About

   Hi, my upbringing began with a childhood marked by sexual violence and a struggle to assimilate, intensified by explicit racial discrimination. My mom, to protect us, kept details about our culture fairly private. My earliest years were spent in what we called "the jungle"—not for its beauty or lushness, but because it was truly about survival. It was around that age that I also became a survivor of sexual violence.

   My teenage years included two suicide attempts and heavy drinking, earning me the label “disruptive, defiant hooligan”– and honestly, those descriptions fit me. Looking back now, with everything I've learned, it's clear that it felt simpler to just lean into the role people gave me than to try and convince someone in authority that they had me all wrong. This is about the time my brother became paralyzed.

   My path to healing and self-discovery started with rock climbing, where I met Zo, a pivotal figure in my life. Subsequent jobs exposed me to racial discrimination and sexual harassment despite the gentrification of my personality. On the upside, one of these jobs led me to David Oliver, who became my best friend and taught me about genuine friendship and love. Throughout these experiences, I grappled with feelings of inadequacy and not belonging, fueling my suicidal ideation.

   In my mid-twenties, Oliver, my service dog, supported me through a serious injury and suicide attempt, prompting me to address my mental health. My injury led to a pivot in my career choice, which in turn prompted me to start a dog business and take a back-to-school class. This experience ultimately led me to confront my cultural abandonment, driven by a desire to assimilate, and later reconnect with my heritage through a Spanish professor.

   A tumultuous pregnancy became a catalyst for learning about parenting and child development, particularly the value of role-playing. Moving to New Mexico, I continued to face racism. Still, I gained an understanding of implicit bias and cultural competency through Jamie and our work with Strong in Nature, which led me to consider consent-based parenting. This, in turn, helped me develop a consent-based approach to teaching rock climbing.

    I emphasize the heightened vulnerability of sexual violence survivors to re-assault and advocate for teaching children to recognize grooming signs. My work with children revealed the marginalization of their voices and unhealthy boundaries perpetuated by adults, leading me to champion open, “hard” conversations and critical analysis skills for children.

    Extensive therapy for my attachment style enabled me to find a healthy relationship and accept love, even as it paradoxically led to a decline in my physical health. This decline, however, prompted my return to education, art, and a profound reconnection with my culture and identity, realizing that my lack of identity and belonging significantly contributed to my suicidal ideation.

   Ultimately, my diverse experiences—from childhood trauma to self-discovery and cultural reclamation—have shaped my approach as a parent, a person of color, and an educator, particularly in my advocacy for cultural representation and identity as crucial components of mental health first aid and addiction prevention.