Oceana studied abroad in Russia for one year.  As a McNair Scholar, she researched and wrote a rigorous paper exploring race and othering in 19th century Russia which was published in The Birch, Columbia University’s undergraduate journal.  She interned with U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer.  A committed student activist, Oceana co-founded and coordinated DreamGirls: A Black Woman Support Group. She is an alumna of the Public Policy and International Affairs Association summer institute.  She earned a master’s degree in Public Policy at UCLA. Oceana currently works in Los Angeles at a non-profit that addresses disparities that disproportionately affect marginalized, low-income communities of color.