Crystal is from Moreno Valley, California. She is the eldest daughter of a family of six. She graduated from the University of California, Merced in 2022 with a Bachelor of Arts in the Global Art Studies Program. During school, she joined the local music ensembles and loved to play the flute. Crystal has always felt a deep love and appreciation for art and music. She believes there is power not only in words but also in visuals/sounds. After university, Crystal felt compelled to stay and join the Merced community. Now, she is excited to build her career at yli and plans to develop her community organizing skills to better serve the Merced youth community.
Now at yli, Crystal is a part of the Moving Forward program, which oversees 4 youth cohorts in a year-long program that covers youth development, restorative justice, mentorship, and more. She also manages the Cactus Flower program at the Iris Garrett Juvenile Justice Correctional Complex, a restorative justice class held bi-weekly on Saturdays to teach youth the skills of creating art. Alongside both programs, Crystal will manage the Healing Generation Center, a youth wellness hub created to provide holistic resources and tools for empowerment to Merced youth.