With over 25 years of service to the University of Southern California, my journey has been deeply rooted in purpose, not position. Joining USC’s Civic Engagement team was not just a career move but a calling grounded in my lived experience growing up on the east side of Los Angeles. I witnessed firsthand the systemic barriers our communities face and committed my life to breaking them down.

Through USC’s commitment to authentic community partnerships, we are not just opening doors but building pathways for future generations of scholars and community leaders. My work is driven by a vision of equity and opportunity and the belief that when we invest in our neighborhoods, we uplift us all.

Dulce grew up less than a mile away from the USC Health Sciences Campus. She has faced and overcome many obstacles and barriers that members in the surrounding community face regularly. Issues in the community include: unemployment, poverty, community violence, underachieving schools which lack resources.

“In our communities, we are plagued by limited access and resources. Growing up, I interacted with the best plumbers, dressmakers, and mechanics around.” Said Dulce, “Families in marginalized communities have limited access to professional networks in their communities. My goal is to help bridge the gap by engaging community members in the east-area communities with staff, faculty and students from the University of Southern California staff.”

Dulce witnessed the importance of networking, which stems from her own experience at USC. Two decades ago, she began her career USC. The exposure to higher education and its resources gave her the confidence to go back to school. In 2009, she received her associates degree from East Los Angeles College, she continued her journey and received her bachelors degree from California State University, Los Angeles. The goal was to graduate from USC, a goal which was achieved in 2014 when she received her graduate degree from the USC Dworak-Peck School of Social Work.

Dulce has been instrumental in building the bridge between the USC and the Boyle Heights community.