I am a storyteller, dedicated community advocate, artist, farmer, marketer, and digital strategist by trade, originally from the mountain town of Taxco, Guerrero, Mexico.

I migrated to the cold and harsh winters of the North Side of Chicago in 1995. I’ll forever be indebted to my parents for choosing to migrate to a vibrant immigrant enclave in the North Side of Chicago. I was deeply shaped by the diverse cultures around me that survived despite living in poverty and the nearby strip of antique malls that began my decades-long romance with antiques and design. As a proud product of the Chicago Public Schools, after graduating from Lane Tech College Prep, my passion for art led me to pursue fine arts at the University of Illinois at Chicago. I later relocated to New York City to study Fashion Design and International Trade and Marketing at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT).

I currently serve as the Marketing Community Engagement Manager for a mission-driven ed-tech company focused on literacy. My passion lies in promoting inclusivity, empowerment, and positive social change, and I am deeply committed to making a meaningful difference in the communities I serve and am a part of.

I use my free time to produce accessible events for my fellow QTBIPOC community. From knowing my neighbors to knowing all of my local business owners, it’s really important to me that we all take care of each other. I enjoy composting (I am a Master Composter), stewarding the land at my local community garden, and dreaming of ways we can leave a better world behind for future generations. I live in Ridgewood, Queens with my spouse.

Ana Karen Izaguirre (she/her)‍ ‍

Taxqueña | Bilingüe

arstella@gmail.com

Queens, NY

11385