Maria is a rising junior at Barnard College studying sociocultural Anthropology with a concentration in Human Rights and Latin American History. Her interest in immigration began with her family’s experiences coming to the United States during the Guatemalan Civil War. She became interested in policy while working in the Buscadoras Research Unit, which creates resources for Mexican colectivos searching for disappeared relatives. In this project, she analyzes interviews with group members explaining their experiences with immigration to the US in addition to searching for family. Both of these experiences have driven her desire to research immigration policy at the US-Mexico border, especially in relation to Central American immigration. After graduating, she hopes to either study immigration law or pursue a Master’s in Anthropology. In her free time, she enjoys finding new music on Spotify, watching movies with friends, and going for walks around New York City.