Rebecca Villalobos

2023 Brave Heart Fellow

San Carlos Apache, Omaha

Rebecca Villalobos (she/her) is San Carlos Apache and Omaha and is from Pacifica, California. She received her A.S. in Natural Science and is finishing her B.S. in Environmental Science at Haskell Indian Nations University. Growing up, Rebecca helped advocate for her home city’s school district to change Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Shortly after, she began her journey at Haskell and has been an active student leader in the community since day one. From being a student organization representative to a student ambassador and then student body president, Rebecca has met and worked alongside hundreds of Native youth across the country. During the pandemic, Rebecca aided the university administration in ensuring all students have equitable access to mental health, financial, and academic resources. Rebecca will continue her education in a master’s degree in environmental health policy and law and aspires to be in a position that enables her to better the California environment and aid in the fight against climate change.