Monica Valencia
Monica Valencia was born in Buga, Colombia. Around 2000, Monica’s family moved to Miami, Florida because her parents felt that Colombia was not safe for their children. After a few years, the family crossed the border at Windsor, Ontario, and claimed refugee status in Canada. Monica and her family settled in Mississauga, Ontario. After high school, Monica studied journalism and English literature at the University of Toronto and went on to complete a master's in immigration and settlement studies. She later worked at the York University Centre of Excellence for Research on Immigration and Settlement as a communications officer. In 2013, Monica married Manuel Arellano, a fellow immigrant from Colombia whom she met during an internship at a Spanish-language newspaper.