Elias Herrera

L.A. is one of the most diverse cities in the world, and entrepreneurship major Elias Herrera ’26 wants to make sure it stays that way.

Herrera is a community innovation analyst intern at Inclusive Action for the City, a community development organization with a mission to serve L.A.’s underinvested communities. He researches real estate trends and helps develop a model for small businesses to own their property — a key to keeping their doors open in the face of skyrocketing rents. “People are being priced out of their homes and businesses,” he says, and this work helps preserve the rich cultural heritage of L.A.’s historically Latino neighborhoods.

Originally from San Diego, Herrera first gained an interest in L.A.’s neighborhoods in his First Year Seminar, “Latino L.A.” with Professor Sylvia Zamora. He wanted to learn more about the development issues in East L.A., and Zamora helped him make a connection at Inclusive Action.

“I’m very interested in social entrepreneurship, which focuses on creating positive change rather than making a profit,” he says. “It’s business for good.”

Learn more about how Elias Herrera’s impact is Igniting a Brighter World.