Hello & welcome to my August 2021 newsletter! I am incredibly grateful to the Albuquerque community that has been so supportive of me & my business for the past 26+ years. I am a firm believer in paying it forward & am excited to do so by promoting other women's success. A portion of my earnings each year is being set aside to assist with the financial needs of women working toward their degrees in higher education. This support will enrich our community & allow for growth & empowerment for women seeking knowledge & investing in our beautiful city & state.

In honor of back to school season, I am thrilled to share with you the first recipient of the Jen Wilson Home Team Scholarship, Marisa L. C de Baca. I am over the moon to be able to support women's higher education & can think of a no more deserving woman to honor than Marisa. You may know her as a metalsmith who has been sharing her exquisite work at markets & shops around Albuquerque & beyond for the past 10 years. You may not know that she has just completed her degree from UNM in Communication & Journalism & will begin her Masters in Clinical Social Work Program at New Mexico Highlands University this fall. 

Marisa has not taken the traditional route with her undergraduate education. She instead followed what she refers to as a “detour loop” by immersing herself in experiential learning. She chose to study in Mexico which allowed for deeper connections to another culture, language & the art of metalsmithing. She will continue to create beautiful wearable art, but desires to be more intentional with her work in the future. Her genetics seem to be made for marrying the two disciplines; her father is an artist & alumni of NMHU & her grandmother was a psychoanalyst. Both have been influential in her journey & outlook on life. Her studies & career path will honor the New Mexico community & the Healing Arts; two things very near & dear to my heart. 

Marisa will utilize her Masters in Clinical Social Work to open a clinic focusing on Transpersonal Therapy, utilizing Psychedelic Integrative Therapy & Holotropic Breathwork. MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies), a leader in psychedelic research, has found promising links with psychedelic-assisted therapies & altered states of consciousness in effectively treating individuals experiencing PTSD, post-partum depression & anxiety, as well as in couples counseling & hospice care. Marisa is passionate about honoring her roots & plans to focus on offering her services to underserved populations who may not have access to alternative modalities. She envisions partnering with clinicians, massage therapists & other holistic practitioners to deliver treatments that encompass spiritual wellness, mind-body relations, consciousness & human transformation.

I hope you'll join me in congratulating Marisa & wishing her much success in her studies.