Rachael Lorenzo

Rachael Lorenzo (Mescalero Apache/Laguna Pueblo/Xicana) is a reproductive justice advocate, organizer, and public health expert whose work has influenced the national conversation on Indigenous bodily autonomy and healthcare access in the United States. As the founder and executive director of Indigenous Women Rising, a Native American-led reproductive justice organization based in New Mexico, Lorenzo leads efforts that serve the United States, its territories, and Indigenous peoples from Mexico, Central America, and Canada.

Lorenzo established Indigenous Women Rising as a campaign to highlight the denial of access to Plan B, a form of emergency contraception, for Indigenous women and individuals relying on Indian Health Services. This issue is particularly significant given the high rates of domestic violence and sexual assault on reservations and the limited ability of tribes to prosecute non-Native offenders.

Lorenzo holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science and a master's degree in public administration with a focus on public health, both from the University of New Mexico. Lorenzo has studied political campaigns, participated in policy analyses, and has been consulted for expertise in public health policies affecting Indigenous communities. Throughout an academic career, Lorenzo volunteered for political campaigns at various levels and was selected as a fellow for President Barack Obama's reelection campaign. Earlier in a professional career, Lorenzo served as a policy associate at Young Women United, contributing to policy change and community engagement.

Through Indigenous Women Rising, Lorenzo oversees programs such as the Rain Fund for abortion care and the Emergence Fund for midwifery or doula care, both accessible to Native and Indigenous individuals in the United States. In response to increased demand for abortion funding throughout Native communities, Indigenous Women Rising relaunched the Rain Fund to represent abortion as a vital aspect of life. Lorenzo's work integrates political experience with a commitment to equity in healthcare access, utilizing art, research, policy, politics, and community organizing to bring visibility to communities and families of color.

Lorenzo has spoken publicly about the barriers Indigenous people face in accessing reproductive healthcare, including sharing a personal experience of being denied an abortion when their life was endangered. This experience has informed advocacy at state and national levels. From a Native American perspective, Lorenzo has highlighted that government control over reproductive healthcare procedures recalls the forced sterilizations imposed on many Indigenous women. Lorenzo has testified before the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Indigenous communities on issues of reproductive health and Native American rights.

Indigenous Women Rising received the ALBA/Puffin Award for Human Rights Activism, recognizing the organization's impact and Lorenzo's leadership in the reproductive justice movement. In addition to work at Indigenous Women Rising, Lorenzo serves as assistant commissioner of cultural resources at the New Mexico State Land Office. As a keynote speaker, Lorenzo addresses topics including Native American heritage, women's empowerment, reproductive rights, social activism, civil rights, and diversity and inclusion, drawing on lived experience, policy expertise, and grassroots organizing.