For as long as I can remember I’ve known that ‘education is incredibly important. It’s something that my mother instilled in me from when I was very young - ‘get an education and you’ll be able to make choices for yourself!’, she used to say. Education has certainly opened doors for me in my life. Born and raised in Puerto Rico, I moved to Atlanta to study psychology and sociology at Emory University. Post-graduation I knew that I wanted to do something to connect with people, so I completed a Master’s in Professional Counseling. However - as it turns out - that wasn’t the path I wanted to pursue professionally. My education had afforded me opportunities that not many Latinas in the US had at that time - it had allowed me to be independent, make choices about my life…see a bit of the world - and I wanted to help others to have the same opportunities. That is why I have dedicated the vast majority of my career to creating access to educational opportunities for under-served populations.Eleven years ago, I visited Guatemala for the first time and fell in love with the country. It was the perfect place to start a new chapter of my life, as I wanted to “reset” after a series of difficult life events. I volunteered with several local organizations until I was offered a position with CasaSito - a vibrant organization focused on youth education. I left the non-profit world for a few years to work as Marketing Director in the travel industry. And although the job was rewarding in many ways, I longed to return to a place where I felt I could have an impact on people’s lives. That’s when I came across MAIA - and it was evident right from the get-go that MAIA did things very differently.MAIA is the first female, Indigenous-led secondary school in Central America that offers an education focused equally on academics, culture and identity, socioemotional development, and family engagement. The way MAIA works is girl-focused, holistic, and empowering. In a very methodical, intentional manner, MAIA unlocks the talents of its ‘Girl Pioneers’ - giving them the tools and the resources they need to create change in their own lives, their families, and community. Working with MAIA has further cemented my belief in the transformational capacity of education. I see our Girl Pioneers and I feel tremendous admiration for them - they are far gutsier and more courageous than I ever was at that age. MAIA is truly creating systemic change, long-lasting impact, and I’m grateful to be part of this movement.