Jerrell Berrios

You've been involved in debate for some time.Are you still active in coaching high school debaters?

Yes, I am! I’ve coached for free at low-income schools for several years, but I’m currently coaching a new debate team at West Tech. We won first place in varsity Lincoln-Douglas in the last local tournament. Debate inspired me to pursue a career in advocacy, and I want to pass on the skills and academic rigor it taught me to students.

As you currently serve as editor-in-chief of the UNLV Gaming Law Journal, what are you learning from --and enjoying about --the experience?

The most important thing I’ve learned from the experience is communication and empathy. There’s a lot of moving pieces in the journal, and every piece is important to the overall success of the journal. Learning how to effectively communicate, handle problems, and create a framework for future boards early on has been critical to the smooth functioning we’ve had this year.

Tell us about your volunteer work with iAmerica.

I primarily was engaged in voter mobilization in the Asian-American community in Nevada, which included canvasing, phone-banking, and assisting with voter registration. The Asian-American community is the most rapidly growing demographic in Nevada, but it has one of the lowest rates of political participation. Regardless of political affiliation, I believe participation and community-building is a keystone to democracy.

Who is your hero?
My mom. She is a Filipino immigrant with a high school education and raised me single handedly while working two jobs. Watching her read books on success and being an effective leader and her subsequent rise to managerial positions in the food-service industry has always inspired me to be the best person that I can be. Her tenacity in difficult situations makes me feel ready for anything.