About Me
My name is Cristal Ortiz (she/her/hers) and I am 19 years old. I am about to enter my second year at Duke University. I am currently in the pre-med track as an undergraduate (If you were to ask me what my favorite part of the brain is, I would answer it would be the cerebellum. It’s a beautiful structured part of the brain and it is sometimes called the ‘Tree of Life’ because of its stunning structure.).
I am currently a researcher for the Duke Lemur Center under the Drea lab for the project Comparative Neuroendocrinology of Maternal Care in Strepsirrhines with Fast and Slow Life Histories. I am a member of the Cardea Fellows at Duke University. I am also a social media organizer for the Durham Progressive Democrats and register voters as well as do canvassing in the Durham neighborhoods. I am the creator of the zine, ‘Femicidio: A Shadow Pandemic’, and also helped create the zine ‘In Solidarity’. Outside of Duke, I am a certified community translator and I run this online blog that extends from social disparities to workout tips.
Fitness is a key hobby of mine and I have also used my social media platform in collaboration with the fitness company Cellucor and Clothes4Comfort. I sometimes model for photographers as you may see on my social media.
Some random facts about me: I love trying out new coffee shops and finding a good book. I love cleaning and being tidy, and I also love spending time with my cats. If you know me, I also enjoy putting together photo albums. P.S. I enjoy dancing, so you may catch me at a baile. <3
-Cristal Ortiz
Photo Credits: RyzziEdits