High School: Mission Hills High School
College: University of California, Irvine
Look into Luz’ eyes and you see the unique blend of sincere kindness and fierce passion of her soul. Refusing pessimism and apathy, Luz is an active seeker of cultural change. In her fight for gender equality and the elimination of violence against women, Luz founded the Half the Sky Club to increase awareness and develop project-solutions. Inspired by her passion and fueled by her words, the group became a movement – organizations and community external to the school became involved with Half the Sky initiatives. Leading by example, Luz shows those around her that no positive act is too small; no individual is too singular to incite world change. At the University of California, Irvine, Luz will perpetuate her spirit of hope and her knowledge that “we are all multidimensional, limitless individuals with diverse stories to tell, wisdom to contribute, and innovative ideas to make.”