I became acquainted with the Chicago Audubon Society through their umbrella organization the Chicago Bird Collision Monitors in the Fall of 2019. An injured pigeon appeared at my front door and through this unfortunate event, I learned of the wonderful network of dedicated volunteers and conservation organizations in the Chicagoland area. I strive to increase my knowledge of birds and bird habitat restoration through hands-on participation and time spent in the field. I volunteer with various orgs including the North Park Village Nature Center where I was tapped to co-lead bilingual bird walks in 2020. I’ve since helped form a bilingual English/Spanish bird walk club, the Avelingües.

I am a Chicago native and first generation Mexican American with roots in the border towns of Eagle Pass, Texas and Piedras Negras, Coahuila. As a computer scientist specializing in the data field, I am no stranger to underrepresentation and intersectionality. I am a natural born birder; I support citizen science. My intentional birding practice is recent, but my love of birds and nature is deeply embedded. I believe through expanding engagement beyond the domains of biology, ecology and the environmental sciences, we can scale the stewardship necessary to protect birds and bird habitat. Birds are our kin, along with the rivers that weave their magic throughout this country.