Buenas, me llamo Saraí Lillian Acosta! 

I am a Panamanian American graduate student in International Agricultural Development. As a first generation college graduate and former transfer student from Santa Rosa Junior College, I am proud to say that I am the first in my family to have a bachelors in science. My degree is in Global Disease Biology with minors in Medical Entomology and Wildlife Fish & Conservation Biology from the University of California Davis. I started my career interested in medicine and epidemiology, but through my studies I have discovered a passion for advocacy and community empowerment. 

I worked at the UC Davis Student Farm where I can teach students and community members to garden and appreciate the history of food through a variety of practices and perspectives. As a researcher I focus on education, mentorship, and empowerment by challenging hierarchical power structures. Currently, I work on too many projects because I have trouble sitting still- my ADHD brain says "yes", while my depressed brain says "no". Every project I work on focuses on empowerment through change including migration, l extension, or education. I believe in personal and meaningful discourse focused around inclusivity and learned experiences. I don't like to be conventional and believe in freedom of expression, even if the topic is difficult.