Olivia Julianna

Olivia Julianna Herrera
Born (2002-11-17) November 17, 2002
Texas, U.S.
EducationUniversity of Houston–Victoria
Occupations
  • Political strategist
  • activist
Political party
Democratic
HonorsBloomberg 50 Most Influential
Instagram information
Page
Followers177,000
Substack information
Newsletter
TopicsU.S. politics, current events, analysis
Subscribers155,000
TikTok information
Page
Followers754,000
X information
Handle
Followers323,000
Last updated: July 22, 2026

Olivia Julianna Herrera (/ˌxuːliˈɑːnə/; born November 17, 2002[1]) is an American political activist, abortion rights advocate, and political strategist from Texas. She was formerly the director of politics and government affairs for Gen-Z for Change, a nonprofit organization focused on civic engagement among Generation Z. Herrera has maintained a large social media presence to encourage civic participation, especially on issues such as abortion rights, climate change, and LGBTQ+ advocacy. She was named one of the 50 Most Influential People of 2022 by Bloomberg Media.

Early life and education

Herrera was born and raised in Texas and resides in Houston.[2] For safety reasons, she publicly uses her first and middle names.[3] She is a fourth-generation Texan of Mexican-American descent.[4] She is a first-generation college student attending the Texas A&M University–Victoria, where she majors in political science.[5]

Career and activism

Herrera began posting political content during the 2020 United States presidential election.[4] She gained widespread attention in 2021 when she encouraged people to submit false reports to a Texas Right to Life whistleblower site that enabled anonymous reporting of abortions under the Texas Heartbeat Act. The site was overwhelmed and eventually taken down.[6]

In July 2022, Representative Matt Gaetz mocked Herrera’s appearance during remarks at a Turning Point USA summit.[7] In response, she launched a fundraising campaign that raised over $2 million for abortion funds across the country.[8]

Gen-Z for Change

Herrera joined Gen-Z for Change in 2021 and was named Director of Politics and Government Affairs in October 2022.[4] She helped oversee political strategy and youth civic campaigns. She left the organization in August 2023.[9]

2024 election and beyond

During the 2024 presidential cycle, Herrera mobilized Gen-Z voters in support of Vice President Kamala Harris, appearing in national media and at the Democratic National Convention.[10][11] In February 2025, she announced that she would step back from formal campaign organizing to focus on systemic issues within the Democratic Party and speak more freely as an outside voice.[12] She launched a newsletter and continues to write and comment on progressive politics and youth engagement.

Herrera is a member of the Chorus Creator Incubator Program, a program launched in the wake of the 2024 presidential election to build a progressive creator's ecosystem.[13][14]

Recognition

In December 2022, Bloomberg Media named Herrera one of the 50 Most Influential People in the world.[5] She also attended the 2023 State of the Union Address as a guest of Representative Nanette Barragán and confronted Rep. Gaetz at the event.[15]

References

  1. ↑ @0liviajulianna (September 6, 2021). "My 19th birthday is November 17th and I want to spend the month of November raising money for a Texas based non-profit. Does anyone have any suggestions?" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  2. ↑ "A teen says she was body-shamed by Rep. Matt Gaetz. She took it as an opportunity". MSNBC. July 27, 2022.
  3. ↑ Stengle, Jamie; Ortutay, Barbara (September 7, 2021). "Activists focus on tip site in protesting Texas abortion law". Associated Press.
  4. 1 2 3 Dao, Dan Q. (November 3, 2022). "Olivia Julianna Wants to Turn Texas". Paper Magazine.
  5. 1 2 Bass, Dina (December 14, 2022). "Olivia Julianna, the Young Activist Fighting for Abortion Rights". Bloomberg.
  6. ↑ "Sugar Land TikTok star helps take down abortion reporting website: 'Fight for women'". ABC13 Houston. September 8, 2021.
  7. ↑ Jones, Dustin (July 28, 2022). "A Texas teen raises over $700,000 for abortions after Rep. Matt Gaetz mocked her". NPR.
  8. ↑ "She helped raise $2 million for abortion funds by calling out Matt Gaetz: Meet Olivia Julianna, a Gen Z activist who has inspired copycat fundraisers". Business Insider. August 27, 2022.
  9. ↑ @genzforchange (September 12, 2023). "Olivia Julianna is not associated with Gen-Z for Change anymore" (Tweet) – via X (formerly Twitter).
  10. ↑ "Gen Z activist Olivia Julianna urges young voters to support Harris". NBC News. Retrieved November 17, 2024.
  11. ↑ "In DNC appearance, Houston activist Olivia Julianna calls on Gen Z to mobilize". Houston Chronicle. August 22, 2024. Retrieved November 17, 2024.
  12. ↑ "Young Democratic social media star, frustrated by campaigns, sees another path to turn Texas blue". The Texas Tribune. February 24, 2025.
  13. ↑ Griffing, Alex (August 29, 2025). "Progressive YouTuber Savagely Tears Apart Taylor Lorenz's Report on 'Dark Money Group' Funding Dem Influencers". Mediaite.
  14. ↑ Goldmacher, Shane; Bensinger, Ken (November 28, 2024). "Republicans Built an Ecosystem of Influencers. Some Democrats Want One, Too". New York Times. Retrieved August 30, 2025.
  15. ↑ Rahman, Khaleda (February 8, 2023). "Matt Gaetz confronted at State of the Union by activist he body-shamed". Newsweek.
This page is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.