My name is Lipaz Avigal and I am a Junior at Tulane studying International Political Economy and Spanish. I am originally from Haifa, Israel and currently live in Atlanta, GA.
This summer, I will be working for The American Jewish Committee’s Belfer Institute for Latino and Latin American Affairs (BILLA), an initiative that develops and nurtures ties with U.S. Latinx leaders, representatives of the diplomatic corps, NGOs, and Jewish leaders in order to act on shared interests and opportunities for cooperation between the United States, Latin America and Jewish communities around the world. On the top of its agenda is immigration reform, with a focus on reinstating DACA and the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program for Salvadorans, which seek to provide viable pathways to citizenship along with work permits for undocumented immigrants. Just like the Newcomb College Institute, BILLA is committed to proactively identifying and addressing inequalities relating to race, socio-economic status, and national origin among other identities; it works towards a more inclusive and diverse United States and advocates for the rights of undocumented immigrants, pushing leaders to advance progressive policies and create a less restrictive immigration process.
By working for BILLA I hope to learn more about immigration policy in the United States, better understand my career objectives in foreign affairs, improve my Spanish and knowledge of Latin American political relations, learn about my ideal work environment, and gain knowledge and connections useful for my thesis writing process. I look forward to starting this internship as it connects many of my interests, allowing me to be involved in Jewish life through political action relating to Latin America. I am also excited to finally be able to use my education in a more practical and useful way, using my knowledge to help advance the changes I hope to see.
