ESP Biography

Brief Biographical Sketch:

Born in Connecticut but raised in Ecuador, Sara Clemente spent the majority of her early childhood admiring the rich Andean Indigenous cultures that made her native city of Cuenca so unique. Her experiences taught her to value the indigenous groups present in contemporary societies and the roles that they have in enabling diversity and interconnectivity to flourish in South American nations. She attended New York City’s Macaulay Honors College and chose to pursue her interests in indigenous peoples’ language and land rights by majoring in Linguistics, Translation, and Human Rights. During school breaks, she volunteered in Peru, studied translation in Spain, and learned about Aboriginal Rights in Australia. She also interned at VIVAT International as both a translator and researcher in a variety of land grabbing projects. Her interests in language, Human Rights, and indigenous peoples led her to pursue a master’s in Latin American Studies so as to equip herself with the tools necessary to properly and effectively become an advocate for indigenous peoples in the Andes region. To further focus her efforts she will use her FLAS fellowship to learn Quechua and gain a deeper understanding of the indigenous people who speak it. In order to find balance in her life, Sara loves to backpack and practice Vinyasa and Aerial Yoga and has her 200-hr Yoga Teacher Training.

Past Classes