Through programs like Senderos a la Ciencia, Anais found not just a platform, but a powerful community. She was invited to present at the September 2024 event in New London, Connecticut, where she led a watershed education session she personally developed. “Hispanic Access has been a cornerstone in my growth as an educator and leader in STEM,” she shares. The mentorship, visibility, and culturally relevant support she received helped her find her voice and expand her impact.
Raised in Allentown, Pennsylvania, Anais is a proud Boricua whose love for people, plants, and birds fuels her work. Her passion for nurturing others has shaped her career in education, where she connects people to resources, manages a family center, and runs an emergency, culturally focused food pantry and clothing closet. She also leads after-school programs, daytime mental health services, and SHE—a space that empowers girls through self-improvement, health, and education.
For Anais, Hispanic Access provided more than professional development—it offered belonging. At the Senderos a la Ciencia event, she saw firsthand how representation matters. “We weren’t just engaging in science,” she said, “we were seeing people who looked like them, spoke their language, and thrived in a career that they may have never imagined for themselves.”
Latino Conservation Week has also played a pivotal role in Anais’s journey. It allows her to celebrate her culture while advocating for sustainability and environmental justice. The creativity it inspires reminds her that education can honor heritage and still drive innovation. “It’s possible to reach and uplift my community through culturally relevant education,” she says, “that honors who we are and where we come from, while still pushing forward in innovation and excellence.”
Anais’s story is a testament to the mission of Hispanic Access Foundation: to elevate Latino leaders and create pathways for communities to thrive. “Their belief in the power of representation and access,” Anais says, “has encouraged me to step into spaces I once thought were out of reach—and now I’m paying it forward by supporting others on their journey.”