Jayla Kamilla Pete, a third-year triple major in political science, anthropology and criminology, law & society at UC Irvine, is a 2025 recipient of the Social Sciences Moore Scholarship for Community and Social Change. The $1,000 award supports students who demonstrate the most academic promise and potential to enact change and improve the community. Below, the active Anteater from San Francisco reflects on her intersecting interests in politics, society, and identity - and how she hopes to bring them together in a future career in law, public policy, and advocacy.

Share with us what inspired your choice of majors and what motivated you to continue that journey at UCI. What do you enjoy most about the work you’re doing?

I was raised to understand politics from a young age. I still remember election night in 2012, sitting with my family and feeling a spark of hope about what progress could look like. That memory stayed with me, and by my senior year of high school, I realized how much I loved studying politics and government. Political science became my first major because I wanted to learn how decisions are made and how I could shape them toward justice. That interest flowed naturally into anthropology, since I had loved my high school ethnic studies classes and wanted to study how culture, history, and race shape society. As an Indigenous student, I feel most represented within anthropology because many of the readings highlight Native authors and voices that affirm my identity. Criminology, law & society came later, but it fit perfectly with my desire to understand how laws and the judicial system impact our communities and how I can help improve them. Each field builds on the other, giving me a layered way of seeing the world, where systems of power, cultural meaning, and legal structures are all intertwined.

UC Irvine stood out because it gave me the chance to bring these perspectives together within a campus that values equity. What excites me most is that none of this learning stays in the classroom. I can turn it into action, whether by creating a retention program, taking student concerns directly to lawmakers, or conducting research that challenges invisibility.

What comes after undergrad for you?

I will finish my degree in spring 2027, and afterward I see myself pursuing law school. Whether I go directly or take a short gap year, I know my path leads there. What excites me about law school is not the idea of a title, but the chance to study the subjects that pull at me. I want to dive into constitutional law because it asks big questions about rights and freedoms. I am drawn to public policy because it is where ideas become action and where I can help shape the systems people live under. Native American advocacy ties directly to my own identity and community, and it keeps me grounded in why I am doing this work. Together, these areas remind me that law can be both protective and transformative. Law school is more than career preparation to me. It is my chance to gain the tools I need to challenge inequities and to open space for voices that deserve to be heard.

What would you consider your biggest accomplishment at UCI?

My biggest accomplishment at UCI has been founding the Native American Retention Initiative. When I first arrived, I felt the absence of support for Indigenous students, and I wanted to change that. Turning an idea into a real program that is now helping students feel recognized, supported, and celebrated has been the most meaningful work I have done here. Along the way, I have been fortunate to receive the Moore Family Endowment Fund Scholarship, the Sylvia Easton Memorial Scholarship, the William Lais Endowed Scholarship, the Dr. Thomas and Davida Hopkins-Parham Endowed Scholarship for Social Justice and Advocacy Against Racial and Gender Bias, and the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria UC Scholarship. With everyone’s support, I will be graduating completely debt-free, which I consider my biggest personal accomplishment. These awards not only helped me financially but also reminded me that my leadership and my community work matter.

What activities have you been with as an Anteater?

I am very involved at UCI, and each role connects back to my passion for advocacy and community. Serving as a Social Science Senator has given me a platform to speak up for students in decision-making spaces, and being part of the Political Science Executive Committee lets me help shape conversations in my department. One of my favorite roles is working at the SOAR Center as the Native American Recruitment (now Retention!) Coordinator, because I have had the opportunity to create safe spaces for Native students like me to be ourselves and grow together. I also serve on the board of the American Indian Student Association, which strengthened my commitment to uplifting Indigenous students and building visibility on campus. My time as Racial Justice Coordinator and Indigenous Identity Commissioner in ASUCI reminded me that leadership is not about holding a title but about making sure students feel seen and represented. Beyond campus, I worked as a Policy and Research Intern at UC Law San Francisco, where I researched legislative committees, wrote briefs, and contributed to a statewide Legal Needs Toolkit on housing and immigration. That experience showed me how choices made in policy spaces ripple outward into people’s daily lives, shaping their safety and opportunity.

Tell us about research you’ve pursued as an undergrad.

While at UC Law San Francisco, I contributed to research on how California approaches brain health policy, which gave me valuable insight into how law and policy intersect. At UCI, I hope to carry that same energy into my own undergraduate research. I am especially interested in how survey design and data collection erase Native Americans from political life by collapsing our identity into “Other.” That invisibility in data has real political consequences, and I want to study how to change it.

Who has played an important mentorship role in your life thus far?

First and foremost, my parents have been my biggest mentors and supporters, always reminding me to believe in myself, to push through challenges, and to stay grounded in where I come from. At UCI, the prostaff at SOAR have been just as impactful. They not only believed in my ideas but also gave me the encouragement and confidence to create the Native American Retention Initiative even when I questioned if I could make it happen.

What challenges or hurdles have you faced in getting to where you are today?

As an Indigenous student from San Francisco, I grew up loving the city’s culture, diversity, and people, yet I also noticed a deep ignorance and lack of Native representation. Beyond the usual lessons about Columbus, our histories and voices were rarely acknowledged. That invisibility was difficult, and at UCI I have faced similar challenges. It is hard to thrive when your community is barely recognized. Instead of letting that discourage me, I let it fuel me. I decided to create the spaces I wished existed, and my journey has been about turning absence into presence and silence into voice.

Where can you most often be found on campus?

You can usually find me in the SOAR Center working or at the front desk, chilling in the ASUCI offices in between classes, finishing assignments in Langson Library, or stopping by Zot N Go to grab a chocolate milk!

What’s your best memory thus far from your undergraduate experience at UCI?

I do not have a single best memory at UCI, but one that I truly cherish is being selected my freshman year to attend UC Hill Day in Washington, D.C. There, I had the opportunity to speak directly with representatives about student issues like housing and financial aid. That experience was the beginning of me building confidence and breaking free from imposter syndrome. By the end of my freshman year, I realized that I do belong at UCI and that my voice matters in spaces that shape change.

Any other interesting tidbits you would like to share?

Something I love to do, and would recommend to anyone, is just running! I love it because it keeps me grounded and gives me space to be with my thoughts in the middle of busy days. This year, I finished two half marathons, and those races pushed me to keep believing in myself even when things felt tough. I also have to mention my dog, Buddy, who is my pride and joy and my lucky charm. He keeps me grounded in a different way, always bringing me comfort and reminding me of what matters most, no matter how hectic life gets.