About
Hi, I’m Vilma.
I’m a PhD candidate at The Heller School at Brandeis University, studying Economic and Racial Equity. I also serve as the Executive Director of the Governor’s Council to Address Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, and Human Trafficking, where I advise the Governor and Lt. Governor on policy impacting survivors.
Here’s what keeps me up at night (in a good way): How do we build economic power for survivors of violence and communities of color? Not just access to existing systems, but actual power to shape what those systems look like.
How I Got Here
I grew up in Dallas, Texas, the daughter of Mexican immigrants. My parents’ journey across borders and their experiences navigating systems that weren’t designed for them taught me early on that policy isn’t abstract—it shapes whether families can build stable lives, whether communities can thrive, and whether people can survive.
I’ve collected a few degrees along the way—two Master’s from Heller (Conflict Resolution and Coexistence, plus Social Policy) and a BA from Oberlin in Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies and Comparative American Studies.
But honestly? What matters more than the degrees is that these different fields taught me to ask better questions. To look at who’s missing from the table. To understand that policy isn’t neutral—it’s designed by someone, for someone, and we should be honest about that.
My background—growing up between cultures, watching my parents build a life while facing systems designed to exclude—shapes everything I do. It’s why I’m not interested in tweaking broken systems. I want to understand how we transform them.
What This Space Is For
I started this blog because I needed a place that wasn’t just for polished research or formal policy briefs. I wanted somewhere I could share what I’m thinking about—professionally and personally—a space to be whole. Think of it as my adult MySpace.
You’ll find:
Research I’m exploring and what it means for real people
Maybe an occasional policy analysis that connects government decisions to lived experiences
Personal reflections on navigating academia and navigating immigrant family dynamics
Honest thoughts about what it’s like trying to change systems from within
Things I’m reading, watching, learning from, or wrestling with
Maybe some thoughts about my cat, travels with my wife, what I’m cooking—the stuff that keeps me happy
I write for anyone who wants to read my musings—whether that’s my friends, colleagues, or those just trying to make sense of it all. If you care about music, food (especially Mexican food), justice, and you’re not satisfied with surface-level solutions, we’ll probably get along.
