Costa Rica
I'm a political scientist from Costa Rica. In 2017, I was awarded a scholarship by the U.S. State Department to undertake a fellowship at the Gender Equality Law Center in Brooklyn, New York. Upon returning to Costa Rica, I continued my work in preventing gender-based violence through empowerment, creating business opportunities, and forging alliances. I have been involved in research on Latin American entrepreneurship for women, serving as a consultant for diverse international organizations such as INCAE Business School, FLACSO, and the Inter-American Development Bank. Additionally, I've collaborated with various nonprofit organizations, including RET International and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, and worked with over 30 local governments across the Americas. In 2020, I was fortunate to explore the economic ecosystem of the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica, a region renowned for its incredible biodiversity. This experience deepened my love for nature and inspired me to give back to my community. In 2021, I founded the AmbiciOsas Association, an NGO dedicated to finding innovative solutions to social issues in rural areas. The name "AmbiciOsas" translates to "ambitious" in English, and we are committed to addressing the waste problem in our community. Currently, the Association provides recycling services in the Bahia Ballena community, acquiring machines to process plastic and create new products that stimulate the local economy. We collaborate with Innoceanna, another local NGO focused on protecting the Pacific Ocean. Since our inception, AmbiciOsas has empowered women by providing economic opportunities and insightful information, engaging in discussions on social innovation with entrepreneurs, children, and adolescents. *My mission remains clear: to eradicate gender-based violence while simultaneously protecting our precious natural environment.*
Joined GELC to understand the U.S. legal system in regards to gender rights, including anti-discrimination laws for women and policies supporting the LGBTQ community. I am authoring a comparative paper that examines the human rights laws and social movements in Costa Rica and the United States.