Ashley Lopez and Prof. Alejandro Lee.
Photo by Brandon Sanchez
Working with Lady Gaga gave Ash Lopez a unique opportunity to extend her advocacy for LGBTQ+ issues and mutual understanding—something
that has been profoundly important to her since the age of 17. Ash co-authored The New York Times bestselling book CHANNEL KINDNESS: Stories of Kindness and Community as a young reporter for Born This Way Foundation. Led by Lady Gaga and her mother, Cynthia Germanotta, the foundation supports young people’s mental health as it aims to build a kinder,
braver world.
“When marriage equality became the law of the land, I drove around in my little car,
waving my rainbow flag,” she says. Still, not everyone was so accepting of this advance
and gay rights. “I was cussed at and had drinks thrown at me,” Ash recalls.
Instead of stopping, she started blaring the Lady Gaga song “Born This Way.” So it was appropriate that Ash would later work with the foundation that bears
the song’s name. “I applied to one of their programs and became a Channel Kindness reporter,” she says. The work also leveraged Ash’s burgeoning expertise in digital
technology.
“The book published my article about a mentor with whom I had worked on some tech
projects,” she says. That story, about Humanistic Technologies founder Ruby Guillen, covered apps to protect children — especially an app that centralizes reports about
child abuse to make sure youth don’t get lost between city bureaucracies. In addition
to the thrill of being published, Ash says, “it was exciting to have some of my work
highlighted.”
Technical Support
Ash majors in computer science and biology at Santa Monica College with plans to study computational neuroscience and explore the inner workings of
both artificial intelligence and the human brain. She chose SMC after hearing about
it in conversations at various computer bootcamps.
“And I had a good friend in Inglewood who was an SMC student,” Ash adds. “She let me know SMC has one of the highest transfer
rates.”
Since any good scientist does her own research, Ash decided to investigate for herself.
She was impressed by SMC’s offerings — such as the Science Research Initiative — that provide academic support for underrepresented scholars who want careers related
to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Ash availed herself of SMC’s
tutoring when she took the introductory lab course Chemistry 10. “Professor Muriel Walker-Waugh’s STEM bootcamp is amazing,” she says. “It was extremely beneficial for me in reviewing
and preparing for general chemistry, and it was fun."
SMC also helps students connect with academic opportunities at other institutions,
Ash notes. “For example, I’ve been fortunate to get accepted into UCLA’s Bruins-in-Genomics [BIG] computational biology summer program,” she says. Ash especially appreciated how Senior
Career Services Advisor Joan Kang helped her prepare the BIG application materials — including updating her résumé.
Ash was also impressed by the Adelante Program, which was created by SMC’s Latino Center to foster academic achievement, cultural awareness and personal growth. “It seemed
like SMC had everything I needed,” Ash explains. “And the classes are very in tune
with technology. So I enrolled, and I’ve been hooked ever since.”
Overcoming Challenges and Conquering Stereotypes
Ash has already racked up extensive experience as a software engineer, activist, writer
and entrepreneur. She launched a tech consulting business, Serpent Security Solutions, is an elected delegate of the California Democratic Party and considers herself an “ethical hacker.”
Yet she grew up worried that she might never be able to pursue her dreams. “I didn’t
think I was smart enough, because you never see a Latina from South Los Angeles pictured as a programmer,” she says.
Ash also endures various disabilities that cause pain and fatigue, while economic
circumstances have sometimes forced her to work multiple jobs. In addition, she serves
as a caregiver for her grandmother, who suffers dementia. So Ash’s academic journey
has taken longer than she would have liked. But her family gives her all the support
they can.
“My grandparents’ and my mom’s dream is for me to get my bachelor’s degree,” she says.
SMC Spanish Professor Alejandro Lee says Ash need never have doubted her abilities — or worried about success in her
academic and professional journey.
“Ash is an extraordinary and entrepreneurial young woman who exudes enthusiasm and
tenacity to achieve her dreams,” he says. “She is intelligent, articulate in two languages,
charming, extroverted and yet humble.”
Ash took Alejandro’s Spanish 12 course in fall 2020, after COVID-19 forced all classes online. “It’s been a bumpy
ride” because of the pandemic, she says, “but I’m getting the support I need at SMC.”
Encouraged by Alejandro’s mentorship and the other faculty, staff and students at
SMC, Ash plans to transfer to a top university like USC, UCLA, Stanford or Columbia to continue her studies. “Professor Lee told me to dream bigger in terms of where
I’m applying,” she says.
“I consider it an honor to be part of her journey and education, and I am inspired
by all her indefatigable activism and social justice work in our communities,” Alejandro
says. “Any top university would be fortunate to have her as an alumna.”
* * *
SMC in Focus Volume VIII, Issue 2
So Much Drama
As Juilliard graduate Anthony Richardson makes his Off-Broadway directorial debut, he reflects on the many ways Santa Monica College ignited his bright future. Read Article
Can Mongolia Go Green?
SMC to UCLA transfer Enkh-Uchral “Eddie” Enkhbayar came all the way from Ulaanbaatar to study engineering and help fix his home city’s serious infrastructure problems. Read Article
Born This Way
SMC student Ashley Lopez is challenging perceptions about software engineers and hackers — and what it means to be LGBTQ+. Read Article
Journalistic Journey
SMC Professor and Emmy Award-winning journalist Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins helps students sharpen their newsgathering skills while championing freedom of the press. Read Article
Bragging Rights
SMC’s literary journal has two Pushcart Prize mentions. An Emeritus professor sells her debut novel to an imprint of Penguin Random House. A dance instructor creates meaningful choreography. Read Article
A Place to Belong
Brought to the U.S. for medical care at an early age, Maria Hernandez is studying at Santa Monica College to become a nurse and help others. Read Article