Jonathan Cortez

Son of Austreberta Cortez, Jonathan Cortez is a first-generation college student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is from Faison, North Carolina and is of Mexican heritage stemming from el Estado de Mexico. He is majoring in Political Science and Public Policy with a minor in Spanish for the Legal Professions. His direct connection and firsthand encounters with injustices that target the Latinx community have fueled his aspiration to be a beacon of change. In particular, he is passionate about advocating for a change in the immigration system, which he believes is a direct target against the Latinx community. He believes that every individual is entitled to know the rights they have without fear of consequences if they decide to evoke said rights. With the support of his mother and family, Jonathan hopes to attend law school after graduating from UNC and plans to pursue a career as an immigration attorney where he hopes to help families like his by opening the door to many opportunities that weren’t available before.