I am originally from Guatemala in Central America and as a baby, I was adopted overseas to a beautiful Scottish family in Glasgow. Not only was I adopted into a Scottish family but integrating into a Jewish community was another aspect of my life that many people are surprised about. I went to synagogue, learnt Hebrew and had a bat-mitzvah. Whilst many aspects of the religion I loved; I became more involved with traditions of the religion than the religion itself.

As I grew up, learning about my Latinx heritage didn’t come about until I started University as I had chosen to study Spanish Language and Literature. My degree taught me more about my continent, the politics, the history and culture – the list goes on. My parents had always been open about my adoption as my younger brother was also adopted from Guatemala. My mum would often say that I never shied away from my heritage, you could say I was proud to be of Latinx heritage. I have yet to return to Guatemala, nevertheless, I have been lucky to visit other countries within the continent.

I have always been creative, constantly doodling, taking videos to edit, editing photos on photoshop and listening to music. My bedroom as a kid was full of collages on the wall, much to my parent’s disapproval of the ruined blue tack infused wallpaper. However, when I was at university, my mental health took a dip but one way I learned to cope was to create YouTube videos. So, I started vlogging and those vlogs gained attention. A lot of my vlogs showcased my life at university, but they slowly became more on educating people of LGBTQIA+ rights and collaborating with like-minded individuals.

Fast forward to 20 June 2020, I plunged myself into London life. The pandemic halted my video editing but it gave me time to discover my love for graphic art. I bought myself my first Wacom Pad, watched YouTube tutorials and started creating. In my first year in London, I started working at a pub in Marylebone. I was able to split my time between developing my graphic skills and learning to work in London.

My story of colliding with Holly and Paula (co-founders of The Condor Collective) started at the end of 2021. As usual, I was job searching and as many job seekers were doing, I was applying to a couple of jobs a day. At first, I was unsure about the admin side of this role but after being open about this with Holly, I met both Holly and Paula in the heart of London. I learnt more about the company, more about the role and both co-founders and before I knew it, I had got the job!

My values and interests match perfectly with The Condor Collective. From diversity and inclusion to fighting for gender equality, LGBTQIA+ rights within the workplace and learning about emotional intelligence – all of what we do is what I have always wanted to work in.

The past month has flown past and I am excited about my journey as part of Team Condor to soar through the sky.