Aztec Network: Alumni Stories | Episode 17 - Ilima-Lei Macfarlane ('13, '14)
Born and raised on Oʻahu, Ilima-Lei Macfarlane (‘13, ‘14) always knew she wanted to explore life beyond the island. So when it came time to choose a college, she decided on San Diego State University, as she felt the school offered her both a quality education and the chance to experience a new community that would eventually become home.
Ilima’s lifelong curiosity about people and cultures drew her to major in anthropology. While waiting for her graduate program at SDSU to begin, Ilima decided to join a CrossFit and MMA gym near campus, and what started as a summer fitness goal quickly turned into something more.
With encouragement from her peers and professors, Ilima began competing as an MMA fighter while pursuing her degree full-time. She credits SDSU for not only supporting her academically but also for giving her the space to explore an unexpected passion that would become her calling.
MMA soon became more than a sport to Ilima, but a platform to shine light on causes she deeply cares about, particularly those affecting Indigenous communities. What she studied at SDSU, issues surrounding culture, identity, and indigenous rights, informed her mission both inside and outside the cage.
In 2017, she founded Women Warriors, an organization inspired by her fighting career and dedicated to addressing the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. The foundation works with tribes across San Diego County to teach self-defense, provide scholarships for Indigenous girls, and empower Native women to break cycles of violence.
As the first Native Hawaiian to win a championship belt in MMA, Ilima has blazed a trail for others to follow. She remains connected to SDSU, supporting Aztec athletics and hosting self-defense workshops on campus to continue her legacy of empowerment.