I’m a third culture kid.

I grew up a dreamer in the Appalachian Mountains of Maryland in a mixed-culture family. My mother having immigrated from Colombia to pursue the American Dream, she instilled in me a can-do attitude and unfaltering optimism. My father, a native Appalachian, gave me a deep appreciation for nature and love for the arts. Both my parents ingrained in me a sense of worthiness and hard work, qualities I will always thank them for.

In my youth, I often found myself yearning to connect more deeply with my latinx ancestry, while at the same time feeling at home in the Appalachian land my ancestors settled decades ago. In navigating culture codes, language barriers and family spread long distances, I learned to embrace every part of myself instead of choosing pieces to present to the world. I now view my existence as a defiance of stereotypes + conduit for change.

Through my work, I strive to make people of diverse backgrounds feel seen + heard.