Cristina Mancilla (she/her) is from the Lower Rio Grande Valley in South Texas where she grew up in borderlands that Anzaldúa describes. Cristina currently lives in Santa Barbara, California where she works at the Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) Network office helping to build bridges and strengthen relationships between scientists and the communities who live in and among the ecosystems they research. She is passionate about creating equitable workspaces and working so that BIPOC communities are heard, seen, and valued in the environmental and outdoor sector. She enjoys taking photos of insects, dancing, and spending time with family and friends.