is the perfect place for me to continue learning, serving, and giving back to the community that raised me.
Other organizations I am a part of: Agents of Change, Kappa Delta Chi Sorority Inc, Youth for Humanity
Career goals: Becoming an attorney and working in the social work field
Hobbies: I love going on hikes and baking