Executive Director

I am Sara Emma Hernandez Sandoval. My parent’s forced migration from their homelands led to my birth in Kumeyaay Territory- Tijuana, Mexico. My lineage on my mother’s side is from the Indigenous Peoples of Chihuahua, MX and Spaniard, and on my father’s side, Nahua - Xochimilca. I am the great-niece of the elder chinampera, Doña Susana ‘Marina’ Sandoval. I was born into a strong family that survived many struggles while managing to keep their joyful spirits alive and help others along the way. The motivation and inspiration for all I do is the love I have for my family, mother earth, my people; past, present, future, and all precious life I coexist with. I have spent most of my adult life in service to others, including farmworkers, unaccompanied youth migrants, and in recent years, asylum seekers arriving to the US/Mexico border. I have organized to help those who left their homes for safety and survival, only to find themselves in dangerous situations and to be subjected to racism, cruelty and abuse. With this experience, my many years of social activism, and being inspired by Indigenous lead movements, such as the Land Back movement, I came to a realization leading to this project. I knew that one of the most important things I could do in my work was to be part of economic growth and stability in my homelands so that if someone from my ancestral pueblo had a choice, staying home could be a reality. This is my first, but not my last effort in this dream.

Community Organizer

Lilia has lived in Barrio Belem, Xochimilco her entire life and comes from a long line of Xochimilcas. She has a gift for uniting people for a purpose. Her strong sense of community makes people trust and listen to her wise words and leadership. She is a mathematician that tutors students of all ages in Xochimilco. She is blessed to be the daughter of Doña Susana ‘Marina’ Sandoval.

Respected Elder & Teacher

Chinampera / productora / floricultura / Xochimilca. At 82, She grows plants from seed and has been a chinampera her entire life. She remembers Xochimilco when the men dressed traditionally, “de calzoncitos” as she says, when the Axolotls were abundant in the canals, and when the houses were made of straw roofs and mud walls. She is fierce and dedicated to saving her land, water, and traditions. She is our teacher.

Media Coordinador

Marketing Coordinator

Sofía is an artist who was born in Puerto Rico and raised in a multicultural family with Colombian and American roots. From a young age, she understood the value of connecting with people from different backgrounds and learning from them. Sofia moved to Chicago to pursue her education and attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where she honed her skills in photography, video production, and other mediums. Sofia is passionate about sharing the beauty and cultural significance of Xochimilco and the chinampas through her art. She uses her creative talents to capture and showcase the unique features of these places, with the goal of promoting a greater understanding and appreciation of their cultural heritage.