GUEST POST: Students for Life of America (SFLA) is proud to accept amazing students, like sophomore Felipe Avila at The Catholic University of America, into our leadership programs through the National Leaders Collective. For the 2023 – 2024 academic year, Avila will be mentored and given new opportunities through the Student Spokesperson program as he learns advanced strategies for how to be a voice for the Pro-Life Generation in media and communication. Get to know this up-and-coming student leader below:  

(You can also read more about the Student Spokesperson program HERE.) 

Why did Avila join the pro-life movement?  

“Gen Z often adopts a pro-abortion stance to conform with social norms, just as I once did. Yet, I challenged my own misguided convictions to better understand the abortion issue, and in time, I came to recognize cutting-edge advancements in science that reinforce the pro-life position. I’ve made it my mission to advance equitable healthcare by fighting against medical misinformation often disseminated by the abortion industry.”  

How has Avila grown as a leader already?  

Avila began his leadership journey with SFLA as a Public Policy Fellow in 2019, where he spearheaded countless policy projects for nearly three years. He continued his leadership journey as a 2022-2023 Invictus Fellow. He also led his high school pro-life group, ECTA Students for Life, in Nevada for three years before becoming vice president of the SFLA group at Catholic University. He has now led this group in pro-life activism for more than a year. 

Felipe also runs his own pro-life organization, TeenProLifers, that launched a digital campaign in D.C. to close the office of Christie Pitney, a leading trafficker of Chemical Abortion drugs. The campaign resulted in telephone and emails actions.

Some of his accomplishments from just this past year include:  

• Successfully suing his former high school with SFLA’s help for viewpoint discrimination against his SFLA group. 
• Becoming the youngest member to join the board of directors for the National Association of Pro-Life Nurses since its founding in 1973. 

Avila was appointed Director of Digital Media for the National Association of Pro-Life Nurses this year, where he has increased the organization’s engagement on Instagram by more than 1,000%.   

What is Avila most excited about for this year?  

“I am most excited about working alongside other passionate pro-life leaders to create real, meaningful change. I’m thrilled to be delving deeper into the world of communications with SFLA’s Chief Media and Policy Strategist Kristi Hamrick as my mentor.”  

The Student Spokesperson program is just one of NINE different leadership opportunities within the National Leaders Collective. Applications open each January for group leaders of SFLA groups to apply for a year of leadership support and development with SFLA.  

Have questions about which program is the right program for you? Click HERE.