Q&A:
-What’s your long-term motivation or vision? What drives you?
All the experience I’ve gained, and am currently gaining, is to serve as an environmental educator to promote environmental literacy and empower youth to become environmental stewards in their communities.
-What place or memory do you value the most from your childhood?
Spending my entire summer in Chalatenango, El Salvador. After graduating from elementary school, I spent two months in El Salvador to meet our extended family and explore the community my dad grew up in. El Salvador is one of the most beautiful countries I’ve had the privilege to visit.
-How do you prefer to use your free time?
There are only a few things in this world that I enjoy above all else, one of which is grabbing a good book, packing some snacks, and heading to a local park to read. Now that I live and work in new areas, I also spend most of my time visiting local bookstores, libraries, museums, eateries, parks, thrift shops, and attending community events.
-What’s one area of knowledge or learning you wish you had more time to study?
Despite receiving a degree in environmental science, I never fully developed a green thumb. All the plants I’ve adopted have mainly been drought-tolerant plants, which normally thrive in dry conditions and neglect. I would love to free up some time in my schedule to learn everything related to plants, from the millions of microorganisms in the soil to the genetics f plants. I am now slowly reading Teaming with Microbes: The Organic Gardener’s Guide to the Soil Food Web by Jeff Lowenfels and Wayne Lewis, to learn more about growing healthy plants without the use of chemicals.
-What keeps you whole?
This is simple: family, self-care, and healthy eating
Quick Takes:
-Favorite cuisine:
Mexican American: green enchiladas (absolute favorite dish)
-Favorite book:
At the moment: Gold Fame Citrus by Claire Vaye Watkins
-Dream car:
Tesla (for the HEPA air filtration system)
–Favorite movie/TV show:
Parks and Recreation (The Office is a close second)
-Three characteristics you value in others:
Honesty, open-mindedness, compassion