About the Scholarship

The Bill Perez Labor Scholarship Award was created in 2023 through a partnership between the Inland Empire Labor Council and the Inland Empire Labor and Community Center. Its purpose is to recognize the achievements of UCR undergraduate students that embody the spirit of William “Bill” Perez, who served the labor movement and working families in the Inland Empire for 47 years in various labor and public leadership roles. Throughout his career Bill Perez sought to uplift working families in our region regardless of the union they represented, mentored anyone that wanted to understand the rich history of organizing in the Inland Empire, and tirelessly advocated for the future that we want our region to have. All UCR undergraduate students with a major in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHASS), Public Policy, and/or those with a Labor Studies minor and a minimum 2.5 GPA are eligible to apply for this award. For 2025, three students who have demonstrated a commitment to labor studies, social justice, and community engagement will be awarded a $3,000 scholarship each. 

Who is Bill Perez?

William J. “Bill” Perez was born and raised in Riverside, California.  He grew up attending local public schools in Riverside County.  Bill and his siblings were raised by their parents, father Joe Perez (deceased) and Virginia Perez (resides in Riverside); his father Joe Perez Former IBEW Local 440 President and Former Executive-Secretary/Business Manager of the Riverside & San Bernardino Building and Construction Trades Council, AFL-CIO.  Bill married his wife, Terri over thirty (30) years ago, they have two (2) children, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, and four (4) amazing grandchildren – all residing in Riverside County.

Bill started his career in the Electrician Apprenticeship Program in 1975.  In 1979 he graduated from the apprenticeship program as a Journeyman Electrician.

In 1995 he became Business Manager for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (I.B.E.W.) Local 440, a position he held for 11 years.

Throughout his career with I.B.E.W. Local 440, he has held many positions, as a Foreman, General Foreman, Estimator, Prevailing Wage Compliance Director, and Organizer.  He also was the Past-President of the California State Association of Electrical Workers and Past-President of the I.B.E.W./NECA Statewide Joint Apprenticeship Committee.

In 2006, Bill was appointed the position of Executive Secretary/Business Manager for the Riverside & San Bernardino Building and Construction Trades Council, AFL-CIO (IE BCTC).  The IE B.C.T.C. represents over 14,000 skilled craft workers, through 28 skilled construction local unions throughout the San Bernardino and Riverside Counties (Inland Empire).  In this role, he also worked with K-12 and community colleges to adopt the MC3 curriculum to expose our community, especially marginalized community members, to potential careers in the building and construction trades through apprenticeship programs. Bill worked with community members, unions, and electeds to create and pass local policies that would provide good, paying jobs in the region.

As the Executive Secretary/Business Manager for the IE BCTC, Bill was a former board member of the State of California Building and Construction Trades Council AFL-CIO, a former board member of the Inland Empire Labor Council AFL-CIO, a Past-Member labor representative for the Riverside County Community Action Commission, and Past-Board Member for the Riverside County Workforce Investment Board (W.I.B.).

After 47 years of dedicated service in the Inland Empire labor movement, Bill retired on July 29, 2022. We honor his dedication to advocating to uplift working families in our region regardless of the union and in taking the time to mentor anyone who wants to understand the rich history of organizing in the IE and to advocate for the future that we want our region to have.

Bill Perez 2025 Scholars

	Eren Whitfield  Eren Whitfield is a Psychology major, minoring in Labor Studies, who will graduate in Spring 2025. He has worked as a Communications Assistant for the Inland Empire Labor and Community Center (IELCC) since Fall 2023. Additionally, he has served as an executive board member in the UC Riverside chapter of the Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA) for over 2 years. His positions have enabled him to gain hands-on experience in labor and community organizing, political education, political advocacy, and community outreach. Driven by a passion for uplifting marginalized voices and ensuring equal opportunities for all people, he has utilized his experiences to solve complex problems and advocate for real change within his community. This summer, he will be working with the Pomona Economic Opportunity Center (PEOC) through the UC Labor Summer Program to gain further experience in fighting against systemic injustice. His journey in advocating for social and economic justice will continue in the Fall, when he plans to begin a two-year graduate program to earn his Master of Social Welfare at UCLA.
	Amisha Dohgra  Amisha Dohgra is a Business Economics major and plans to graduate in June 2025. She first recognized the importance of labor organizing during her childhood, when her parents, who were working-class immigrants, had limited protections in the workplace. Her interest in the labor movement is rooted in a deep commitment to economic justice and improving working conditions. She has served as a Labor Policy Intern with UC-AFT (University Council-American Federation of Teachers), where she supported UC Riverside faculty union campaigns through outreach, bargaining, and survey mobilization. She also interned with the Inland Empire Labor Institute, where she contributed through social media outreach and participated in labor council meetings. As a 2025 Labor Summer fellow with SEIU 721, she is continuing her work through community engagement in support of union and worker-led campaigns. On campus, Amisha is a SAVE (Sexual Assault Violence Educator) peer mentor, working in collaboration with UC Riverside’s CARE office to lead educational programming focused on ending sexual violence on campus. She hopes to continue working at the intersection of labor, advocacy, and public policy after graduation
	Paolina Santoscoy Paolina Santoscoy is a Political Science major with a History minor, graduating in Spring 2025. As a first-generation student from a working-class immigrant family, her passion for labor and environmental justice is deeply grounded in lived experiences. In 2024, she served as a Labor Summer Fellow with The People’s Collective for Environmental Justice, conducting research on air pollution in the Inland Empire by interviewing fleet drivers to advocate for policies that will improve air quality in the I.E. At UCR, she served with dedication as ASUCR Labor Relations Director, Resident Advisor, and student assistant in the School of Business roles through which she built community, and advocated for students’ needs to insure their success.