San Francisco / Oakland cohort
Daniela (she/her/hers) is a third year undergraduate at UC Berkeley studying Ethnic Studies and Theatre/Performance Studies. Having grown up in the rural, underserved town of Greenfield CA where the nearest city was almost an hour away, surrounding nature areas have always been her source of excitement, comfort, inspiration, and personal development. She now teaches youth about the land where she grew up as a Field Instructor for the Ventana Wilderness Alliance, a nonprofit protecting the Big Sur coast and its inland wilderness areas. Daniela is passionate about mental and emotional healing and spiritual growth through reconnection with nature, particularly for underserved and disadvantaged communities. She is interested in exploring and addressing the disproportionate engagement of underserved communities with nature areas as opposed to more privileged demographics. Daniela is also a creative who finds fulfillment in expression through photography, performance, writing, and other media. At the root of her greatest passions and aspirations, art, the environment, healing, and social justice all go hand in hand.