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Scholars

Meet the 2021–2022 Cal Pride Scholarship Recipients

The merit-based award recognizes current and incoming students at Berkeley for their academic achievement, leadership, community involvement, and contributions to the LGBTQ+ community.

April 29, 2022
Cal pride flag being waved at the Oakland Pride Parade and Festival Oakland Pride Parade and Festival: California Alumni Association and Gender Equity Resource Center. / Photo credit: Kelley L Cox - KLC fotos

The Cal Pride Scholarship is a one-year, merit-based award that recognizes sophomores, juniors, seniors, and incoming transfer students at UC Berkeley for their academic achievement, leadership, community involvement, and contributions to the LGBTQ+ community. This award is supported by the LGBTQ+ alumni club of UC Berkeley, whose mission is to support and promote the interests of UC Berkeley and its alumni with an emphasis on issues and interests specific to the LGBTQ+ community.

Jessica Allen

Jessica Allen
Courtesy of Jessica Allen

Jessica Allen is Queer, Afro-Latinx, Mother, Doula, and visionary with a relentless determination to ignite her communities towards large-scale revolution and intergenerational healing. At seventeen, she became a certified doula through the Natural Birth Institute in San Francisco. Through this work, she has proudly supported over one-hundred births in her community and addressed chronic stress, social isolation, and emotional hardship within her practice. She is an African American studies and geography major at Cal and on an educational path that leads to a PhD in Africana studies with the specific intent in education. As a future professor, her mission is to pioneer initiatives and policy changes for marginalized pregnant and parenting LGBTQ+ families.

Jose Mendez Entrekin

Jose Mendez Entrekin
Courtesy of Jose Mendez Entrekin

Jose (all pronouns) is a third-year student at UC Berkeley majoring in theater and performance studies. They are proud to make a difference within the LGBTQIA+ community through their leadership with HRC, student government, and volunteering with multiple community organizations. Jose enjoys hiking, practicing yoga, watching films and attending theater productions when not in class or studying.

Gilda Temaj

Gilda Temaj
Courtesy of Gilda Temaj

Gilda was born and raised in Guatemala with her parents and nine siblings. Gilda comes from an indigenous background and she is the first one in her family to attend college. Gilda immigrated by herself when she was 16. She immigrated seeking better opportunities for herself and her family. Gilda is grateful to her community for having uplifted her throughout her educational journey in the U.S. Currently, Gilda is a paralegal intern with Oasis Legal Services. Her career goals are to obtain a Master’s degree in social welfare and become the director of a nonprofit where she can continue to work towards supporting and providing resources to support women, immigrants, LGBTQ+ people, and other minorities so they can accomplish their dreams.

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