Veronica Valencia Gonzalez (They/Them/Theirs/Elle) a proud first-generation college student,a doctoral candidate in Social Ecology at the University of California, Irvine, and an incoming Assistant Research Professor at the University of South Carolina. As a fellow in the Northwestern Prison Education Program (NPEP) Justice Fellowship, Veronica is deeply engaged in issues at the intersection of academia and the criminal justice system. Their personal experiences with the criminal legal system have fueled their commitment to ensuring that others impacted by similar challenges receive opportunities for rehabilitation and second chances.
Veronica’s academic roots are grounded in their family’s migration journey from Michoacán to California, where their parents worked as agricultural laborers. This experience has shaped their focus on the impacts of colonialism and globalization on marginalized communities, particularly women, girls, and other minoritized groups in Latin America and beyond. Veronica’s research has sparked significant collaborations and policy dialogues with entities such as the White House Gender Policy Council and UN Women Mexico. Their work reflects Veronica’s commitment to generating impactful policy dialogues and promoting community-engaged solutions.
Veronica’s achievements, including recognition from the National Science Foundation and the American Society of Criminology, highlight their contributions to criminology and their dedication to mentoring underrepresented youth. Their role as a Justice Fellow underscores their drive to ensure that those impacted by the criminal legal system receive opportunities for redemption and meaningful change.