A Journey Toward Justice

For much of Olivia Mendoza’s life, becoming a lawyer seemed impossible. Becoming one of Colorado's most influential legal advocates was beyond anything she could have imagined.

Growing up in Brighton, Colorado, as the daughter of Mexican immigrants, Mendoza always admired the legal profession but never saw it as a realistic path for herself.

“I was undocumented my whole childhood, so being a lawyer was something I had no idea how to navigate—and no one around me knew how to navigate,” she says. “So, I just kind of tucked it away.”

Instead, Mendoza focused on the opportunities before her. Always an excellent student, she was recruited by Drake University and received a full scholarship to study business. Her goal, she says, was to lift herself out of poverty.

Eventually, though, the values her family and community had instilled in her would lead her to reconsider what was possible.

“The way I grew up, the people around you are the priority,” she says. "You do your work and engage in the world through a lens of helping others, not self-interest. Forming my sense of identity through that lens of community has shaped my whole career.”

Determined to use her education for the greater good, she earned a master’s degree in public administration and began a career advocating for Latino communities.

For Mendoza, that work was deeply personal. The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 had allowed her to pursue her education, and becoming a citizen at 21 only strengthened her resolve. “I realized there were people out there who didn't even know me advocating for immigration reform that had completely changed the trajectory of my life. That burned in my heart.”

She went on to lead community-focused nonprofits, serve as director of the Minority Business Office at the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade, and direct strategic partnerships for the Latino Leadership Institute.

While she was the executive director for the Colorado Latino Leadership, Advocacy, and Research Organization (CLLARO), Mendoza found herself in a courtroom as the lead organizational plaintiff in a lawsuit challenging Colorado's redistricting map. Sitting through the two-week trial, she had another life-changing realization.

“I looked at all those attorneys and thought, ‘I can do this.’ It was the first time I could actually picture myself in their place.”

Around the same time, while serving as a non-attorney on Colorado's Supreme Court Nominating Commission, Mendoza mentioned her long-held interest in law school to then-Chief Justice Michael Bender, who encouraged her to connect with DU.

At first, she dismissed the idea—she had an established career, a husband, two children, and a full life already in motion. But she kept thinking about it and, instead of trying to map out her entire future, she decided to take one step at a time.

“I told myself, if the conversation with my family feels right, then we move to the next step. If I do well on the LSAT, then we go to the step after that,” she says. “It helped me acknowledge that I was the only thing standing in my way.”

Finding her footing

Mendoza applied to the Sturm College of Law and received the Chancellor’s Scholarship. The full-tuition award reflected her work ethic and commitment to public service while making it possible for her to attend as a full-time student.

As she started classes, Mendoza quickly realized law school would be one of the hardest things she'd ever done—but not just because of the workload.

“The long hours, the studying, the competitive environment—I expected all that,” she says. “But I was taken aback by how much inequality is embedded and codified in our legal system. It was eye-opening, and sometimes heartbreaking, to study the law.”

The experience deepened the commitment to justice that had guided her for years. Just as important, she says, she found a community of classmates, professors, and mentors who supported her every step of the way.

“They really saw me for who I was and who I wanted to be,” she says. “We didn’t always approach the law the same way, but we came together to explore how it impacts our communities, knowing we carried an immense amount of responsibility.”

After graduating in 2019, Mendoza took her commitment to advocacy to the national stage. At the National Redistricting Foundation in Washington, D.C., she served first as Colorado state director before eventually becoming director of litigation and policy. In that role, she led the foundation’s efforts to combat gerrymandering and defend the voting rights of historically marginalized communities, including in the landmark 2023 Supreme Court case Allen v. Milligan.

Coming full circle

Late last year, another unexpected opportunity arrived when a family member spotted a job posting for executive director of the ACLU of Colorado and encouraged her to consider it.

At first, Mendoza brushed it aside. But after learning more about the position, she realized it brought together everything she had spent years preparing to do: “It was the perfect culmination of all my years of experience, both before and after law school. I didn't want to miss the opportunity.”

In February, Mendoza became the ACLU of Colorado's first Latina executive director. Her overarching goal is to build on the organization's legacy of protecting and defending civil rights and liberties while expanding its reach.

“The ACLU is an institution that I’ve always looked up to from afar,” she says. “My priority is to take all the great work we do in litigation, education, and advocacy, and elevate it and expand it to every corner of the state. There’s a lot happening in terms of challenges to civil rights, and I want to make sure we’re nimble enough to meet the moment.”

Looking back, the path that once seemed impossible took shape one step at a time. Throughout her career, Mendoza has followed opportunities that align with her values and allow her to make the greatest impact, rather than pursuing a particular title or position.

“I never imagined I’d be where I am today. I try not to focus on what comes next, but on who we’re doing this for and why we’re doing it,” she says. “Practicing law is a privilege, and I have a responsibility to my family and my community to use that privilege to make the law work for those who need it most.”

To learn more about Mendoza’s journey and achievements, watch her 2023 DU Law Stars video.