What is your preferred first name (full name or nickname)?

Carlina (car-lee-nuh)

Where did you grow up?

Chicago, IL; Portage Park on the NW side to be exact

Where did you attend undergrad and what was your major?

I attended Grinnell College where I majored in Anthropology and Spanish with an Environmental Studies concentration.

How did you become interested in food systems?

I have been fascinated with the role of food in my family’s stories and traditions since my childhood. In high school, I grew interested in food systems when I had a chance to start connecting the multiple facets of food by working on a greenhouse and food assistance project in the Near West side of Chicago. This interest has carried on into my college and professional experiences.

What does transforming the food system mean to you?

To me, transforming the food system means shifting the system to become based on the principle of nourishment across all the different touchpoints of the system: workers, consumers, animals, land, etc., and centering cultural traditions and relationships. In other words, moving away from the current status quo of exploitation that is prevalent in our modern food system.

What do you do in your free time?

In my free time, I hang out with my partner and two kitties, train capoeira, and try to find good spots to go dancing (reach out with any recommendations)!

What University of Michigan program are you in?

SEAS and URP

Awards: 2023 Eco-Friendly Mobile Farm Stand Scholarship from the Eco-Friendly Mobile Farm Stand Project and the Edna Bailey Sussman Fund for Graduate Environmental Internships.