I am the proud daughter of a migrant father from El Salvador and a second generation Queer, Mexican-American mother. I identify as a Salvi-Chicanx Woman of Color, which honors my heritage and birthplace. I was born and raised in southern California but now call the Arizona desert my home. I have accumulated a rich tapestry of lived experience while navigating through decades of intergenerational trauma. Growing up in this way has provided me with unique insight into what it’s like to live within several marginalized identities at once. I have made it my mission to use my privilege, education and lived experience to always center those who are the most marginalized in our society. 

I have always been called to acts of service which began when I was in high school. I became the youngest volunteer, at age 15, for a local nonprofit which served as my introduction to the world of nonprofits. My grant writing experience began in 2015 when I enrolled in Arizona State University, where I earned a Bachelor’s degree in Women and Gender Studies with a certificate in LGBTQ Studies. I was the first in my family to graduate high school and college. While attending ASU, I completed an internship with GLSEN Phoenix in their development department that set me on the path to combine my writing with acts of service. I am a writer at heart and began by writing zines in the late 90s, this led to me co-authoring a zine lib guide for Arizona State University (the first of its kind). I have since gone on to continue publishing more zines and I write about them academically and professionally. For the past two years I have been part of the organizing team for the Phx Zine Fest and I have been awarded two consecutive grants from the Arizona Commission on the Arts to fund these amazing fests. I’ve served Southern Arizona through my position as co-chair for the Association of Fundraising Professionals’  IDEA Committee (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, & Access). Currently, I am serving as a Community Advisory Board member for KXCI. 

I happily live a childfree lifestyle with my husband and two rescue cats. My favorite hobby is collecting hobbies. As such, I dabble in embroidery, knitting, painting, sewing, restoring dollhouses, and stamp carving to name a few. If you would like to read about my thoughts on nonprofits and fundraising in general, please visit this link.