Jhoana Monroy-Espinoza was born in Actopan, Hidalgo Mexico. She immigrated to the United States with her family when she was five years old and settled in Beaverton, Oregon. After graduating high school she attended Portland Community College and was director of the Dream Project. She then attended Portland State University where she helped propose the DREAMers Success Resource Center and earned a bachelor’s degree in social work. At the time of the interview she was a school social worker at the Beaverton School District.

Interview conducted by Sophia Fischer and supported by the OSU Honors College / Center for the Humanities Summer Internship. The interview is also a component of the Latinos en Oregón Oral History Collection (OH 032), Special Collections and Archives Research Center, Oregon State University Libraries.