Contributor

Christopher Prado

Opportunity Nation Leader and Scholar

Christopher Prado, a first-generation college graduate and citizen, was the student-body President in his senior year at California State University, East Bay. A former intercollegiate athlete, Chris majored in political science. He spent the fall semester of his junior year interning for a member of Congress in Washington, D.C through the current U.S. Secretary of Defense the Leon & Sylvia Panetta’s Institute for Public Policy.

A Stockton, CA native, Christopher grew up in a city dubbed as the “most miserable city in the nation” twice in the last 3 years. He reflects the fastest growing demographic in this country- the demographic within a city that needs the opportunity structure to work for it the most. Awaiting him after graduation was the opportunity to become a Teach for America corps member, but with the city he grew up in becoming the largest city in American history to file for bankruptcy and a growing homicide rate amongst youth that has outpaced Chicago this year he, decided to immediately bring his degree back to Stockton.

He sits on the National Congress of Young Leaders, which has given him the tools and the network to continue to organize the community, and is a member of the Opportunity Nation Leaders and Scholars program.

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