Bio
Astrid Bennett Gutiérrez is the Executive Director of Los Angeles Pregnancy Services and has over 20 years’ experience helping women choose life in Los Angeles’ abortion ground zero. She is the Founder of The VIDA Initiative, an organization that trains and activates leaders for the pro-life movement. Astrid collaborated with the Los Angeles Archdiocese to train Hispanic Respect Life leaders for the parishes for eleven years.
Astrid was a co-host for many years for EWTN’s The Catholic View for Women, and more recently, cohosted the Spanish version of the show, Ellas lo Dicen. She is also the co-anchor for EWTN’s Spanish-language coverage of the National March for Life. She has also appeared on Fox News, CNN Español, Univision and NBC-affiliate Telemundo discussing pro-life issues with the Spanish-language community. Astrid has presented at conferences nationally and internationally on pro-life issues as they relate to the Latino community in the U.S. She is currently studying a Master’s Degree in Theology with an emphasis on Bioethics from Holy Apostles College and Seminary.
Astrid is currently hosting her own podcast entitled The VIDA Podcast with Astrid Bennet Gutierrez, to help bridge the gap between the pro-life movement and catechesis on pro-life and pro-family issues and the Latino community, in both English and Spanish. She is also honored to be a mentor for Students for Life of America’s Wilberforce Fellowship Mentorship program.
When majoring in European Studies at UCLA, Astrid envisioned her education would lead to a teaching career, with summers free to be spent traveling in Europe. She never imagined she would be showing up for work every day in the same impoverished, rough and tumble neighborhood she lived in as a child. “Whatever plans I thought I had for myself went out the window when my eyes were opened to the wanton taking of innocent life through abortion,” recalls Astrid. “I knew I had to get off the sidelines and do what I could to save innocent lives and provide aid and comfort to women facing crisis pregnancies.”