Jamarie Crawford, a second-year political science major, is more than just a student at Sacramento State. His story is one of resilience, activism and an unyielding passion for advocating for the Latino community.

Crawford empowers underrepresented communities as a member of Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán and the fundraising chair of Sacramento’s Stonewall Democrats.

As a member of MEChA, Crawford aims to represent the voices of the Latino community and contribute to political empowerment within the Chicana/o/x community. MEChA has been politically active for decades, and Crawford sees it as a platform for amplifying Latino voices in politics.

“I decided to join MEChA because I wanted to get more involved politically and with the Latino community,” Crawford said. “Learning about the different histories of the Latino community and ethnic studies really pushed me to want to be part of something like this.”

Valentino Rodriguez, an ethnic studies major at Sac State with a concentration in Chicanx and Latinx studies, first made a connection with Crawford through their passion for activism within their community.

“He’s a very vocal member in his community,” Rodriguez said, reflecting on their early conversations about being a part of organizations and social justice. That connection soon led to them joining the Homeless Advocates at Sacramento State, a club dedicated to addressing housing insecurity among students.

“It’s been our passion ever since,” Rodriguez said.

Crawford’s journey as an advocate has also included significant accomplishments, including testifying in support of the passage of California’s SB 274 bill in 2023. This education bill aimed to reduce school suspensions for minor infractions, such as wearing a hoodie or using a phone.

Crawford said he advocated for this bill because students of color, LGBTQ+ students, foster youth and students with disabilities were being affected by severe punishment like expulsions and suspensions for nonserious violations in school.

“The process was very interesting,” Crawford said of his experience with the bill. “There were a lot of people who opposed it, but eventually it passed, and it became law. That was a huge moment for me.”

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Building on his advocacy for educational reform, Crawford’s commitment to addressing issues facing underrepresented communities extends into his creative work as well. One such initiative was his “Latinos Unidos” photoshoot project.

Crawford said this project was deeply inspired by the rise of anti-Latino sentiment and immigration issues. He said he wanted to create something that would showcase the resilience, power and excellence of the Latino community, defying the harmful stereotypes that have been projected onto them.

“The thing that inspired me to create this project is seeing all of the Latino hate, all of the deportations and all of the negative rhetoric,” Crawford said.

The project came together in collaboration with photographer Daniela Garcia, whom Crawford reached out to in February with the idea of creating a photoshoot that showcased the strength and resilience of the Latino community.

“I hope to show everyone who isn’t Latino that we are not what they think we are,” Crawford said.

Crawford’s modest upbringing shaped the foundations of his work today as a political science major and an advocate for change.

“My family wasn’t the richest. We sort of moved around,” Crawford said.

Born in Merced, Crawford moved to Texas before settling in Stockton. While growing up in Stockton, Crawford was immersed in a rich cultural environment.

“Growing up, I was fortunate. I was raised by a good family, and I would always go to family parties or mariachi, taqueros, all that kind of stuff,” Crawford said.

These cultural touchstones were integral to Crawford’s development, and they would later fuel his dedication to the Latino community.

A pivotal moment in his development came during the COVID-19 pandemic, when he began exploring political issues more deeply.

“I decided to choose political science because I wasn’t always political. I started being political when COVID hit,” Crawford said, adding that a group chat on Instagram introduced him to political topics such as socialism and government policies that piqued his interest.

Saige Diosdado, a psychology major and race & resistance studies minor, first met Crawford during high school through their mutual interest in aiding the Hispanic/Latino community.

“I think that Jamarie is a person who grew up in a tough environment,” Diosdado said. “He told me stories of what life was like before he came to Sacramento. His family’s support is contributing to the progress he’s made in life.”

One of the qualities Diosdado said she admires most about Jamarie is his work ethic.

“Jamarie is the type of person to fully do everything to the best of his ability, even when under a lot of pressure or mountains of stress,” Diosdado said. “I think that that is one of the things I admire most about him: his ability to go through tough times with ease.”

Diosdado also expressed her pride in Jamarie’s recent activism project, “Latinos Unidos.”

“It was beautiful and expressed so much with pictures of people from within our community,” Diosdado said. “I believe the lasting impact that he wants to leave is hope – hope that Latinx people will push forward and write our own narrative, one that is full of success and resilience.”

Rodriguez highlighted Jamarie’s natural charisma, strong communication skills and ability to inspire others.

“Just by organizing the photo project, he has inspired so many people,” Valentino said, referring to the “Latinos Unidos” shoot. “He’s even inspired me to run for office. He creates an inspirational environment around him, just by his presence.”

Crawford emphasized that his activism is not something he takes lightly. Going forward, he will continue to work with MeChAa and Stonewall Democrats to support and encourage others within the Chicano and Latino communities.

“I am not someone who will back down from a fight,” Crawford said. “I will always fight for what is right.”