I left Colombia with no money and no knowledge of English. Nearly twenty years later, after building a career in technology and raising three children in the United States, I returned to the mountains where I was born. I came back with a different purpose: to help heal the land, restore its water, and create a place where nature and people can thrive together.

Where My Story Began

I was born in a small village in the mountains of Norte de Santander, Colombia. Like many people from rural communities, I eventually left home in search of opportunities that were difficult to find where I grew up.

When I arrived in the United States, I had no money and did not speak English. I faced the challenge of starting over in a country where I could barely communicate with the people around me. I studied English for years, worked hard, and eventually earned an associate degree. Little by little, I built a new life for myself and my family.

I went on to spend nearly twenty years working in information technology in Miami. I worked part-time as a technician at Miami Dade College and full-time supporting faculty, staff, and students throughout Miami-Dade County Public Schools. My work required patience, problem-solving, and the ability to keep learning as technology changed. Over time, I established a stable career and earned a good living.

"I have traded circuits for roots, computer systems for living ecosystems, and the speed of the digital world for the patience of the earth."

Leaving Technology to Work with the Earth

After nearly twenty years in information technology, I made a decision that surprised some people and challenged everything I had become accustomed to. I left my stable career in Miami and returned to the mountains of my childhood.

I left behind a regular paycheck and a familiar professional life. I came back without a guaranteed income, knowing that restoring the land could take years and that success was far from certain.

In technology, problems often have identifiable causes and solutions. You investigate, troubleshoot, repair, and test. Even when the work is difficult, you can usually measure the results.

Restoring a mountain is different. Trees take years to grow. Soil needs time to recover. Water follows natural patterns that cannot be controlled simply because we want them to change. And the consequences of decades of environmental damage cannot be undone in a few months.

I knew I wanted to restore the land, but I still had much to learn about what that would actually require. My first lessons would not come from planting trees. They would come from discovering how much I did not yet know.