Whether it was grabbing spicy chips at La Michoacana in Chicago, singing at her family’s church or turning her kitchen into a “‘Cake Boss’ showdown,” Britney Perez had a way of turning ordinary moments into joyful memories.
“Always find the joy in little things” was one of many mantras she lived by, according to her childhood friend Madison Padilla.
Britney’s light, friends and family said, was the kind that illuminated every space she entered.
“Every single place she went, she made a community there, and she left a mark,” Padilla said. “And now, from all parts of the country, we all see and acknowledge (that).”
Ahead of what would’ve been Britney’s 21st birthday — Nov. 3 — The Daily spoke with the individuals in Britney’s orbit, from those who shaped her upbringing in Texas to the friends and communities she built as a Northwestern student, to remember who she was and the lasting impression she left on so many lives after her passing last February.
‘A best friend to everyone’
Britney came from a loving family of five: her parents, Juan and Sonia Perez, and her two older siblings, Wendy Daniel and Johnny Perez.
“She was like a best friend to everyone,” Daniel said, explaining that this was true not just for her family, but also for strangers and anyone she met. She said she felt so lucky to have been inspired and touched by someone like her sister.
Her parents said Britney brought a playful and free spirit to the family. She would often go on road trips with them, where they played car games and sang their favorite song, “Hasta la Raíz” by Mexican singer Natalia Lafourcade, at the top of their lungs.
Her brother-in-law, Matthew Daniel, saw that same energy in how she connected with people beyond the family. He described her as a “nucleus” in many people’s lives and said she naturally brought others together.
“She was phenomenal at always making sure that everyone had space, whether it was in the family or in her friend groups,” Matthew Daniel said.
He recalled a lunch where they bonded over their similar personalities and how he was able to witness a more grown-up version of Britney, someone confidently stepping into the next chapter of her life.
Johnny Perez, 10 years older than his sister, said it was special to see how quickly she became a “go-getter” as she grew up, the type of person who set her mind to something and made it happen.
He added that Britney always surprised him by picking up new skills and hobbies that would often take other people years to learn.
“Very quickly it became one of those things where I looked up to my younger sibling and her work ethic,” Johnny Perez said.
Britney’s family said her Christian faith was central to her life. She was actively involved at Lakewood Church in Houston, not far from where she grew up in Sugar Land, Texas. Britney choreographed dances for the church’s drama productions, assisted with the Spanish kids ministry and sang in the worship services.
Her childhood pastors, Sandy Garcia and Luis López, described Britney as having a “heart for God and worship,” noting that she brought the same faith-driven energy and joy she showed at church to other aspects of her life.
Her parents said that her favorite Bible verse, and the one that guided her the most, was Galatians 5:14, teaching to “love your neighbor as yourself.”
That faith and outlook, her family added, stayed with her into her college years.
‘Born to make big things happen’
Britney, a first-generation college student who grew up in a Mexican American household, wholeheartedly embraced her culture. Johnny Perez said she was never ashamed of where she came from and “wore who she was with pride.”
One of the leadership roles she took on while growing up was the role of student ambassador for Conoce tus Opciones Escolares, a program within the National School Choice Awareness Foundation that educates parents on K-12 school opportunities for their children.
“She was very dedicated to speaking for people that couldn’t speak for themselves or didn’t have a platform,” said Ashley Perez, her sister-in-law.
That dedication and drive carried into her leadership roles at KIPP Houston High School. Ashley Perez described Britney as exceptional in everything she accomplished. In high school, she served as cheer manager, men’s basketball manager, dance team co-captain and student body president.
Ashley Perez recalled attending Britney’s graduation and said she’s never seen a group of people “more proud of or excited” for anybody as the audience was for Britney.
“Everyone knew (that) she’s the one that’s gonna go take over the world,” Ashley Perez said. “She just always had that capacity and energy.”
Britney’s teachers said her ambition was clear from a young age.
Minhtam Trinh, who taught Britney from sixth to eighth grade at KIPP Academy West, described her as an “outstanding student with maturity beyond her years,” someone who radiated positivity and encouraged those around her. She said Britney was the kind of student who pursued her dreams fearlessly and “was born to make big things happen.”
Her high school teacher, Crystal Martinez, remembered “thinking how special she was from day one” of teaching her, adding that she was always amazed by Britney’s ability to stay involved in so many extracurriculars while maintaining a high GPA.
‘Already found (her) people’
When it came time to apply to colleges, Britney’s friends and teachers alike expected that her drive would lead her to a prestigious university. Her hometown friend Gerald Rios said she had always been so focused on her studies, noting that “everyone knew how smart she was.”
In the fall of her senior year, Britney won the $40,000 BigFuture Scholarship from College Board. She then got into NU via early decision.
Rios said NU seemed like the perfect place for her, where she could thrive in a close-knit environment and “touch more people’s hearts.” Within just a day and a half of arriving, Britney told him she had “already found (her) people.”
Her family remembered how excited she was to be at NU and near a big city she could explore. Britney and her friends took full advantage of that opportunity, heading downtown for food adventures — sampling Korean barbecue, Mexican snack foods and seafood boils.
One of her favorite spots, according to SESP junior Erica Salazar, her sophomore year roommate, friend and fellow Texan, was Chicago’s La Michoacana, where they often stopped for study breaks.
“Britney was more into the spicy things, and I was more into the sweet things,” Salazar said, reminiscing about their frequent orders of fresas con crema, chicharrones with salsa Valentina and paletas mexicanas. “We would never hold back.”
