Our volunteers are the heart of Esfuerzo. Their dedication, mentorship, and support make the legal field more accessible to first-generation students. By sharing their time and expertise, they help pave the way for the next generation of legal professionals.

Karen Muñoz, J.D.

Karen is a first gen Mexican American, born and raised in the best city in the world, Chicago. She and her husband have 4 rescue dogs that light up their lives. Karen is an attorney, law professor, yogi, and a human who believes in the power of healing through community. 

Jesus Diaz, J.D.

Born and raised in the Bronx, New York, Jesus is a DePaul College of Law Alum. He enjoys volunteering because mentorship has played a crucial role in his journey before, during, and after law school.

David Salgado, J.D.

During law school, he served as a Judicial Extern for the Honorable Alison C. Conlon at the Circuit Court of Cook County, Chancery Division. During his tenure as a judicial extern, he wrote bench memoranda recommending how the Court should rule when presented with dispositive motions.

Jose Perez, J.D.

Deputy General Counsel, LatinoJustice PRLDEF.

Samantha Plante

Samantha is passionate about access to reproductive rights and serves as President of Lawyers for Reproductive Justice at UIowa’s College of Law, volunteers for If/When/How, and has worked in nonprofits in Washington, D.C.

Edith Munoz

Edith is a University of Illinois Chicago School of Law alum and works as an associate attorney practicing in guardianship and estate planning. As a first-gen lawyer, Edith remembers how challenging it was to navigate the LSAT and law school without clear guidance or resources. Along the way, she was fortunate to find mentors who helped her through those moments, and she hopes to provide that same support to other first-gen pre-law and law students.

Destiny Saucedo

Joliet Community College

Eduardo Roman, J.D.

Eduardo has lived in various cities in the U.S., all with deep ties to the Latino community. As the son of Ecuadorian immigrants, he prides himself in bringing compassion and understanding to his practice of immigration law. A Loyola School of Law Alum, Eduardo has been practicing law since before the first Trump administration, and through these experiences he has established a strong understanding of helping others with compassion in their time of need.

Mateo O.S.

Mateo is a current law student with broad litigation experience ranging from civil rights, prison reform, disability advocacy, family law, and toxic tort defense.