Skip to main content
Nati Garcia

Nati Garcia (Maya Mam), Capacity Building Manager, was born in a refugee camp in Campeche, Mexico as her family fled Guatemala in the 1980s due to the military genocide operation that targeted Indigenous communities. At the age of three, her family received refugee status in Canada, and she grew up on traditional territories of the Coast Salish peoples: sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh), and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nations. Her experience as a marginalized Indigenous youth inspired her in advocating for Indigenous sovereignty and self-autonomy. Experienced as a facilitator, youth counselor, and community builder, Nati has helped individuals develop a sense of self-worth and integrity. She is enlivened by opportunities to explore authentic exchange, leadership, world-bridging, social justice, and youth empowerment. Nati has worked with a variety of intergenerational, intercultural, and youth-focused organizations within Canada and hopes to continue on this path in collaborating, teaching, learning, and performing on an international level. She formerly served as Cultural Survival's Indigenous Youth Community Media Fellowship Coordinator. Contact Nati at ngarcia@cs.org.