Michael Temprano is continuing a family tradition having graduated on Sunday with a bachelor's degree from the UC Berkeley Sociology Department. As the third Temprano sibling to join their mother in earning a sociology degree from UC Berkeley, Michael's academic journey is a powerful testament to how education, family values and social consciousness can intersect to shape a future rooted in change.
His family shares sociology as a foundation, but each applies those principles to their own journeys in life. Michael plans to push for advocacy and change by becoming a plaintiff-side class action litigator, who helps victims achieve the justice they deserve.
He spoke to Berkeley Social Sciences about his inspirations and plans to use his sociological training to build a more equitable world.
You're the third Temprano sibling to graduate from Berkeley's Sociology Department. What was it like being part of this unique academic legacy?
Michael Temprano: It's been incredibly meaningful. My mom also went to Berkeley and studied sociology, so growing up, I witnessed firsthand how a Berkeley education could shape critical thinkers and world-changers. My family members weren't just academic role models — they were living examples of how sociological training could lead to meaningful action and community engagement. Their experiences showed me the practical value of this education long before I set foot on campus.
When I arrived at Berkeley, I had a deep appreciation for the opportunities ahead, but I was also excited to forge my own distinct path. Even though we share a foundation in sociology, each of us has applied those principles differently. For me, it's been through research on class action accessibility, leadership in the Latine Pre-Law Society and my broader commitment to legal advocacy.
You mentioned in your commencement speech for the Sociology Commencement Ceremony that moment every sociology student remembers — when the world "shifts on its axis." What was that moment for you?
Michael Temprano: That moment happened for me during my sophomore year of high school when I read Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson. Before that, I knew injustice existed, but reading about Walter McMillian's wrongful conviction made me realize the systemic threat of injustice. Stevenson's work taught me that structural inequalities aren't inevitable, and it inspired me to think critically about how I could use my own education for advocacy and change. That was the first time I understood the power of a sociological imagination.
How did your experiences before college influence your decision to study sociology at Berkeley?
Michael Temprano: Even before reading Just Mercy, I was always interested in questions about fairness and inequality. In high school, I got involved in community service projects, worked on local advocacy campaigns and developed a growing curiosity about how institutions shaped people's lives. Those early experiences planted the seeds, but it wasn't until later — through reading, activism and conversations with my family — that sociology clearly emerged as the right path. I realized I didn't just want to study society from a distance — I wanted the tools to change it.
How do you plan to apply your sociological training in the future?
Michael Temprano: I'm currently working as a paralegal at a plaintiff-side trial law firm in San Francisco and planning to apply to law school this fall. I want to become a plaintiff-side class action litigator, who defends victims impacted by wide-scale harm. Through my thesis on class action accessibility, I saw how sociological insights can directly inform legal practices to make them more equitable and transparent. I'll continue researching legal accessibility with Berkeley Law's Civil Justice Research Initiative, and I plan to remain engaged with organizations like Legal Aid at Work and the Latine Pre-Law Society.
You wrote in your commencement speech about the idea of a "blueprint" and rebuilding society. Is there a specific societal change you personally hope to contribute to after graduation, particularly relating to your interest in class action litigation?
Michael Temprano: If I could contribute to rebuilding a social structure, it would be our civil legal system — specifically, how class action litigation serves marginalized communities. Through my thesis research, I realized that class actions, which are supposed to empower large groups, often end up excluding the people they aim to help.
First, I would rebuild the system around accessibility. Current methods of informing people about their rights are inadequate, often assuming a high level of literacy and technological access. I would push for notices in multiple languages, free of legal jargon, to ensure that all communities are genuinely included.
Second, I would focus on transparency. Right now, important data on how settlement funds are distributed remains inaccessible. A better system would enforce stricter compliance requirements for post-distribution accounting of settlement funds, allowing practitioners, scholars and communities to learn from outcomes and push for improvements.
Finally, I would emphasize structural remedies over just monetary compensation. Settlements often leave the systems that caused the harm untouched. I believe a reimagined system should aim for real accountability and prevent future injustices, not just provide payouts.
At the heart of it, a just legal system should be measured by the lives it improves. That's the kind of blueprint we need to structurally reinforce our society against injustice.
If you could rewrite one social structure from the ground up, what would it be, and why?
Michael Temprano: It would definitely be the civil legal system, particularly the mechanisms for addressing collective grievances. My thesis research revealed that the current system — especially class action litigation — can often exclude the very people it's supposed to help. If I could improve it, I'd prioritize accessibility, transparency and a shift toward restorative and transformative justice. Instead of measuring success by settlements, we should measure it by the lives actually improved. A truly just system would empower marginalized communities rather than reinforce existing inequalities.
For me, graduating from Berkeley represents more than continuing a family legacy — it's about taking that foundation and using it to fight for justice, question systems and imagine something better. That's what Berkeley taught me.