Biography

I grew up in different places and moved around a lot as a child. Today, I consider my home to be Sacramento, and Northern California more generally. Growing up in a multilingual Mexican American family, my passion to understand language as a unique part of our humanity began early on in childhood. In particular, I was fascinated with the stories my mother and grandmother would tell me, which contributed to my fascination with language and its importance to us as speakers in our communities. My outlook has been steadily informed by my upbringing and a sense of pride and respect for my cultural background. I continue reflecting on my roots as a drive for my desire to use my work to impact communities like the ones I was raised in. Ultimately, it is my hope to not only contribute to linguistic inquiry, but to also utilize research in ways that positively impact local and historically marginalized communities. This includes emphasizing greater recognition and validity of fluid language practices, combating discriminatory ideologies and stereotypes, and uplifting scholars around me through advocacy, community-based research, and critical collaboration.

In my spare time, I enjoy reading (horror, mystery, historical fiction), practicing flute, baking, traveling/exploring, gaming with friends, going on long walks, and spending time with loved ones. I am also an avid fan of Lord of the Rings.