Meet Peren

I have been living in and serving Lake Oswego since I was thirteen years old. 

Like many families, mine moved here to give me a chance at the best possible education. Both in and beyond the classroom, however, I learned the importance of supporting our community. 

When I first began to speak out about gun violence, the teachers at Lakeridge High School helped me learn to find my voice, listen to my peers, and share our needs with the community. Many of them Lakeridge alum themselves, they showed me the power of supporting one another as we build the best future for all of us. 

Eventually, this led me to starting the first Students Demand Action chapter in Oregon, linking Lake Oswego with a powerful national movement and gaining skills that have shaped me as an effective leader who listens well and acts with strategy and intention.

While I learned to find my voice at school, the people I met through volunteer work with the City of Lake Oswego taught me the practical impacts of using my voice for community building and leading in my own home town. Serving on the Youth Leadership Council allowed me to learn how the local government works, and how the daily lives of all Lake Oswego residents are impacted by city policy and action. 

Since then, I have worked on local, statewide, and national levels to make change, advocating for gun violence prevention policy, reproductive justice, and a future free from racism, queerphobia, and hate. I have also developed a strong passion and platform advocating for affordable housing, accessible transportation, and good jobs for all current and future Lake Oswego residents.