Eliana Atienza, a University of Pennsylvania sophomore, recently made headlines by claiming she was left “homeless” after being removed from campus for her involvement in an anti-Israel protest.

Atienza, who is the daughter of a prominent and wealthy Filipino family, has become a focal point in discussions about the influence of elite liberal educational institutions and their potential impact on students from affluent backgrounds.

Atienza, 19, told the Philadelphia Inquirer that she had no one to turn to in the United States after being expelled from her dormitory in early May.

Her father, Kim Atienza, is a well-known media personality in the Philippines, frequently showcasing his luxurious lifestyle online.

Her mother, Felicia Atienza, is an alumna of the Wharton School of Business and has held executive positions at several international schools.

The Atienza family often shares glimpses of their wealth on social media, featuring posts about their extensive motorcycle collection, first-class travel experiences, and interactions with celebrities.

Despite Eliana’s claims of destitution, her social media indicates she has traveled to places such as Antarctica, Alaska, and Paris. The average tuition fee at UPenn ranges from $80,000 to over $100,000. The teenager has since locked her Instagram account.

In an interview with KYW Newsradio, Eliana Atienza reiterated her plight, stating, “I don’t have any family to go back home to here,” after UPenn administrators suspended her and five other students on May 9, the New York Post reported.

The group had set up an encampment on campus to protest Israel’s actions following the deadly October 7 attack by Hamas. Police dismantled the encampment the next day.

Eliana’s involvement in the protests, including her participation in negotiations with UPenn administrators and her association with Fossil Free Penn, which supports divesting from fossil fuel companies and opposes the Israeli occupation, has attracted considerable media attention.

Kim Atienza has spoken out in support of his daughter, emphasizing that she is not pro-Hamas and describing her as “vocal about what she believes in,” according to ABS-CBN News.

“In this instance she’s part of the organization that is anti-genocide and anti-war,” Atienza said. 

Atienza claimed her daughter was taken out of content. “She was technically homeless because she was removed from her dorm. Unfortunately, that message was taken out of context. She never said she was poor,” he added.

He clarified that her claim of homelessness referred to being removed from her dorm, not to financial poverty, and stated that she faced academic sanctions but was not expelled.