Chicana in Nature

Urban hiking in Dallas-Ft. Worth! https://linktr.ee/ChicanaInNature

04/15/2026

After 2 years of working for the camp that hosted us and 18 years of volunteering with Midwest Children’s Burn Camp, 2 years as a Cabin Counselor, Assistant Activity Director for 3 years, Assistant Camp Director for 2 years, and Activity Director for 11 years, I will be passing on my tutus. This has been one of the greatest times of my life. There were jobs I quit or didn’t choose because of camp. There are people that walked away from me and vice versa because of camp. The memories we built, dances we danced, glitter we used, confidence we helped to build, demonstrations of resiliency we witnessed, and lives we watched become forever changed in a magical setting will continue to make me smile the rest of my life. This was not an easy decision. The trajectory of my life changed because of Burn Camp, our campers, and living up to the title of being a Professional Role Model. We’re doing this one last time and leaving it all in the woods. It’s been a major honor and privilege to be part of something greater than all of us combined. Our Burn Survivors are coming back to step into crucial roles which is what the goal has always been. Camp programs need to evolve and this is part of it. Let’s make this the best summer yet as we celebrate 30 years total of camp. Proud to say I’ve been present for 20 of them.
I love y’all 🩵 Thank y’all for doing everything I’ve asked no matter how silly and outside the box. Thank you to for being my champion and giving me the utmost respect and trust plus fighting all those years to keep me around. Thank you to everyone who supported the efforts over the years and to my family[biological and chosen] who have been here watching the journey.

Thank you to Linda and Gary Hansen for founding our camp.

10/26/2025

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. There is no one type of person who is affected by DV. People would never have thought of the horrific life I endured behind closed doors; this was not just in one of my relationships/marriages. Masking became second nature. The constant positive outward facing person or tough exterior those who’ve encountered only concealed the vile treatment suffered daily. Please know there is not a stereotype of who is a survivor or currently dealing with the atrocities of DV. Those monsters who are abusers are skilled at disrespecting, distorting, and disempowering. It’s a process and they play the long game by pushing boundaries to see how much they can get away with each occurrence.
Please support those survivors and individuals going through this trauma by sharing resources, listen without judgement[if you have the capacity], and remind them no one has the right to harm them.
Btw reporting, providing sufficient evidence, and cooperating with authorities does not always result in indictments. The person who strangled me June 1, 2024 was not indicted by the grand jury in Dallas County. I was not provided with the why. I will say DPD’s Family Violence Unit did their work to arrest and find sufficient evidence to charge with felony assault. There was no justice served in this case. The marks on my neck are long gone; the nightmares linger…nightly. Of course they will when you see the look in someone’s eyes when they are trying to kill you.
Yes, I’m in therapy. Yes, I am in a support group. Yes, I’m taking medication for all the trauma. No; it doesn’t make things magically go away. Yes, I will continue to do the work for my own peace. Yes, this is more difficult to resolve being someone with complex trauma.
I’m tired of being silent, of holding issues in, and pretending all is fine. Domestic violence is appalling and doesn’t begin with someone putting their hands on a person.
The pic below is from June 1, 2024.