Duvraska Mendoza was born in Venezuela, where she lived for 35 years. She earned a master's degree in Creative Writing in Spanish from New York University in 2023 and currently teaches Spanish at Union College in Union County, New Jersey. As a first-generation immigrant and student, a single mother, as well as living with an autoimmune disease for nearly two decades, Duvraska has experienced first-hand the language barriers as well as the racial distinction of being labeled as an outsider.

Duvraska is an artist, poet, storyteller, and advocate. Her creative work is inspired not only by who she is as a woman, mother, daughter, and immigrant, but also by her own experiences, of loss and resilience, as well as her preoccupation with the trauma and pain that surrounds our current society and how she navigates her identity within it.

Her intention is to create a diverse space to connect with other voices and open a conversation about grief, ambiguity, immigration and mental health, highlighting themes such as hope, love, mother nature and diversity to learn together to acknowledge our emotions, embrace the darkness and encourage each other to find a life purpose that allows us to project ourselves into a hopeful future while
becoming better human beings. She joins Cornerstone as an Spanish-speaking Presenter and Interventionist.