“I really want to be as close to this community as possible,” Felipe said. “Being able to now use what I’ve learned in the classrooms of Brown to further my efforts in person, on the front lines of these communities, is very important to me.” 

Felipe earned his bachelor’s degree in May, graduating with concentrations in international and public affairs and ethnic studies. Across both fields, he focused on education, immigration and Indigenous communities, particularly those connected to Oaxaca, the region in southern Mexico that’s home to his family’s Zapoteco heritage. 

Working with Associate Professor of Education Andrea Flores and Associate Professor of Anthropology Katherine Mason, Felipe conducted ethnographic research on first-generation college students and their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. He also worked on the Immigrant Student Research Project under Associate Professor of American Studies Kevin Escudero, examining immigrant students’ experiences across a broad range of graduate and professional degree programs to inform higher-education policy recommendations.

Supported by Brown’s Edward Guiliano ’72 and Royce fellowships, Felipe traveled to Mexico twice. In his father’s rural hometown of Mixtán, Oaxaca, Felipe supplied the village’s only elementary school with enough academic materials for an entire year and later returned to conduct research on migration, community identity and the experiences of residents who had returned to Mexico after living in the United States. 

Outside of the classroom, Felipe devoted much of his time to immigrant advocacy — especially through the Brown Dream Team, a student-led organization that recently held the largest known student immigrant conference in America, raising over $50,000 to bring more than 160 students from across the country to Brown University’s campus for three days. 

Whether he was conducting research, organizing conferences or advocating for immigrant rights, Felipe said that mentorship was the thread that pulled everything together. As a first-generation college graduate, the kind guidance of others was invaluable.

“When I first got to Brown, it was a bit difficult,” Felipe said. “But I feel like I was able to succeed because of mentorship — either informally, through older students who had similar backgrounds who had firsthand experiences navigating the same processes, or through formal mentors and established programs.”

Over the years, Felipe became a familiar face in Brown’s myriad programs designed to help students navigate higher education. As a Meiklejohn Peer Advising Program leader, he helped organize the program for three years, in addition to guiding six of his own mentees each year. He also served as a peer mentor for the recently expanded Kessler Scholars Program at the Undocumented, First-Generation College and Low-Income Student Center. 

“It’s lovely to know that my efforts weren’t in vain,” Felipe said. “Being able to break down those barriers and help people get all the information and support they need has been one of my biggest accomplishments.” 

Regardless of where he’s placed, Felipe is looking forward to exploring all that his host location has to offer. If he’s in a coastal region, he wants to swim and take up surfing. If he’s in the mountains, he wants to hike. He’s considering pottery lessons, and, of course, he’s excited about the food. But Felipe is still most heavily drawn to the community. Volunteering with an Indigenous rights advocacy group or organization committed to advancing human rights is high on his list of priorities, and Felipe said he’s eager to embrace the unique role of being a cultural ambassador representing both American and Indigenous Mexican identities.

“Above all else, I wanted to be close to my people,” Felipe said. “I wanted to have this experience where I’m there for an extended amount time, where I wasn’t just a visitor in their space and could actually lay a strong foundation of trust within the community.”

When the Fulbright period ends, Felipe will prepare to apply to law school with the goal of becoming a public-interest immigration or civil rights lawyer. Alongside a law career, he’s also drawn to teaching. 

“It’s always been in the back of my mind, even when I first got to Brown and didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do or study,” Felipe said. “It’s always been reflected in my day-to-day interactions, the things I joined and what I felt most passionate about.”

Whether his future leads him into courtrooms or classrooms, Felipe knows he wants to continue creating the kinds of moments that affirm the power of mentorship — just like that tap on his shoulder during a chance encounter at a boba tea shop. 

“I’ve measured my impact through stories like that, and it feels incredible,” Felipe said. “I hope to continue that work, using my privilege as a Brown alum to further education for others.”