Poetry cannot change the world. However, poetry changes people – and people change the world.
I’m a Phoenix-based poet with a passion for truth, love, and authenticity. My experiences and work have been shaped by my Filipino heritage, military lifestyle, mental health battles, faith and spirituality, and love for dynamic spaces. I graduated in May 2017 with degrees in Global Health, English Literature, and Spanish from Arizona State University. On a typical day, you can find me snapping grainy Instagram photos, trying new recipes, and filling my calendar with events around the Valley.
Through my work, I hope to do three things: (1) elevate and support young emerging artists; (2) transmute poetry into action that influences lived experiences; and (3) foster inclusive environments where all voices are heard and valued.
Check out my CV below!
Curriculum Vitae
Education
B.A. Global Health – Arizona State University, May 2017
B.A. English Literature – Arizona State University, May 2017
Spanish (Minor) – Arizona State University, May 2017
Barrett, the Honors College
Honors Thesis: “Criss-Cross Poetry: Ink and Human Intersections that Layer, Stitch, and Tangle.” A (semi-auto)ethnographic manuscript on the poetry community in Phoenix, AZ.
Committee: Rosemarie Dombrowski, Director; Jake Friedman, Second Chair
Interests
Education as liberation
Decentralizing power through community-based organizations
Intersections of the arts and health
Increasing the accessibility of the arts, healthcare, and education
Poetry as a vehicle for advocacy
Experience
Click here for Features, Publications, Projects
English Instructor, South Pointe High School
January 2019 – Present
Teaching Artist, Free Arts for Abused Children
August 2017 – Present
Teaching Artist, Phonetic Spit
January 2017 – Present
Youth and Community Programs Coordinator, Phonetic Spit
August 2017 – January 2019
Adjunctive Therapist, Aurora Behavioral Health Systems
November 2016 – August 2019
Editor, rinky dink press
August 2017 – September 2018
Summer Internship Program Coordinator, International Alliance for the Prevention of AIDS
August 2016 – August 2017
Senior Patient Operations Associate, Zocdoc
May 2015 – May 2017
Summer Intern, International Alliance for the Prevention of AIDS
January 2016 – July 2016
Emergency Department and Escort Volunteer, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center
July 2014 – March 2015
President, GlobeMed at ASU
May 2013 – May 2016
Health and Wellness/Social Justice Intern, All Saints Catholic Newman Center
January 2013 – May 2015
Student Intern, Pandan Rural Health Clinic and District Hospital
July 2013 – August 2013
Student Missionary, Fellowship of Catholic University Students
August 2013 – May 2016
Grassroots Onsite Work Coordinator, GlobeMed at ASU
October 2012 – June 2013
Conferences and National Events
Phoenix Zine Fest – rinkydinkpress – Phoenix, AZ
October 2017
Young Voices Rise – Phonetic Spit – Mesa, AZ
April 2017
Women of the World Poetry Slam – Poetry Slam Inc – Dallas, TX
March 2017
Desert Nights, Rising Stars – Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing – Tempe, AZ
February 2017
Individual World Poetry Slam – Poetry Slam Inc – Flagstaff, AZ
October 2016
GlobeMed Leadership Institute – GlobeMed – Evanston, IL
August 2013 and August 2014
Student Leadership Summit – Fellowship of Catholic University Students – Dallas, TX
January 2014
Grassroots Onsite Work Training – GlobeMed – Los Angeles, CA
February 2013
SEEK – Fellowship of Catholic University Students – Orlando, FL
January 2013
Honors, Awards, Certificates
State of Arizona Department of Public Safety Level One Fingerprint Clearance Card
Nonviolent Crisis Intervention (CPI)
CPR and AED for Adult, Child, and Infant
HIPAA Certification
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Dean’s List
Arizona Board of Reagents High Honors
Keith Geisler Legacy Award
Megan C. Atencia 