History and ethnic studies senior Elizabeth Diaz has built her academic career around a central question: What does activism look like beyond protest?
That question became the foundation for her senior thesis, “Activism Beyond Protest in the Central Valley,” which examines how activism takes different forms among communities and often appears in everyday acts of advocacy, mutual support and organizing.
This week, Diaz will graduate from UC Berkeley with a bachelor’s degree in history and ethnic studies. Beyond the classroom, she has worked to support underrepresented students through programs including the College Admissions Mentorship Program and the Immigration Attitudes in California Project.
After graduation, Diaz hopes to continue serving underserved communities through Berkeley’s Destination College Advising Corps and Early Academic Outreach Program, which prepares recent graduates for careers in academic counseling.
Diaz recently spoke to Berkeley Social Sciences about her activism work, her background in the Central Valley farmwork community and what comes next. The interview is edited for clarity.
Tell us about your background and why you chose UC Berkeley.
Elizabeth Diaz: My name is Elizabeth Diaz, and I am both a first-generation and transfer student. In high school, I knew early on that I wanted to go to Berkeley. I graduated as valedictorian of my class and was accepted into Berkeley, but due to unforeseen family circumstances, I was unable to attend at the time.
I began my academic journey at Bakersfield Community College, where I became involved in student services and advocacy work. Through those experiences, I realized I still wanted to come to Cal, but for different reasons like student access, advocacy and research.
Tell us about your double majors.
Elizabeth Diaz: I am a double major pursuing bachelor’s degrees in ethnic studies and history. Ironically, history was a subject I struggled with growing up. I didn’t enjoy it because I felt disconnected from what I was learning and did not see my community represented in the material. That changed when I attended community college and took my first Chicano studies class.
After transferring to Cal, I was introduced to different frameworks within ethnic studies, and I realized this was what I had been searching for all along. For me, ethnic studies became a tool of representation and a way to honor my identity and reconnect with my roots.
Can you elaborate on your experience as an activist in the Central Valley?
Elizabeth Diaz: My definition of activism has changed over time. At first, I understood activism primarily as direct advocacy work. For me, that work began in the Central Valley. While attending Bakersfield College, I supported student life initiatives on campus and worked with the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles to advocate for undocumented students through community events. Many of those events were open to the public, as well. Through that work, I also had the opportunity to travel to Washington, D.C. and speak directly with lawmakers.
Since transferring to Berkeley, my definition of activism has shifted toward an emphasis on creating access within institutions. In the Central Valley, my focus was on ensuring undocumented students and students from mixed-status families are represented on campus.
Your thesis focuses on “activism beyond protest.” How do you define that and why is it important?
Elizabeth Diaz: It's important to broaden the way we think about activism. Many people associate activism only with protest, but activism happens everywhere. Resistance looks different depending on a person’s circumstances and the way they are able to show up for their communities.
My time at Berkeley has changed my understanding of activism due to the work I have done on campus. Through UC Berkeley’s Career Engagement Center, I began to see activism as opening doors for others.
Under the mentorship of my supervisor, Emily Nahem, assistant director of pre-health careers, I learned that helping students navigate career resources is a form of empowerment. It gives students from backgrounds like mine access to opportunities they may not have otherwise encountered, and supporting first-generation students in this way is especially meaningful to me because I see myself reflected in their experiences.
My senior thesis examines the Chicano movement and challenges the narrative that the movement declined after the 1970s. Instead, I argue that it transformed during the 1980s as activists institutionalized their work into community services. People started entering administrative and institutional spaces as representatives for people like me.
How has your background in the Central Valley farmwork community influenced your experience as a student?
Elizabeth Diaz: I grew up in a single-parent, undocumented household. I would describe ourselves as resourceful. I was raised in a farmworking community and my dad still works in the fields of Delano. I grew up in that environment, so I understand the physical demands and intensity of field labor firsthand.
Because of that experience, I have a deep respect for all forms of labor. Growing up, I often heard people say, “You need to continue to do your education so you do not end up like me.” But I have never viewed field work as something to be ashamed of. I have a lot of respect for the people who do that work everyday.
I carry my community with me in everything that I do. Even while attending school five hours away, my long-term goals remain rooted in returning to support the community that raised me.
Unfortunately, many students in the Central Valley become trapped in cycles of poverty, especially those from rural communities who often have limited access to educational opportunities. There are not many students from backgrounds like mine who are able to break out of that cycle. My long-term goal is to become part of the support system that helps students create opportunities for themselves and their communities.
What does graduating from UC Berkeley mean to you?
Elizabeth Diaz: Graduating from UC Berkeley still feels unreal to me. I used to believe that people like me did not belong in spaces like this. But since coming to Berkeley, I have built a community for myself and found spaces that I know are for students like me.
I especially want to highlight the NAVCAL (Navigating UC Berkeley) fellowship program. Its director, Dean Tanioka, and the incredible peer mentors who lead the program, have created a vital space for nontraditional students that simply didn't exist before. Before joining NAVCAL, I struggled with the 'hidden curriculum' of academia and often felt like an imposter. Dean and this community taught me that our stories and experiences aren't just 'background,' they are assets that make Berkeley a better place. If it were not for this program, I don't think I would have developed the same confidence to take up space and feel truly proud of my journey beyond this campus
What are your plans after graduation?
Elizabeth Diaz: As of right now, I am completing my senior thesis in the History Department, which I will present at the Pacific Coast Branch American Historical Association as a part of a panel highlighting Central Valley histories. When people think of the Chicano Movement, they often focus on major cities like Los Angeles or San Francisco, but my research spotlights small rural communities and the way they adapted to the political movement.
After graduation, I hope to join the Destination College Advising Corps and Early Academic Outreach Program, a two-year initiative that prepares post-graduate students for careers in academic counseling. I want to continue working with first-generation students and students from backgrounds similar to mine by helping them navigate their educational and career paths. Long term, I hope to pursue a PhD in history, though I would like to gain more hands-on professional experience before committing to a big program like that.