Gabriela grew up in the southside of San Antonio, and later decided to teach at her Alma Mater for several years. In her upbringing, and experience as an educator, she realized the drastic effects poverty, incarceration, and over policing had on a young person’s mental health. More specifically, she learned how underserved youth of color are in the cities South, West, and Eastside of San Antonio. She began to implement journaling, restorative practices, and mindfulness in her classroom and witnessed the benefits of leading with empathy.

In her personal life, Gabby takes care of her own mental health by gardening, trail running, and finding simple ways to connect with the outdoors. She is excited to create the same type of therapeutic experiences for local youth, as well as educating them about social and environmental justice issues. In her role as the Program Director of the Charles Roundtree Bloom Project her goal is to assist the youth in gaining the necessary tools towards healing from traumas and helping them become advocates for themselves and their community.