Andrea Rayas was born and raised in Southeast Los Angeles (SELA). She witnessed her community’s ongoing social, health, and environmental inequities here. Andrea’s experiences living in an overlooked community encouraged her to start volunteering at the age of 12 for a community-based nonprofit called Proyecto Pastoral. Determined to build a safer and healthier SELA community, Andrea continued to seek youth volunteer opportunities, including interning at a grassroots social justice organization.
Andrea attended the University of California, Riverside, earning a B.A. in Public Policy. She is now a Master’s student at CSU Long Beach studying Public Administration. Post-graduation, Andrea worked with a public health organization, the Institute for Public Strategies, as a Program Manager overseeing programs related to youth substance misuse.
In her free time, Andrea enjoys fitness, long walks, and spending time with her family and her golden retriever named Canelo.