As she prepares to graduate from Royal High School in Simi Valley, Lola Forbes-Black has already built an impressive record of advocating for issues she believes in, even when it’s far from easy.
Born and raised in Ventura County to parents who moved from the UK to work in the entertainment industry, Lola has been a Girl Scout for 13 years. “I’m really passionate about the organization and what it does to uplift women and girls in our community to get them involved in helping others.” Her commitment earned her the title of Girl Scout of the Year for the Central Coast region, recognizing her long-standing involvement and her powerful Gold Award project, which focused on LGBTQ+ inclusivity.
Lola’s advocacy is personal. She came out as bisexual in middle school during the COVID pandemic when classes were online. “I faced a lot of discrimination and was bullied to the point of self-harm,” she shares. “I was in a really, really deep, dark place in my life.” That painful chapter galvanized her to work toward positive change. “I realized I never wanted anybody else to feel like I did,” she says. “Even if it’s just one person, it makes me feel a lot better knowing they’re not having to go through what I did, and they can feel a little bit more comfortable in their skin.”
Lola was the president of her school’s Pride Club, co-chaired the Ventura County Pride planning committee, and developed a course for California educators on creating a more inclusive curriculum. Her work led to a coveted seat on the California Department of Education’s LGBTQ+ advisory task force, where she is one of only 20 student voices influencing state policy.
Her impact has not gone unnoticed. Lola holds all three youth Congressional Awards—bronze, silver, and gold—for her service and leadership, becoming the first student at her school to achieve this trifecta. She also received the California Council for the Social Studies’ 2024 Student Award for Equity, Inclusion, and Social Justice. Among the honors Lola holds dearest is the 2024 Woman of the Year Award from the office of Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin, where she served as an intern.
Beyond her public accolades, Lola works as a private math tutor, specializing in helping neurodivergent students. She also offers free tutoring for local low-income families. “Math is one of my passions, and it’s nice to see other people not hate math so much,” she laughs.
Lola’s future is as bright as her present is inspiring. She was awarded a $200,000 scholarship to attend Occidental College in Los Angeles, majoring in politics and math on a pre-law track. Lola says she’s been troubled by the growing attacks on the independence of the nation’s universities. “Education should be at the core of our country. It’s so important that anybody who wants to go to college is able to learn about what they want to learn about – and that should be anything and everything.”
Lola’s ultimate goal? To become a civil rights lawyer, then a judge, and maybe get involved with politics. To other young people who are frustrated by our current political climate, she has a powerful message: “There’s not going to be a change if you just sit around and wait for it. We all need to use our voice and use the anger that you feel to go make a difference.”