She went to Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff. However, before she graduated from high school she was involved with "social justice" causes. The local liberal arts college, Prescott College, no doubt had an influence on her while she was growing up. It's homepage has as it's goal and motto in bold type: "For the Liberal Arts, the Environment, & Social Justice."
I have relatives in Prescott, and I have visited many times. Prescott College is known as “the hippie college” around those parts. You can spot its student body around town, because they are the white kids with dreadlocks, walking around barefoot, with arms full of poorly done tattoos.