Zoemiel was a Whitman College student, painter, and avid blue sky enthusiast. She was raised in the mostly-rainy city of Vancouver, Washington but enjoys spending her time roaming the streets of Portland, Oregon which is a mere 15 minutes away.  Although she was a self-proclaimed “city person,” she has found that the wide-open space of Walla Walla feels more like home. She listened because she deeply believed it is the strongest form of love and care a person can give, and also because stories are the backbone of every community. She believed that in order to understand the various communities she exists in, it is important to hear the stories that reside everywhere. 

When not in her studio, Zoemiel enjoyed collaborating with others on non-school, art-related endeavors, reading, and talking with anyone and everyone. As someone who has felt out of place, both in her identity as a Mexican-American and as a human, she found great solace in hearing about the people that surround her and is very excited to learn and listen more!