Lourdes was born in Puerto Rico. She moved to Eugene, Oregon in 1985 with her family. Lourdes graduated from Churchill High School with Honors. She then attended the University of Oregon graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Economics. While attending college, Lourdes worked summers for the Looking Glass Summer Youth Employment Program. After college, Lourdes attended the University of Oregon School of Law from 1994-1997. The first two years of law school, Lourdes worked as a law clerk at Lane County Legal Aid. In the summer of 1996, Lourdes worked as an assistant law clerk for the honorable Justice Edward N. Fadeley, of the Oregon Supreme Court. In 1997, Lourdes obtained a Doctorate in Jurisprudence and passed the Oregon State Bar examination. After law school, Lourdes worked for the honorable Gregory Foote, Lane County Circuit Court Judge.