Antonia, a Denver native and preschool teacher for Denver Public Schools, has a deep spiritual connection to the universe. She feels the magic that surrounds us and taps into it as much as possible. She tries her best to live her life guided by gratitude and is enjoying the process of showing herself grace and compassion. Her purpose here is to bring health, wellness, and healing to communities that have been denied these arts for so long.

Antonia is biracial, her father is Black, and her mom is caucasian. As a biracial child, Antonia grew up feeling as though she never quite fit in with the Black kids or the white kids and has existed in a void. She is a complex and dynamic mixture of magic and pain. She is deeply intuitive and in touch with her inner world.

When I asked Antonia to describe Denver in one word, she replied, “Dynamic.” Here’s what it means to be Antonia in Denver.

Tell me about yourself.

I’m in the process of creating a YouTube channel that provides plant-based recipes, holistic health information, minimalism, travel, etc. My goal is to create a resource for people to use to create their best and most health-filled life on their terms.

I have been working as a preschool teacher for the past six years, and I feel privileged to get to spend my day with such dynamic little people. I am at a play-based learning school where children are encouraged to explore the world through their five senses. We spend lots of time in nature, cooking/preparing different fruits and veggies, and reciting affirmations. I have the best kids. I have also just started teaching yoga classes and am in the process of becoming a holistic nutritionist, health coach, and plant-based chef.

Who are you?

I am the spirit that inhabits a body that can be riddled with doubts, insecurities, and pain, and I am beginning to flourish like never before. I am unique and share a deep connection with my family and my friends that have become family. I am a lover of nature.

What does it mean to be Antonia?

To be me means to straddle the line. To live in two different worlds but at times belong to neither. To be me means resilience and grace.

What does it mean to you to be Black in Denver?

For me, being Black in Denver means cultivating inner strength, self-love, and a clear purpose. It means sharing your authentic self with the community around you and the community you create for yourself. It means embodying love and laughter when it seems hard to find. For me, being Black in Denver starts with finding a deep acceptance for yourself and knowing your worth.

What do you love most about living in Denver?

What I love most about living in Denver — aside from my friends and family — is access to nature! Being so close to the mountains and being able to observe the seasons as they change.

How have your experiences in Denver shaped you?

In so many different ways! They have allowed me to undergo a painful yet beautiful transformation of self. My experiences here have helped me to learn how to create and take part in supportive interactions, create authentic connections, and have many courageous conversations.

What is authenticity?

It is being okay with all the things that make you, you. All the things you’ve been taught to hate. It also means going after your dreams, vision, and goals.

What is the power of being one’s self?

You can begin to manifest and create the life that you dream of when you’re being yourself. When you no longer let people or circumstances dictate your emotions or how you feel about yourself, you’re in alignment. There are unlimited power and potential in each of us, and we have to learn to harness it.