1. Cristina Malo is a mentor, a teacher, a writer, a street photographer and an activist. After
teaching in public schools for 13 years, she decided to step away and use her teaching
experience to create personal growth workshops that will allow students to explore
deeper aspects of themselves such as healing, identity, desires, gifts and talents, and their
place and purpose in the world. Her intention is to support and empower youth who are
seeking to live more authentic and truthful lives with tools and strategies to pursue their
personal transformations. She does so by providing a safe and nurturing space for
learning, guidance, and encouragement.
Cristina uses experiential learning and collective art as a vehicle to allow students to
develop a deep understanding and practice for what it means to live life with the
intentions the students create and set in each workshop. She wants them to draw away
from the institutionalized mentality they have about learning and planning for their
future, and explore the sometimes more intimidating and fearful aspects of their
yearnings and desires.
During the Summers, Cristina works as a youth mentor for GLA (Global Leadership
Adventures) and travels abroad leading high school youth through service-learning
leadership activities and cultural immersion experiences as well as facilitating personal-
growth and socio-political workshops that help the students gain a deeper and more
insightful perspective of their potential to transform themselves, the world and their role
in it. She also works with TKF (Tariq Khamisa Foundation) teaching middle school
students a ten-series workshop on restorative practice and forgiveness. She has found a
true passion and calling in being able to mentor and counsel students through personal
growth and healing experiences and seeing the beautiful transformation that happens
when each student gathers the courage to step into his/her true self.
Whether serving students in a traditional classroom or facilitating alternative learning
experiences, Cristina has always used the following reflective questions as guiding
principles for how she engages with youth.
 What makes a child whole?
 As a teacher and mentor, what role do I play in inspiring students to live their
truths?
 How can I participate in providing each student a personalized experience within
a community of diverse and complex learners?
 How do I thread each student’s story into the fabric of their learning experiences?
 What kind of curriculum must I facilitate that will allow students to continuously
heal and evolve into better versions of themselves?
Cristina's mission is to provide youth with the tools and skills to develop a practice of
personal-growth in their journey of healing and transformation by engaging them in
experiential and creative learning. Cristina's personal commitment to her own healing
journey and her belief that each of us has a unique gift, our genius, and a purpose to
fulfill in the world drives her work and dedication. Her vision is to inspire and empower

2. youth to heal and feel whole, so they may go on to live healthy, fulfilled, and vibrant
lives, and in turn use their genius to transform the world and their role in it.