MyRWA is happy to welcome Mariangelí Echevarría-Ramos as our new Climate Resilience Manager. She will ensure that social resilience and climate equity are institutionalized into regional climate resilience investments.
Join us in getting to know Mariangelí with this fun Q and A:
Q: Tell us about an experience that has led you here:
For me it is not a single experience that led me here, rather, it is different events throughout my childhood and early 20s that influenced my path. I’m from the south of Puerto Rico, and from a very young age, I noticed that the places in which people live influence how they experience nature and the environment. My parents own a house in the rural area of the island, and I was privileged enough to grow up surrounded by forest, fresh air, and rivers. However, this contrasted greatly with what I experienced at my grandparent’s house (where they took care of me during the day while my parents were at work). They lived in a “barrio” or low-income neighborhood in the city where the access to green spaces was limited, summers were very hot, and there was a multinational building materials company nearby polluting the air. These experiences and observations shaped my interest in socio-environmental justice. Moreover, after experiencing first-hand the power of community mobilization during the aftermath of the 2017 Hurricane María in Puerto Rico, I decided to follow the climate resilience field as a career and felt eager to learn more about adaptation strategies and community well-being. This led me to pursue graduate studies in the United States and eventually led me to MyRWA.
Q: Where would you like to travel?
On my travel bucket list, I have Japan, Greece, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Germany, and Italy. Also, my dad and I have the dream of traveling together to the Galapagos Islands.
Q: What is your favorite thing in nature?
Without hesitating twice, I love beaches! I grew up surrounded by deep blue seas or crystal-clear coasts in the Caribbean, and they hold a special place in my heart.
Q: What is your favorite thing to cook?
Cooking while listening to music or a podcast is one of my favorite grounding activities. I’m into trying new recipes and experimenting in the kitchen so it is difficult to pick my favorite thing to cook. Lately, I have been missing my home country, Puerto Rico, so the other day I cooked sancocho for the first time, a Caribbean stew made of meat, tubers, and vegetables served in a broth.
Q: What are you watching on Netflix right now?
La Casa de Papel - Watch if you are interested in tv shows from Spain and criminal masterminds!
Have any questions for Mariangelí or want to introduce yourself? Feel free to email her at Mariangeli.Echevarria-Ramos@mysticriver.org.
