Noemi Ramirez 

Host Agency: Community HousingWorks 

University:  California State University, San Marcos 

 

Noemi Ramirez is a first-generation college student attending California State University, San Marcos, pursuing a degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance and a minor in Economics. During her time at Cal State San Marcos, Noemi became an advocate for college students' basic needs. She wanted to reduce the barriers students face so they can focus more on their academics and be on the right path to graduation. She addressed food insecurity by managing the CalFresh(SNAP) program and assisted in mobile food distributions on her campus during the height of the pandemic. Noemi was also the Operations Director for a student-led organization, Free the Period, fighting for menstrual equity across all California campuses on a legislative level. She worked on the implementation stage of AB 367 which requires that UCs, CSUs, and CCCs provide students access to free menstrual products.  

 

Noemi was born and raised in Vista, California, and she is the first in her family to attend a 4-year university. She credits her work ethic to all the women and mentors who have had an impact on her education, career, and personal life. She saw how the lack of meeting one’s basic needs impacted the people around her which halted their overall success in their careers, mental health, physical health, relationships, education, and environment. The lack of addressing basic needs is part of an intersectional issue that involves people’s identities and access to resources. Noemi wants to help break this cycle and ensure people have access to the appropriate resources that meet their needs. 

 

Through the CCRH internship, Noemi hopes to address housing insecurity and be an advocate for underrepresented identities in the housing development sector. Noemi’s long-term goal is to earn a director role in an organization continuing to address basic needs.