Toipureenah Orozco

Toipureenah Orozco (she/her), of Mazahua, Wixárika (Huichol) and Raramuri (Tarahumara) heritage, is a dedicated student and community leader at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). As a fourth-year International Development Studies (IDS) major, she has taken on multiple roles to support Indigenous communities on campus.

At UCLA, Toipureenah serves as the Community Representative for the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES), contributing to the organization’s mission of increasing Indigenous representation in STEM fields. Additionally, she works at the American Indian Community Center on campus, where she fosters a vibrant and collaborative community of Native undergraduate and graduate students. Additionally, she held the position of Site Coordinator for the American Indian Recruitment (AIR) program for two consecutive years, where she played a pivotal role in mentoring and guiding Native students in higher education.

Beyond her campus involvement, Toipureenah was selected as a 2024 Ambassador for the California Native Youth Collective. In this role, she engaged in leadership training and advocated for Indigenous communities at various governmental levels. Additionally, she practices speaking her grandfather’s Mazahua language and stays connected to her culture through the teachings and traditions of her Wixárika, Mazahua and Rarámuri ancestors. Through her academic pursuits and leadership roles, Toipureenah remains committed to uplifting Indigenous voices and fostering community both within and beyond UCLA.

About Toipureenah’s Democracy is Indigenous Project

On Saturday, April 25th, 2026, the UCLA American Indian Recruitment (AIR) project tabled at the UC Berkeley California Native Gathering. This event was hosted to honor the UC-wide fight to push for NAGPRA and brought together Native communities across many UC campuses. AIR staff shared their personal educational experiences with prospective students and provided financial and institutional resources specific to UCLA. AIR staff encouraged prospective students to follow our Instagram and message us directly to ask any questions they might have during their college application process. AIR staff handed out flyers regarding native-specific resources to find a community, jobs, and scholarships on the UCLA and UC Berkeley campuses. Overall, AIR spoke to over 60 people interested in higher education or currently pursuing higher education. We obtained the contact information of 49 attendees to foster an ongoing relationship with our organization via email and text message.