UF Center for Latin American Studies
Kissimmee, FL
Currently pursuing a B.A. in international studies and a B.A. Portuguese, with minors in economics and Latin American studies at the University of Florida
Sustainable urbanism; asset-based community development; feminization of poverty; socio-political movements; political economy; economic development
Growing up in a multicultural household with Spanish as the primary language, I developed a deep appreciation for linguistic and cultural diversity. Often, I traveled often to Ecuador and Puerto Rico to visit both sides of my family, and, although at the time I did not know what it meant to study economics or development, I knew that I wanted to learn more about the world as a whole and about the world in which my parents grew up. This foundation led me to pursue a degree in International Studies at the University of Florida, where I learned Portuguese. The summer after my first year of undergraduate studies at UF led me to participate in the UF in Rio study abroad program, where I engaged first-hand with the leaders of asset-based community development projects in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This experience ignited my passion for learning about sustainable urbanism and economics in Latin America, ultimately guiding me to the UF MALAS program.
My commitment to linguistic and cultural immersion has been supported by several Foreign Language Area Studies Fellowships awarded for studies in Portuguese. In the summer of 2024, I was awarded another fellowship for the study of Kichwa, a prominent indigenous language, in the Ecuadorian Amazon. I have personally chosen to study languages in addition to my required coursework because I firmly believe that understanding people and their communities requires more than just observation; it necessitates a genuine effort to learn their native languages in order to learn "from," not simply "about."
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