I was born in Honduras, a country in Latin America settled between Guatemala and El Salvador. This country has an abundance of foliage and tropical weather, but I didn’t appreciate this until much later in my life. I came to America during my second year of bilingual school at the age of 8, where I quickly realized that I didn’t look, sound, or come from a similar background to my peers. I struggled with my identity, often feeling not Latina and not American enough. I had the lightest skin complexion and eyes than my siblings - even within my own family, I stood out. As I got older, I understood that my unique experiences and background gave me opportunities to connect with others in my own way.

My dad did the Peace Corps, with my brother and I following suit. I lived in a rural community in Southern Nations, Ethiopia and I was again engulfed in the beauty of mountains and trees. After my Peace Corps service, I lived in D.C. and worked at Peace Corps Headquarters alongside nurses who loved to nurture indoor plants. It was at that moment that I went from “I kill everything I touch; I don’t have a green thumb” to “anything is figureoutable.” Over time, I became more interested in the rarity of plants.

The concept of Planting Positivity, LLC came about as a way to expand people’s concept of what plants are, what they bring to our lives, and to show that there is a certain “artistry” to plant care. Society taught me that artists were those who painted, who built things with their hands like carpenters, those who worked in metals & ceramics, those who wrote lyrics and sang them, but I became disillusioned in not being seen as a Latina woman, a plant business owner, AND an artist. Instead, I began to see that there is a certain artistry of keeping and maintaining plants and I want to help you see that, too.

This shop was created as a place for all gardeners, from novice to more advanced plant people and gardeners to learn how to be an artist in the plant world. It is a place for gardeners to build a community of people who love working with their hands and slowly seeing the fruit of their labors come through in a new leaf or two. The greatest achievement is to see the joy in someone when they realize that they are a plant person and an artist, too! My goal is to form connections with people who are curious, who want to learn, and who persevere in spite of the plants dying - because it is only when plants die, can new ones grow - like a phoenix, rising from the ashes. Join me on this wild ride to learn more about plants, will you?

I currently live in Atlanta and manage my time between travel to new countries, building a baby/pet sitting empire, and navigating life as a business owner.

I am wanderlust and finding “home” all around the world.