The Samuel D. Proctor Institute for Leadership, Equity, and Justice | GSE | Rutgers

Lydia Ornelas

Lydia Ornelas was born and raised in Stockton, California. She is currently attending Hawaii Pacific University on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, pursuing a Bachelors in Biology with a Public Health minor with hopes of attending medical school. Lydia is also an athlete on the acrobatics and tumbling team.

During her time on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, she has been selected to represent her college department during women's executive leadership council meetings. There, she grew a passion for women leaders of color pursuing higher education despite the terrors of gender bias, social class, misrepresentation, etc., hindering the wonders of women empowerment.