Keisha Reine de Castro

Keisha Reine de Castro is a double major in Disability Studies and Gender Studies at UCLA, graduating in 2027.

Originally from Manila, Philippines, Keisha is a Filipino and Vietnamese, first-generation college student who found her path through College Match LA, where a counselor helped her see college as something she could afford and belong in. Her independent research examines disability-inclusive governance and disaster preparedness in the Philippines. She has studied abroad twice and is now applying to graduate school. Keisha wants policymakers to know that access means more than admission, and she advocates for research opportunities open to students from underrepresented and nontraditional backgrounds.