Britney also bonded over food and cultural roots with one of her first friends at NU, Weinberg junior Comfort Opafola.
Within hours of knowing each other, they were already exploring Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood, eating and discovering the city together. According to Opafola, they “just did life together.”
Opafola, who is Nigerian American, said Britney had done Nigerian dances in high school and loved to reference obscure songs in their back-and-forth conversations. She said Britney was “obsessed” when Opafola spoke Spanish and communicated with the Perez family.
“I’d barely known her (for) a week, and she was already showing me how Nigerian she was,” Opafola said.
‘Always taking charge’
At NU, Britney studied learning sciences, sociology and business institutions, and was heavily passionate about education, said friend and McCormick junior Kun Park.
“She had her curiosities everywhere,” Park said. “Whatever she was curious about, she was very passionate about it as well, and she always pursued (it).”
From the moment she stepped on campus, she found ways to celebrate and share her cultural identity.
Britney brought her love for both her culture and dance to Dale Duro Latin Dance Company, where she served as assistant director her sophomore year and choreographed multiple dances for their annual spring show.
“She was a star dancer,” said SESP junior Noah Molina, a friend and Dale Duro member. “Her personality didn’t fade when she was dancing.”
Britney extended her cultural advocacy beyond the dance floor through her involvement in Alianza, NU’s Latine student alliance. According to Weinberg junior and Alianza Co-President Natalia Rene, Perez was always the first to volunteer to help out in the club and represented Alianza in the Associated Student Government.
As a senator, she helped draft legislation addressing key student issues, including one that urged NU to better support undocumented students, which ended up passing through the Senate. Britney also served as resource coordinator for the Advancement for the Undocumented Community.
“She was always taking charge and trying to solve not just her own community problems, but everyone’s problems because she felt like we were all one community,” said Weinberg junior and ASG co-President Jamal Omoniyi.
McCormick junior Diego Oliva, who worked alongside Britney in ASG, said she put a lot of effort into advocating for change across different communities.
He said she brightened his time in the governing body, knowing that as soon as he walked through the ASG doors, he was going to be able to laugh and enjoy his time with Britney.
“It became something I looked forward to every Wednesday,” Oliva said.
As a student in the School of Education and Social Policy, Britney brought her passion to “educational justice” as well as “converting” multiple friends to transfer into the school.
SESP Prof. Shirin Vossoughi, who taught Britney in SESP’s Leadership Institute, worked with her through the Emerging Scholars Program in Summer 2024, a 15-month grant program for first-years interested in research.
She called Britney a “natural educator” and an “intellectual powerhouse” who brought playfulness into the classroom. Britney also conducted research with Vossoughi to find ways to make college-level STEM education more accessible to students of color.
“Intellectually, politically, educationally imaginative (are words) that I would use for Britney, and it was contagious,” Vossoughi said.
Britney also served as a student manager for NU’s women’s basketball team. During the team’s first postgame press conference on March 2, former players Melannie Daley and Caileigh Walsh pointed to the bright, infectious energy and joy Britney brought to the team.
Women’s Basketball Head Coach Joe McKeown described Britney as a “ray of sunshine” during the press conference. He shared that she often made him laugh, and they would talk about her days playing high school basketball, joking that he would put her in practice one day.
McKeown mentioned the Evening of Remembrance held at Sheil Catholic Center in honor of Britney, noting that many students from the NU community showed up.
“Somebody that had such an impact on so many people at such a young age, you also have to celebrate her life too,” McKeown said. “That’s something we want to do as a team.”
‘The seeds she planted’
Britney’s presence continues to linger in the lives of those she touched.
Her hometown friend, Daniel Medina, said they were “two peas in a pod,” noting her rare ability to make everyone feel cared for.
“Not everybody can make everybody feel so included like she did and make everybody feel so special like she did,” Medina said. “If you had a conversation with her, it felt like it was just you and her and like (you’ve known) her forever.”
Amy Diaz, a childhood friend, said she was inspired by Britney’s ability to encourage happiness in other people’s lives, even if she was facing struggles of her own.
“‘It’s eventually going to get better. Keep your head up,’” Diaz recalled Britney telling her.
Diaz said the positivity Britney encouraged in others came from the energy she carried herself. She was constantly smiling and laughing, something Diaz said was her favorite thing about Britney.
That light touched many, including Axel Sanchez, who met Britney in high school and was close to her. He said she taught him many things, from what it meant to love to finding ambition and strengthening his faith. But above all, he said he’ll never forget the brightness she maintained wherever she went.
“I’ll always remember her smile,” Sanchez said. “That’s something I’ll always carry with me.”
On the NU campus, many communities honored Britney throughout the 2024-2025 school year.
Her life was celebrated in countless ways: A dedication at Dale Duro’s “Mensajes de Amor” spring show, an elaborate ofrenda set up in the Multicultural Center and an additional memorial event at Norris University Center.
Juan Perez said the first thing his daughter showed him on campus was The Rock, a time-honored NU tradition. After her passing, he said seeing so many students and organizations paint their love for her on The Rock filled him with pride.
In the months after her passing, her family stayed close to her mentors and friends from high school and NU. Sonia Perez said their daughter left them with so many new “children,” whose acts of love continue to honor her memory.
“(Those connections) bring us comfort because we know that those are the seeds she planted in the hearts of each one of her friends,” Juan Perez said. “Those are the seeds that are blossoming, that are bearing fruit at this time.”
Editor’s note: Some interviews in this story were conducted in Spanish and have been translated to English for clarity and readability.
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