Lauren is from Cerritos, California. She graduated from San Francisco State University with her B.A. in Asian American Studies. San Francisco is where Lauren was able to learn the significance of Ethnic Studies and her identity as a Pinay, especially during her time teaching with Pin@y Educational Partnerships (PEP). She received her M.Ed and Social Science Teaching Credential from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). After teaching Ethnic Studies in the San Francisco Unified School District for several years, Lauren is now a Ph.D. student in Education at UCLA. Her research interests include training for Ethnic Studies teachers and wellness, grief, and radical joy in education.