Madison Obregon Herrera

Madison Obregon Herrera (she/her) is an undergraduate and first-generation college student and the daughter of Peruvian immigrants. Raised in New Haven within a predominantly Latine immigrant population, her academic interests lie at the intersection of immigration policy and Latin American politics. She is especially focused on how different cultural and migration backgrounds shape opportunity and access to resources for underserved individuals. This interest developed as she witnessed firsthand the struggles faced by many immigrant and under-resourced communities in New Haven.

Drawing on her Peruvian heritage, Madison’s academic focus includes the political landscape of Peru and how governance and policy affect different regions of the country. This interest grew as she learned more about patterns of internal migration from the Andes to Lima that have shaped social and cultural life in Peru, including within her own family history. With grandparents from the Peruvian Andes, she feels a deep connection to the country’s Indigenous population. For this reason, she is particularly interested in the histories of Andean communities in Peru, including the legacy and preservation of ancestral cultural heritage and artifacts.

Through her research, she hopes to explore how historical narratives and policy shape the experiences of Indigenous and immigrant communities. She is particularly focused on how these forces can contribute to more equitable social and political systems across the Americas. At Yale, Madison serves as co-moderator of Mecha, is a member of Latina Women at Yale, is involved with the Yale First-Generation Advocacy Movement, and works on the translation team for the Yale Student Association for Small Claims Assistance