Sonja Diaz is a civil rights attorney and policy advisor renowned for her pioneering work in advancing equitable representation and opportunities for Latinas. As the Co-Founder of the Latina Futures, 2050 Lab, she champions a vision where Latinas have equal access to leadership roles, contributing to a thriving society for all. With a keen focus on addressing the glaring underrepresentation of Latinas in legal academia and influential positions, Diaz orchestrated a multifaceted inquiry aimed at exploring contemporary legal and advocacy challenges through a Latina lens. Notable initiatives under her leadership include the Transforming the Nation Through Law and Policy Symposium and the publication of the Latina Futures volume in the UCLA Chicanx-Latinx Law Review. Moreover, she has been instrumental in fostering a multi-generational leadership pipeline for Latina scholars, attorneys, and policy advocates, shaping the future landscape of leadership in civil rights and policy.

Prior to her groundbreaking work with the Latina Futures, 2050 Lab, Diaz co-founded and directed the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute, the first comprehensive think tank within the University of California system dedicated to addressing the policy needs of the nation’s second-largest racial/ethnic group—Latinos. Over the span of seven years, she cultivated a dynamic research environment that attracted the largest concentration of Latina/o/x policy experts in any major research-1 university in the nation. Through her leadership, the Institute spearheaded public-facing research across diverse policy areas, including health, democracy, economic opportunity, immigrant rights, and criminal justice. Diaz’s stewardship resulted in securing over $40 million in extramural support, enabling the institute to undertake critical applied policy research projects amidst significant societal challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, electoral cycles, environmental degradation, and escalating racial and ethnic inequalities.

Diaz’s influence extends beyond academia, as she routinely advises state legislators and local elected officials across the United States on evidence-based governance and emerging trends in domestic policy. Through strategic collaborations with organizations such as the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials and the California Latino Legislative Caucus, she has facilitated unique information-sharing channels, bridging the gap between scholarly research and actionable policy solutions. Her expertise has been sought at various levels of government, where she has provided expert testimony on issues ranging from voting rights to immigration reform and the status of Latina workers in California. Additionally, Diaz’s research and commentary have garnered attention in major news outlets, including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, NBC, NPR, Politico, and Univision. She is a prominent on-air political analyst, regularly contributing her insights on electoral politics to platforms such as NBC Los Angeles, KTLA 5, and Spectrum News.

Before her academic leadership roles, Diaz served as policy counsel to Vice President Kamala D. Harris during her tenure as California Attorney General. She also played a pivotal role in directing voter protection programs in Virginia during the crucial 2016 election. Diaz’s academic journey is firmly rooted in public education, holding a J.D. from UC Berkeley’s School of Law, a M.P.P. from UCLA’s Luskin School of Public Affairs, and a B.A. in politics from UC Santa Cruz. Recognized for her exceptional leadership and scholarship, she was a University of Michigan Public Policy & International Affairs fellow, valedictorian of People for the American Way’s Frontline Leaders Academy, and LatCrit’s unanimous student scholar awardee for her paper on Latino voting rights. Currently, Diaz serves on the Board of Directors of LatinoJustice PRLDEF, the Regional Advisory Committee of Southern California Public Radio, and previously held the position of vice chair of the 2021 Los Angeles City Council Redistricting Commission.