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Olivia Julianna

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Olivia Julianna
Born (2002-11-17) November 17, 2002 (age 22)
EducationUniversity of Houston–Victoria
Occupations
  • Political strategist
  • digital organizer
Political partyDemocratic
HonorsBloomberg 50 Most Influential
TikTok information
Page
Followers722,000
Likes50 million
Substack information
Substackoliviajulianna.substack.com
NewsletterA New Perspective
Followers97,000
TopicsU.S. politics, current events, analysis

Last updated: June 2, 2025

Olivia Julianna (/ˌxliˈɑːnə/; born November 17, 2002[1]) is an American progressive political activist, abortion rights advocate, and strategist from Texas. She was formerly the director of politics and government affairs for Gen-Z for Change, a nonprofit organization focused on civic engagement among Generation Z. Julianna has maintained a significant social media presence to encourage civic participation, especially on issues such as abortion rights, climate change, and LGBTQ+ advocacy. She was named one of the 50 Most Influential People of 2022 by Bloomberg Media.

Early life and education

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Julianna was born and raised in Texas and resides in Houston.[2] For safety reasons, she publicly uses her first and middle names.[3] She identifies as a "queer, plus-size, disabled Latina" and is a fourth-generation Texan of Mexican-American descent.[4] She is a first-generation college student attending the University of Houston–Victoria, where she majors in political science.[5]

Career and activism

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Julianna began posting political content during the 2020 United States presidential election.[4] She gained widespread attention in 2021 when she encouraged people to submit false reports to a Texas Right to Life whistleblower site that enabled anonymous reporting of abortions under the Texas Heartbeat Act. The site was overwhelmed and eventually taken down.[6]

In July 2022, Representative Matt Gaetz mocked Julianna’s appearance during remarks at a Turning Point USA summit.[7] In response, she launched a fundraising campaign that raised more than $2 million for abortion funds across the country.[8]

Gen-Z for Change

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Julianna joined Gen-Z for Change in 2021 and was named Director of Politics and Government Affairs in October 2022.[4] She helped oversee political strategy and youth civic campaigns. She left the organization in August 2023.[9]

2024 election and beyond

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During the 2024 presidential cycle, Julianna mobilized Gen-Z voters in support of Vice President Kamala Harris, appearing in national media and at the Democratic National Convention.[10][11] In February 2025, she announced that she would step back from formal campaign organizing to focus on systemic issues within the Democratic Party and speak more freely as an outside voice.[12] She launched a newsletter and continues to write and comment on progressive politics and youth engagement.

Recognition

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In December 2022, Bloomberg Media named Julianna one of the 50 Most Influential People in the world.[5] She also attended the 2023 State of the Union Address as a guest of Representative Nanette Barragán and confronted Rep. Gaetz at the event.[13]

References

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  1. ^ @0liviajulianna (September 6, 2021). "My 19th birthday is November 17th and I want to spend the month of November raising money for a Texas based non-profit. Does anyone have any suggestions?" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  2. ^ "A teen says she was body-shamed by Rep. Matt Gaetz. She took it as an opportunity". MSNBC. July 27, 2022.
  3. ^ Stengle, Jamie; Ortutay, Barbara (September 7, 2021). "Activists focus on tip site in protesting Texas abortion law". Associated Press.
  4. ^ a b c Dao, Dan Q. (November 3, 2022). "Olivia Julianna Wants to Turn Texas". Paper Magazine.
  5. ^ a b Bass, Dina (December 14, 2022). "Olivia Julianna, the Young Activist Fighting for Abortion Rights". Bloomberg.
  6. ^ "Sugar Land TikTok star helps take down abortion reporting website: 'Fight for women'". ABC13 Houston. September 8, 2021.
  7. ^ Jones, Dustin (July 28, 2022). "A Texas teen raises over $700,000 for abortions after Rep. Matt Gaetz mocked her". NPR.
  8. ^ "She helped raise $2 million for abortion funds by calling out Matt Gaetz: Meet Olivia Julianna, a Gen Z activist who has inspired copycat fundraisers". Business Insider. August 27, 2022.
  9. ^ @genzforchange (September 12, 2023). "Olivia Julianna is not associated with Gen-Z for Change anymore" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  10. ^ "Gen Z activist Olivia Julianna urges young voters to support Harris". NBC News. Retrieved November 17, 2024.
  11. ^ "In DNC appearance, Houston activist Olivia Julianna calls on Gen Z to mobilize". Houston Chronicle. August 22, 2024. Retrieved November 17, 2024.
  12. ^ "Young Democratic social media star, frustrated by campaigns, sees another path to turn Texas blue". The Texas Tribune. February 24, 2025.
  13. ^ Rahman, Khaleda (February 8, 2023). "Matt Gaetz confronted at State of the Union by activist he body-shamed". Newsweek.