Karina M. Méndez Soto was born and raised on the island of Puerto Rico until she graduated from high school and moved to New York State in pursuit of higher education. She is currently a senior double majoring in Art History and African American Studies at the College of Arts and Sciences in Syracuse University. During her time there, Karina co-founded the Puerto Rican Student Association which sought to establish a diverse and inclusive space for mainland and diaspora Puerto Ricans, Latinx, and other students on campus that relate and appreciate the culture. Upon graduating, Karina plans to further develop her career experience in the competitive fine art industry, and later attend law school to pursue a J.D. degree in Criminal Law. In the future, she plans on returning to Puerto Rico to practice law as a federal prosecutor specializing in corruption and white-collar crime.