Featured Alumni
Ludmyrna 'Myrna' Lopez (1991)

Bay Area native, Ludmyrna "Myrna" Lopez, recipient of the Chicana/ Latina Foundation Scholarship Award in 1991, is a first-generation Latina of Mexican descent. Her parents emigrated from Moroleón Guanajuato, Mexico.

From a young age Myrna knew that education would provide her with opportunities for her life. However, she didn’t know what she wanted to be when she grew up. The only thing that she felt certain about was that she would go on to college after high school. Myrna volunteered to work with the elderly in rest homes. She and a friend played guitar and sang sing-alongs with the people they visited. Myrna loved the rewarding feeling that came with helping others and from then on she was hooked.

At California State University Hayward, Myrna set her sights on an education in Business Administration and Liberal Arts, positioning herself for a variety of opportunities after graduation. In her junior year, faced with the usual college expenses, Myrna looked into the Chicana/Latina Foundation's Scholarship Award program. After being awarded the CLF scholarship, Myrna felt a connection and an affirmation that she had never experienced before.

Myrna earned her Bachelor's degree at CSU Hayward, becoming the first in her family to graduate from college. She was compelled and driven to use her life to make a difference and decided to further her education with a Master's Degree in public policy from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The Chicana/Latina Foundation serves to establish not only financial assistance for Latinas, but to build a legacy of leaders among them. The Foundation's impact in Myrna's life continues to be significant and her work in the community echoes the values of the organization. In Myrna's own words, "The Chicana/Latina Foundation saw potential in me and for that I will always be grateful. In turn, I continue to dedicate my career to making a difference for Latinas wherever I can... creating opportunities, assisting and mentoring, so that they can make their dreams and goals a reality."

Myrna is currently the Vice Mayor of Richmond, California and serves on CLF's Board of Directors.