Raquel Mendez is a 19-year-old from the Sipayik Reservation, a small coastal community in Maine and uses she/her pronouns. She is currently working with the Sipayik Resilience Committee and Wabanaki Youth in Science, and has also worked alongside the College of the Atlantic. Raquel enjoys volunteering her time to support social activities in her community and has also done volunteer work with Peaceful Relations. Growing up, she learned about the deep connection between the ocean and her Wabanaki heritage, which deepened her love for both the ocean and the land. She is a bubbly, happy, and talkative person who sees conservation as one of our greatest gifts for learning and loves sharing her passion for fancy dancing. Raquel is ecstatic to be part of the Blue Carbon Ambassadors and excited to share all of the knowledge she is going to gain with her community.