This morning, students in the Upper School Latine Affinity hosted the third annual LatinExcellence assembly featuring guest speaker and alumna Simone Origel '22, one of the founders of LatinExcellence and a former co-head of Latine Affinity. Now an urban & environmental policy major at Occidental College, Origel is focusing on recognizing, analyzing, and reducing barriers to environmental safety in Los Angeles. In partnership with Occidental, the Mellon Foundation, and Clínica Romero—a community health clinic serving primarily Latinx patients—she is creating an oral history project that will be used as a tool for social justice storytelling, with a focus on immigration as a social determinant of health.

Current affinity heads Isabella V. '24, Kayla A. '25, and Sofia K. '25. led a Q&A with Origel, discussing her experience as a first-generation college student and the impact Westridge made on her educational journey. “In 8th grade, I really wanted a smaller community. I was shy and didn’t feel like I had a voice in my public school,” Origel reflected on her decision to apply to Westridge. “What really struck me about Westridge was the amount of opportunities available.”

A major inspiration for diving deep into her interests in college were Origel’s projects during her time as a Westridge student. “I didn’t have to stick to one subject,” she remembers learning. “Whether through a humanities lens or a STEM lens, I can express myself in so many ways using so many mediums.” Some memorable projects for Origel include her global studies research and art project in Dr. Pérez del Toro’s class and a podcast she created about music as activism, focusing on Samuel Coleridge-Taylor. “These really ignited my social justice lens.”

Speaking to all Upper School students, Origel gave succinct yet empowering advice; “if you’re interested in something, ask for it.”

“LatinExcellence and other Latine Affinity events are so important, especially at a school like Westridge, because Latine students continue to be an underrepresented group across independent school campuses. There are lots of barriers for Latinas in the workforce, higher education, and society as a whole,” said Latine Affinity Faculty Advisor and Upper School Spanish Teacher Dr. Jessica Pérez del Toro. “I think it is important for Latine students to see themselves and their cultural background reflected and celebrated in the student body, in the curriculum, and across the school community. Events like this help bring focus to exemplary Latine individuals who attended our school or who are part of our local community.”

Click here to read about the LatinExcellence event Origel hosted as a student, which featured alumna speaker Vanessa Delgado '95!