Our Story
IGNITE the Capitol (April 2023, Sacramento)
In late 2022, our founders, Esther Lau and Fiona Lu, wrote and proposed California Senate Bill 260, the Menstrual Equity Act of 2023, into the California Legislature that would expand CalWORKs benefits to cover the purchasing of menstrual products.
In advocating for SB 260, Fiona and Esther noticed the gap in young people involved in organizing for economic justice legislation. Our proposal is to create WWAD as an extension of SB 260 to involve more youth in similar work to pioneer justice for low-income communities not only in California, but across the nation.
Allstate Foundation National Youth Service Summit (Sept 2024, Chicago)
We train young people to push for economic justice through policymaking and civic engagement nationwide.
We envision a future where everyone has access to basic needs, therefore being able fulfill their goals and aspirations to the fullest.
We’re building a world where young people lead the conversations and decisions that shape economic well-being.
Our Mission & Vision
Our Impact
Read our impact report to learn more about our key wins in 2024, including:
Introducing 4 student-written bills into the CA State Legislature - 2 of which were signed by Gov. Newsom
Expanding to Texas and New York
Reaching audiences of over 200,000 through speaking engagements across the nation
OUR TEAM
What We All Deserve (WWAD) is a team of young people across the U.S. working to expand basic needs and economic liberation for all. Read on to meet some of our wonderful and passionate youth organizers!
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Co-Founder & Co-Executive Director
Esther Lau (she/her) is a student at Barnard College in New York City studying Political Science and Urban Studies. She’s passionate about economic justice policy, urban social policy, youth-led policymaking, and social impact. Inspired by her experiences as a former public benefits recipient, Esther started WWAD due to her belief in policy as a powerful tool for change. Through WWAD, she hopes to continue pushing basic needs policies through state legislatures, while making policy advocacy more accessible to youth. Outside of WWAD, Esther has worked for New York Lawyers for the Public Interest, the CUNY Urban Food Policy Institute, and the National Center for Children in Poverty. She also serves on the Board of Directors for PERIOD., an international menstrual equity organization.
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Co-Founder & Co-Executive Director
Fiona Lu is a student at the University of California, Los Angeles studying Public Affairs and Labor Studies. She is from Orange County, California. She's been involved with California youth policy advocacy since her junior year of high school, and has led campaigns in education policy, menstrual equity, and healthcare expansion. She started WWAD in hopes of igniting a movement of young people across the country to secure basic needs and economic justice. She believes it’s crucial for young people to be proactively involved with public institutions, and that starts with showing them the potential they have. Outside of advocacy, she has worked for the House of Representatives, Center for Law and Social Policy, and the Crimsonbridge Foundation.
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California Policy Director
Martín Orea is a dedicated student at Santa Monica College, pursuing a degree in Public Policy and Political Science. With a strong background in advocacy and mobilization, he is deeply passionate about sexual and reproductive health and committed to promoting policies that enhance the social safety net. Actively involved in coalitions and advisory boards, Martín aims to amplify youth voices and experiences in the policymaking process, ensuring that their perspectives are heard and valued.
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Texas Policy Director
Annika is a senior at Dulles High School in Sugar Land, Texas, passionate about advancing menstrual equity and reproductive rights. She has led successful campaigns to install free menstrual product dispensers in schools and has helped distribute over 150,000 menstrual products to communities in need. As one of the State Policy Directors for WWAD last year, she looks forward to building on that progress and contributing further to Texas’s policy initiatives this year. She also serves on the Youth Advisory Council as Secretary for PERIOD., an international menstrual equity organization. Annika aspires to pursue a career at the intersection of healthcare and policy.
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California Policy Manager
Alex McRae is a senior at Cosumnes Oaks High School with a major interest in public health and housing inequality. He is passionate about civic engagement and youth advocacy, focusing on how policy impacts health and overall community well-being. His work emphasizes creating accessible pathways for young people to engage with policymaking and to better understand the connections between legislation and lived experience.
He has contributed to youth advisory efforts in public health, coordinated school-based initiatives, and developed opportunities for peers to explore the intersections of healthcare and politics. Dedicated to advancing equity and inclusion, he hopes to pursue future opportunities in public health and policy, with the long-term goal of addressing systemic inequities and expanding access to essential resources.
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Texas Policy Manager
Raksha Jayakumar is a freshman at Northwestern University majoring in Journalism and Political Science. Her home base is the Dallas-Fort Worth Area, though! She is committed to her goal of making a difference, and she loves doing work to make an impact in her community. She has led multiple successful drives and events in efforts to make basic needs more accessible, and she hopes to do this on a larger scale with policy!
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Social Media Manager
I strongly believe that the first step to causing change within our community is increasing awareness amongst our peers. With the rise in right-wing content being spread through social media platforms, I find myself becoming more dedicated to WWAD’s cause in engaging youth in economic justice. I would like to spread these ideologies to a larger group of people through connecting with a community that centers reproductive rights, economic justice, and anti-racist sentiment. As a social media manager for this organization, I hope to dedicate my time to inspiring more young people to join a movement for social change.
