Maya Weinberg comes to Meridian from The University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill where she is a rising senior studying Political Science and Latin American Studies. Maya spent a semester studying in Puebla, Mexico where she focused on trade and food systems through her courses and an internship with Slow Food Mexico. She continues traveling to Mexico in order to improve her Spanish and conduct research for her thesis on corn-growing economies in rural Oaxaca. At UNC, Maya works for the Global Education Center where she helps organize events and exhibitions. Through this work, she plans naturalization ceremonies and develops cultural programming for students to engage with visitors and art from around the world. Maya has also worked for the Manna Center for Food Safety and Security at Tel Aviv University as their program assistant. This work involved planning excursions for 50 international students on topics of desert agriculture and food sustainability policies.