Esther Lau

Esther Lau is a junior at Barnard College, double-majoring in Political Science and Urban Studies. Born in Hong Kong, she is a first-generation immigrant and now calls the San Francisco Bay Area home. Driven by her experiences as a former public benefits recipient, Esther is a fervent advocate for socioeconomic equity in her academic and professional endeavors. 

Most notably, she is the co-executive director of What We All Deserve (WWAD), a nationwide youth-led movement for economic justice and basic needs access. Through WWAD, she’s led efforts supporting menstrual equity, food justice, and higher education accessibility. Since its founding, WWAD has introduced six student-written bills in the California and Texas state legislatures, two of which were signed by Governor Gavin Newsom in September 2024. Esther’s work in advocacy has been featured in the Los Angeles Times, KQED, NPR, The Guardian, and CalMatters.

Beyond WWAD, Esther has interned at the US House of Representatives, the National Center for Children in Poverty, New York Lawyers for the Public Interest, and the CUNY Urban Food Policy Institute. She also serves on the board of directors for PERIOD, an international menstrual equity organization. Esther’s work and research have been supported by Columbia University’s Committee on Global Thought, Barnard College’s Williams Program for Women in Politics, and the US Department of State’s Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship. After college, Esther envisions a career that bridges policy research, philanthropy, and social impact to further community-centered policies.