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California Policy Director
Tanaya Safi is a student at Inderkum High School in Sacramento, California, where she is enrolled in the International Baccalaureate program and dual-enrolled at American River College. She has dedicated over 350+ hours to volunteering, supporting organizations that address food insecurity, community service, and youth engagement. Her advocacy journey began in 8th grade, when she started advocating student rights, a passion she continues to pursue through local initiatives and policy-focused programs. Tanaya has interned with Urban Advocates & Achievers to advance financial literacy education and has produced award-winning documentaries through C-SPAN’s StudentCam competition, highlighting issues of sustainability and civic responsibility. Beyond academics and advocacy, she works as a senior lifeguard for the City of Sacramento, manages a small business on Etsy, and is active in her Jain community. She aspires to empower young people to recognize their potential and use their voices to create meaningful change.
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Michigan Policy Director
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California Policy Manager
I’m passionate about advancing mental health and healthcare innovation through venture capital and policy. I founded HealthTech Unveiled, a newsletter highlighting emerging startups and trends, and created a mental health tech directory to connect founders and investors. As a Girls Into VC Fellow, I’ve evaluated startups, built investment theses, and contributed to California policy efforts expanding youth mental health access.
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Texas Policy Manager
Owen is a senior at Vanderbilt University studying Public Policy and Medicine, Health, and Society. He is passionate about taking evidence to action for structural change that centers systematically marginalized communities, particularly their dignified access to basic needs and consequent health equity. Owen has published peer-reviewed research on social determinants to lung cancer screening, advocated directly with clients applying for Medicaid, supported labor organizing in Tennessee, and analyzed structural health issues for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, National Network of Public Health Institutes, and Tennessee Justice Center. He is increasingly interested in social safety net programs, housing, and dignified labor.
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Social Media Manager
I believe awareness is the first step toward meaningful change, and I leverage social media as a tool to spark dialogue and amplify advocacy. By creating and sharing content, I aim to highlight systemic disparities, and encourage collective action. My goal is to promote better health outcomes by addressing the economic and social factors that shape access to care. As I pursue a career in healthcare, I remain passionate about using digital platforms to inform and inspire solutions. Through this blend of advocacy and communication, I strive to advance health equity and work toward a more just and inclusive system for all.
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Chief of Staff
Sophie Himmel is a graduate of Lafayette College with a degree in Government and Law and a minor in Religious Studies, with honors. An experienced public health advocate and educator, Sophie led a staff of volunteers to implement menstrual equity policy at Lafayette that cemented the College as the first in the nation to provide free menstrual products in every college building. Her passion for basic needs provision is rooted in the simple idea that a rising tide lifts all ships. In her free time, Sophie is a yoga instructor and home baker.
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Social Media Director
Adithi Kadle (she/her) is a student at Barnard College of Columbia University studying Economics and Computer Science. Her passion for social impact is rooted in lived experience and in the conviction that policy should be accessible to the communities it most affects. With WWAD, she hopes to translate complex issues in economic justice into clear, engaging content that mobilizes young people to act. Outside of WWAD, Adithi has worked across education, mental health, and reproductive rights advocacy, experiences that continue to shape her perspective as she looks toward a future in law. In her free time, Adithi enjoys hiking, going to concerts, and showing people pictures of her cat.
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California Policy Manager
Rachel Lee is a student at the University of California, Los Angeles, studying Public Affairs and Political Science. She believes social change begins with compassion, hope, and the willingness to learn to act. Passionate about data-driven policymaking, civic engagement, and community service, Rachel seeks to develop initiatives that push forward the movement for socioeconomic justice. Outside of WWAD, she worked to bridge economic disparities in STEM education for elementary schools with Falkon Robotics, leading missions to provide fair and equitable education for all. Working to pursue a career in public policy, public interest law, and social advocacy, Rachel hopes to effectively serve her community.
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California Policy Manager
At fifteen, Chloe co-founded Melanated Youth, a youth-led initiative to drive civic engagement, mutual aid, and mobilize young people. She previously served as President of Associated Students and Student Trustee at Fullerton College. Throughout her leadership, she has created a policy on supporting SWANA students, stipulated the need for a prayer room, ensured safety to all students on campus, and co-wrote a resolution on supporting trans, non-binary, and gender nonconforming students that was passed on a state level. Currently, she is in her last year at UCLA pursuing a degree in Asian American Studies and Public Affairs, where she has interned at the California Democratic Party, New American Leaders, Ms. Magazine, and the Michelson Foundation.
She plans to pursue her JD shortly to advance her legal academia, become more well-read in public policy, and is interested in exploring public interest law. She is deeply passionate about labor and immigration rights.
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Texas Policy Manager
Logan Payne is a graduate of Spelman College, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. Throughout her academic and professional journey, she has been committed to building grassroots power for progressive candidates across the country. Following graduation, Logan served as a campaign staffer for Zoe Cadore for Congress, a candidate for Texas’s 18th Congressional District. She now works as a junior associate at AM Strategies, a boutique fundraising consulting firm that develops tailored, strategic programs for campaigns and progressive organizations at every level.
Looking ahead, Logan plans to attend law school with the long-term goal of pursuing a career in government affairs, where she aims to shape policy, protect communities, and strengthen democratic engagement.