I was born in Mexico City but have spent most of my life in San José, California. My family heritage and childhood memories are rooted in the coastal communities of Guerrero and Oaxaca, Mexico. Despite their geographical distances, these places are tightly woven into my identity, serving as consistent sources of pride and inspiration.

My parents' journey to the United States in pursuit of a better life has profoundly influenced my life and that of my siblings. Their sacrifices serve as the driving force behind my vision for Kooltura Marketing and my commitment to giving back to both my family and the communities I belong to.

I am actively involved in the San José arts and culture community. My role as the Board Chair for the Cashion Cultural Legacy, a non-profit organization committed to sustaining and promoting Mexican folk culture through dance. My involvement in East San José, a predominantly Mexican/ Latino community extends to social impact by focusing on community empowerment, cultural preservation, and the celebration of diversity. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with family and playing Soccer.

First-generation graduate, grassroots activist, and community builder. As a biliterate storyteller, listener, and lover of all creative expressions born out of the limited diversity in the area. Her work and dedication drive an internal passion to involve and empower BIPOC voices in her community for an equitable and progressive tomorrow.

Native to the unceded territories of the Nimíipuu (Nez Perce), Imatalamłáma (Umatilla), Walawalałáma (Walla Walla), and Liksiyu (Cayuse) tribes of the Grande Ronde Valley in Eastern Oregon; Sendy is the youngest daughter of Michoacán immigrants, who have contributed over 40 years of agricultural labor to multiple Western states.

Have you ever stepped outside the city line and looked up at the sky? Does curiosity about the uncharted depths of the Pacific Northwest ever strike your mind? Can you imagine the amount of languages lost throughout time from the impact of humanity? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may have captured a glimpse into Sendy’s peculiar mind, molded by what she has seen, heard, and told.

I am a first-generation Mexican-American graphic designer and visual storyteller. Experiencing the Bay Area's diverse art scene, in my upbringing fueled my creative journey. The natural world and the intricacies of human emotions serve as the core inspirations for my designs. I leverage my skills to create designs that foster positive social change. My goal is to contribute to the multicultural landscape by creating visuals that resonate with and support the varied population of this vibrant city.

My ancestral legacy is deeply rooted in Michoacan, Mexico, from where my parents, driven by the pursuit of prosperity and resilience, immigrated to San Jose, California. Establishing a new chapter of our family's story, San Jose nurtured my identity, blending Mexican roots with American dreams. It's here, amidst cultural fusion and familial bonds, that I proudly call home.

My life revolves around creation. I find joy in experiences, channeling my creativity into both artistic expressions and physical pursuits. Exploring diverse art mediums, ranging from acrylic paints to delving into embroidery and sewing. Nature is my sanctuary, I find fulfillment in doing outdoor activities like running and playing tennis. As well as immersing myself in its depths on forest hikes or reaching the edges of the coast.

Rosanna Alvarez is an Eastside grown writer, educator, and cultural strategist rooted in storytelling as a practice of memory, resistance, and collective healing. She is the co-founder and Editorial Director of Eastside Magazine, where she helps steward a living archive of East San José—uplifting voices, histories, and creative expressions that reflect the depth and brilliance of the community that raised her. A first-generation Chicana scholar and award-winning author of Braided [Un]Be-Longing, Rosanna’s work lives at the intersection of Ethnic Studies, comunidad, and cultural production. She is committed to shaping spaces where story becomes a tool for connection, reclamation, and transformation.

I am shaped by the stories of movement, migration, and memory carried by my family and community. My roots are grounded in Mexican and Chicana traditions, in working-class resilience, Indigenous survivance, and in the cultural lifeways of East San José and the broader Bay Area. I come from people who built, organized, and created even when institutions failed to see or support them; joy was always central past the struggle. That legacy lives in me as both responsibility and inspiration. Whether in the classroom, on stage, or in community spaces, I carry forward those histories as a way of honoring where we come from while imagining what is possible.

My work is deeply connected to cultural storytelling, liberatory education, and community-rooted creative practice. I am especially passionate about storytelling as a tool for healing, memory, and narrative power, as well as Chicana/Latina feminist thought and cultural production. I am invested in social entrepreneurship and building community-rooted creative economies, and in advancing Ethnic Studies as a site of transformation, critical consciousness, and collective possibility. I am drawn to the arts, performance, and ceremony as living practices of resistance and renewal, and remain committed to mentorship, teaching, and cultivating the next generation of storytellers and leaders. I also serve as a board member and cultural steward, and am a proud mitotera for good—using voice, story, and community connection to spark dialogue, shift narratives, and build toward more just and vibrant futures. Outside of my formal work, I am a poet and Aztec dancer who finds grounding in art, movement, and collective gathering.