13 Jun Carpe Diem

My name is Ximena Cuervo, and I’m an interpretive and outreach education intern for the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail. I was born in Bogota, Colombia, and was raised in Miami, Florida. Although I only lived in Colombia for five years before immigrating to the United States, my culture and relationship to my heritage has been kept alive by Miami’s large Colombian population and diverse Latino community (plus the random summer visits to the homeland!). South Florida’s close proximity to the Caribbean and South America has allowed bridges of cultural resistance for many people! I moved to the Bay Area after high school and just recently graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in Sustainable Environmental Design and a concentration in Forestry & Natural Resources. 

Apart from green architecture, city planning, and forestry, I’m interested in marine biology and ocean conservation. And of course, coming from an immigrant, low income community, my passion for social and environmental justice drives my career objectives. I want to be the voice for my community and help provide accessibility to the Earth’s beautiful natural landscape. My side hobbies are producing music and jamming out at shows or en las fiestas. You can catch me dancing and laughing on the weekends. Oh, and I’m a big foodie and love massages! I basically like to indulge in the pleasures of life as an act of resistance! 

I‘m excited to participate and share our history through the National Park Service with the Anza Trail!