Abdi Lopez is a rising 2L at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University and serves as Director of the Phoenix Chapter of the Association of Professionals and Students (APS Phoenix), a nonprofit dedicated to empowering underserved Arizona communities through education, leadership training, and advocacy. In this role, Abdi has led advocacy campaigns supporting immigrant families, organized community “Know Your Rights” forums, and collaborated with consular offices and legal professionals to combat civil rights violations, including family separations.

Additionally, Abdi serves as a communications strategist for the William E. Morris Institute for Justice, a civil rights organization advocating for the rights of low-income Arizonans. Her commitment to justice and equity is deeply informed by her own upbringing in Arizona as the daughter of immigrant farmworkers from the Sonoran Desert.

Abdi was recently appointed to the State of Oregon Latino/a/x and Indigenous Student Success Advisory Group, where she advises on policy development and equity-focused initiatives designed to uplift historically underserved student populations.

This summer, she is participating in professional advocacy and policy programs sponsored by the Federal Communications Bar Association and the Hispanic National Bar Association. She is also preparing a proposal for the Judiciary Committee focused on removing barriers to economic resources for underserved inventors and entrepreneurs.

Inspired by Bryan Stevenson’s assertion that “the opposite of poverty is not wealth, but justice,” Abdi aims to leverage her legal education toward a career in public service and government. Her ultimate goal is to ensure equitable access to policy resources, opportunities, and justice for immigrant and marginalized communities.