» Hugo Salazar overcame adversity and was a 2013 Recipient of the OC Hispanic Bar Association Scholarship.

First year law student Hugo Salazar grew up in an impoverished rural village in Mexico. At the age of ten, Hugo and his family immigrated to the United States in search for better opportunities. “We were determined to find a way to succeed even though we couldn’t speak English and didn’t have any money,” said Hugo.

With only a first grade education, Hugo’s parents taught him the value of hard work. While in middle school, Hugo helped his parents by cleaning homes to make ends meet. Unlike his classmates, Hugo’s responsibilities included mastering English and translating, excelling at his studies, and keeping his family afloat.

“I was the first in my family to attend college and my parents were so proud that I was selected as the commencement speaker for my graduating class,” Hugo mentioned. Shortly afterwards, he received a Fulbright Fellowship to study the peace process in Colombia. After he completed this fellowship, Hugo became a Coro Fellow and had the opportunity to intern at the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce and the Caesar Chavez Foundation. More recently, he worked as a community organizer and mobilized immigrant communities to acquire a better understanding of the political process and environmental issues.