Who is Olivia Julianna, the Gen Z activist fighting for abortion rights?

If you’ve scrolled through political TikTok or Twitter anytime recently, you’ve probably seen Olivia Julianna pop up—usually dropping truth bombs, clapping back at lawmakers, or rallying young voters like a boss. She’s just 22, but this Houston-based activist has already become one of Gen Z’s loudest, smartest, and most fearless voices. Whether it’s abortion rights, LGBTQ+ advocacy, or calling out political hypocrisy, Olivia doesn’t just show up—she shows out.


Born in 2002 and raised in a working-class Mexican-American family in Texas, Olivia Julianna Herrera (she goes by her first and middle names for safety reasons) calls herself a “queer, plus-size, disabled Latina.” She’s also a first-gen college student, currently majoring in political science at the University of Houston–Victoria. Her activism really took off around the 2020 election, when she started posting videos that broke down big political issues in plain English—just Gen Z doing Gen Z things, but with a ton of insight and fire.


Her big moment came in 2021. When Texas passed its super-restrictive Heartbeat Act, Olivia didn’t just post angry tweets—she urged people to flood the state’s anonymous “snitch site” with fake tips. The site crashed. The message was clear: don’t mess with her.


Then came the Twitter showdown of 2022. After Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz made a rude comment about abortion rights activists, Olivia clapped back. He insulted her. She turned that into a fundraising moment—and raised over $2 million for abortion funds. Her response? “He gave me a national platform. I used it.” Iconic.


From there, Olivia became unstoppable. She landed on Bloomberg’s 50 Most Influential list, joined Gen-Z for Change as Director of Politics, and played a key role in mobilizing young voters online. She’s the real deal.


In August 2024, Olivia hit the national stage with a fiery speech at the Democratic National Convention. Rocking a hot-pink power suit (inspired by Nancy Pelosi, no less), she urged Gen Z to show up for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, and warned about threats to voting rights. Oh—and she introduced Stevie Wonder. Casual.


In early 2025, she decided to switch gears. Instead of sticking with campaign work, Olivia launched her own Substack, A New Perspective, where she breaks down politics, calls out the BS in both parties, and keeps fighting for the issues that matter. She’s still as bold and outspoken as ever—just doing it her way.


Whether she’s crashing websites, trending on Twitter, or making political speeches in pink, one thing’s for sure: Olivia Julianna is a force, and she’s just getting started.