Sophia Mai was born and raised in Minnesota. She graduated with a Bachelor of Art in Psychology with a concentration of Women and Gender Studies from St. Olaf College. She served for Americorps for 2 years teaching underrepresented students in Minneapolis public school which inspired her passion for advocating educational equity. She worked for more than 5 years in the education field with diverse students ranging from low income students to students with learning disabilities. She hopes to hone her problem solving and leadership skills to help underrepresented students pursue education by removing barriers that hinder their personal growth such as food insecurities and housing.