California 95.23%
District of Columbia 2.51%
Arizona 0.52%
Illinois 0.31%
Ohio 0.31%
Tennessee 0.31%
Other 0.80%
Luz was raised in the Northeast San Fernando Valley by a single mother who cleaned bathrooms at a hospital in Lakeview Terrace. The family rented a room in a house, and later lived in a converted garage and back houses in Pacoima, San Fernando and Arleta. Her mother took night classes to learn English and office skills, and ultimately got a new job.
As a fifth grader at Telfair Elementary in Pacoima, Luz became interested in technology and engineering when her teacher taught her class how to program an Apple IIe computer. That's when she knew that she loved technology. At Pacoima Middle School, she continued learning about computer science, and at San Fernando High School, she enrolled in a state program that helped students excel in math and science and go on to college in these fields. She was encouraged by her math teacher to apply to MIT and she was admitted with a full scholarship. Initially, Luz was nervous about leaving her family and friends in the San Fernando Valley, but after visiting the campus she fell in love with the school and four years later, Luz graduated with a degree in Electrical Engineering.
After working as an Electrical Engineer at Motorola, Luz's passion to get kids interested in science and technology led her to earn a Masters of Education from Harvard University. After graduating, she returned to the Valley, and in 2011, Luz founded DIY Girls, a nonprofit based in the Valley that encourages girls to become interested in science and technology. Since 2012, the program has served over 2000 girls from grades 4-12, helping them develop skills as engineering and designers. DIY Girls also works with partner schools throughout the Northeast Valley to create new science and technology programs. Luz has helped set thousands of young women on the path towards economic empowerment, independence, and self-confidence.
Most recently, Luz served as a City of Los Angeles Public Works Commissioner where she continued her gender equity work. In that capacity she worked on events to help women-owned businesses compete for city contracts. She also led a recruitment initiative for women engineers in Public Works by reaching out to groups like the Society of Women Engineers to increase the number of women applicants.
