Karla

Kaiya Peer Support Worker

She/Her

Growing up in a Hispanic household, I felt my voice could never be heard and I felt misunderstood. As the first woman in my family to go to university, I've had to learn to break many traditional cycles and stereotypes in my family. In High School, I struggled to balance work, school, extracurriculars, and social life from a young age without guidance. From the beginning, I felt very alone in all these struggles.

The first moment I was introduced to Kaiya, I felt welcomed by the people who made me feel important. I am now a first-year student at The University of Texas at Austin, double majoring in Business and Sociology. One of my main priorities is to support teens from diverse backgrounds by bringing awareness to new perspectives. As a Kaiya Peer Intern, I facilitate safe spaces for teens to be brave, feel heard, and to achieve their goals in life.