Lauren Bander

is a Rise Arizona Fellow and a junior at the University of Arizona majoring in Global Studies and Political Science (with emphases in Human Rights, Societies, and Social Movements and Foreign Affairs, respectively) and minoring in Spanish. Lauren has lived in Arizona since she was five years old and spent her childhood moving throughout the Phoenix Metropolitan Area. She is passionate about bridging political polarization, social justice issues, international relations, and intercultural communication. In her free time, Lauren enjoys reading, traveling, hanging out with friends, and visiting cat cafes.