CLAUDIA MURALLES

Marin Community Foundation

Marin Community Foundation celebrates Claudia Muralles for her work in education. “Growing up in Guatemala, my father instilled in me the importance of education, despite only having a third grade education himself,” she says. “I migrated to the USA as a teenager to attend school, but the new environment and language, along with the cultural shift, made me an extremely disengaged high school student. But I persevered.”

“I am now pursuing a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Environmental Sciences, Geography, and Management, with a minor in Geology, from Sonoma State University; I’m scheduled to graduate in May 2024,” she continues. “My goal is to pursue a Ph.D. degree in Emergency and Natural Disaster Management, Urban Planning, or Environmental Health and Policy. My passion lies in engaging and serving underrepresented communities through environmental justice projects, land planning, and natural disasters mitigation and adaptation. I want to be a role model not only for my four daughters, but to other females in my community.”

“Most recently I attended the Oxford Consortium for Human Rights Fellowship, in Hertford College, University of Oxford, to support my research and efforts in mobilizing communities for environmental change and non-violent activism,” she says. “I realized that education is much more than just creating a financially stable life for my future; it is also a rewarding and empowering experience.”