Analicia Bañales

Born and raised in Corpus Christi, Analicia has lived and traveled throughout Texas, beginning her undergraduate education in San Antonio before transferring to the University of Texas at El Paso where she studied political science, criminal justice, and intelligence & national security studies. While finishing her degree at UTEP, Analicia served as an AmeriCorps VISTA in El Paso with the Texas Hunger Initiative, working with local schools across Region 19 in Texas, nonprofits like Texas A&M Colonias Program and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, and local & state agencies to alleviate food insecurity in her community, particularly by utilizing social media to bring awareness to the issues & promote ongoing efforts addressing those issues. This past spring, she worked as a policy aide at the 86th convening of the Texas State Legislature as a Senate Hispanic Research Council Luna Scholar for the Office of State Senator José Rodríguez, focusing on natural resources & economic development, water & rural affairs, business & commerce, and agriculture policy issue areas. Her passions and interests drive her pursuit of finding the equitable public good as she continues to find opportunities to work on complex social issues involving food access, public health, environmental justice, and affordable housing.

Field placement: Houston Food Bank

Houston, Texas

Analicia Bañales worked with the Advocacy Team at the Houston Food Bank to bolster internal and external policy awareness to strengthen HFB’s community impact. Her work assessed the effects of local, state, and national food policy on the 18 counties served by the Houston Food Bank in order to make recommendations for programming success. She also examined how HFB can promote equity as it transitions to a new mission and vision focusing on the root causes of poverty.

Policy placement: U.S. Department of Agriculture

Washington, D.C.

Publications