My story

I grew up in San José, Costa Rica, as an only child, surrounded by crayons, books, and video games, and with a lot of curiosity. I always found creative ways to entertain myself: I made up stories, played mystery games at home, and was fascinated by travel and architecture TV programs.

In fact, for a long time I wanted to be an architect. But without realizing it, my true calling was already peeking through my games: I created homemade newspapers with clippings and wrote stories.

But when I came across the Internet at age eight, I discovered that curiosity could take me even further. Suddenly, I had access to unlimited information and could learn about any topic. The abundance of content had me… overwhelmed or impressed? Probably both. All I know is that at that moment, the Internet completely challenged my belief that "Encarta has it all."

During my school years, I discovered my most social side. Not only did I enjoy group games, but I was also motivated to take initiative. In high school, that side of me flourished: I joined book clubs, participated in literary competitions, attended summer courses at the university, and went to science and technology camps, all while pursuing a technical diploma in Architectural Drawing.

Although in high school, I was absolutely certain I wanted to study Communications, fate had other plans: getting into Communications at a public university wasn't easy, and that year I didn't make it. So my path began in International Affairs, never imagining it would become a passion that would complement my dream of becoming a communicator.

A year later, I managed to get into Communications and I chose to pursue both degrees simultaneously at two public universities. I soon discovered that this combination gave me deeper insights into the topics that interested me.

And what began as an interest in international security with a focus on technology soon led me to an interest in the impact of technology on our lives. Over time, that interest transformed into a more specific focus on digital rights. I realized that Internet governance, surveillance, disinformation, and privacy weren't just technical or political debates, but rather human rights ones.

So far, my professional journey has led me to a passion for investigative journalism, data journalism, digital rights, and the intersection between new technologies and international politics. I have worked in media and nonprofit organizations, where my contributions have focused on journalism, project management, advocacy, data analysis, and data visualization.

My work has also taken me to parts of the world that, as a child, I saw on television programs. It all started with a curious little girl who loved to investigate and create. And that girl is still here, pursuing journalism, advocating for digital rights, and collaborating on innovative projects.

I'll tell you more in photos.