Born and raised in the projects, Rizo's life experiences relate to both youth and adults. With her unwavering dedication to both emotional and intellectual growth, she aims to create meaningful connections that go beyond academics. Her passion lies in fostering a nurturing environment where both students and educators can thrive emotionally and intellectually. Her messages on overcoming poverty, mental illness, an identity crisis, and a lack of self-love reaches the hearts of youth and adults. A former teacher and school counselor, Rizo aims to inspire youth to be boundless in overcoming obstacles and be their true authentic self. She strives to inspire adults to reach hearts before minds and face their own challenges head on with tenacity, while championing their own well-being. Her journey is fueled by the belief that connecting on a personal level is the key to unlocking the full potential of both youth and adults. Rizo is currently a doctoral candidate in Social-emotional Learning at National University and looking forward to becoming Dr. Rizo Speaks Life.