The first time I felt the Virgen’s presence was when I was seven. I remember the day we left Mexico to be reunited with our dad. I remember the tearful goodbyes as we jumped into the truck and la bendicion my grandparents gave us as they gestured the sign of the cross in the air. Most of all I remember my uncle handing my mom a figure of la Virgen de Guadalupe. When I held her, I felt my faith begin to grow. She kept us company throughout the journey to our new home in el norte, she was there when we were re-united with our dad, and she’s been there ever since.

I met Maria when she was a young teen in high school and was awed by her go-getter spirit and willingness to speak up about her immigration status and willingness to stand up for others. She always struck me as wise beyond her years, honest to the core and loyal to her family, friends and community. As time went on we continued to run into each other at community events and my admiration for her work ethic continued to grow. We asked her to model for Cadena because she embodies a young Latina who lives in-between two cultures, never forgetting where she comes from, embracing the space she lives in and fighting for the future she wants to see.

Sometimes we might be overwhelmed and tired but if we take the time to follow our intuition and stop to listen to the universe, it might speak back to us in ways we never thought it would.

Jennifer is a phenomenal woman. I met her through a community event that focused on voter engagement and I continued to see her at community events. I saw her grow into her own space of community empowerment and have felt so lucky to witness how a young woman can transform her living experiences into a space of impact. You can always catch her empowering her Instagram followers, although I'd dare to say they're more like friends (yes, all 7,000 of them and counting). That's the thing about Jenn though, she genuinely cares about you and her community and wants to see everyone around her flourish. With a friendship like hers, you're sure to show up as the best version of yourself.