Elizabeth Beltran Email and Phone Number

A career I have been passionate about, due to personal experience and family connection, is helping the homeless population. Having been homeless for three years in high school and a year in elementary school, I understand that as a child, you don’t have control over your situation. A lack of stability can be mentally draining and can affect relationships and academics. It can also be challenging to see your parents try everything they can to regain stability but have trouble navigating systems due to their identities or a lack of available resources. Therefore, my life goal is to help homeless families access resources such as housing vouchers, mental health services, and food accessibility. I have been learning how to work efficiently with vulnerable populations through my training in the Social Welfare program, at UC Berkeley. Studying Social Welfare has shown me how institutional systems can oppress vulnerable populations. It has also taught me to be mindful of their beliefs, validate their emotions, and recognize that their situation is not their fault. I hope to gain experience working with homeless people during my undergraduate as a means of gaining more experience and knowledge for my future career in social work.