Arlette Cruz  

Hometown: Los Angeles, California  
School: Anahuacalmecac International Baccalaureate World School 

Arlette Cruz (pronouns are they/them) was born and raised in Los Angeles, California but her ancestors are from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Michoacan, and, Veracruz. She attends an Indigenous school where she is able to connect with her culture and learn to speak up for her community. She is co-president of her school council where she advocates for improving her school community. Through her leadership, she hopes to develop the skills that she needs to pursue a career in nursing. The NextGen program, helped her get out of her comfort zone and gave her an opportunity to get an understanding of what it takes to become a leader.