Tonga Victoria is a first-generation Tongan-American, born and raised in East Palo Alto. After graduating from University of Redlands with a Degree in Race and Ethnic Studies, she jumpstarted her community organizing career by running for East Palo Alto’s City Council. Despite losing, Tonga Victoria went on to serve EPA youth at several non-profits including One East Palo Alto, College Track and Live In Peace. Then, in Los Angeles, she served as the Leadership Development Manager for Empowering Pacific Islander Communities, a national non-profit promoting social justice. In 2019, in Tonga, Tonga Victoria was the Communications Director for Tonga Trust (MORDI). After a year, she returned to be Project Manager for the Get Involved Foundation, Behavior Analyst for Palo Alto Unified School District, and Housing Organizer for Youth United for Community Action while publishing her first novel, YA Urban Fiction book Hyphen American (Book 1 of a trilogy).