Alejandra
López Nestor
1ST GEN STUDENT | CULTURAL ADVOCACY | LATINA
National Association of State Directors of Migrant Education, 2025 National ConferenceABOUT ALEJANDRAI grew up on the rural Oregon coast to Guatemalan and Mexican immigrants. I am a first-generation college student attending Mount Holyoke College in the Northeast. I am passionate about educational advocacy and dedicated to expanding access to college and career resources for low-income and first-gen students.
MY WHYMy interest in social activism stems from my lived experiences. From substandard housing to food insecurity, lack of health care needs, and educational inequalities, I see these are desperate grounds for political change.
Chicago, Illinois
2022 Ferguson Institute | Student Panelist
Washington D.C.
2023 Oregon Trio Association Fellow
Council for Opportunity in Education’s (COE) Annual Policy Seminar
Portland, Oregon
55th Annual Migrant Education Conference 2024 | Closing Keynote Speaker
MY VOICESince 2020, I've had the privilege of speaking at numerous events and conferences across the United States — from San Antonio, Texas, to Chicago, Illinois, and Oregon. My journey as a speaker has taken me across the country. I've seen the impact of my voice in Congress and the Oregon Legislature, reinvigorating a sense of hope for the future. I recognize the importance of amplifying my voice in spaces that have historically excluded people like me. My experiences have afforded me a unique perspective that not only represents my journey but also echoes the experiences of my parents and countless others on similar paths. Sharing my story is a testament to their journeys and our resilience as a community.
During the summer of 2021, my family and I were the focus of a short documentary, showing the realities faced by many migrant families in Oregon.
The Migrant Spirit• Northwest Regional Education Service District