Emily Gonzalez

Emily Andrea Gonzalez is an advocate for BIPOC youth, born and raised in Vancouver, Washington with a strong passion for political science, civic engagement, and community advocacy. Andrea is Latino Leadership Northwest Mariposa Fellow, where she advocates for Latino youth in order to foster environments where youth can lead, heal, and thrive.

She is also the Co-Founder and Director of Policy & Advocacy for Happy Thoughts, a youth-led initiative that focuses on encouraging BIPOC youth to be at the center of their own healing. In recognition of her long-lasting dedication in leadership and service, Andrea was named a 2026 Clark County Youth Achievement Award recipient in the category of Career Development. She applied to CHCI NextGen to deepen her advocacy skills, learn from a Latino changemakers, as well as further develop her ability to advocate for the advancement of equity and opportunity for underrepresented communities.