Christian Aldana is an artist, educator and community organizer who has called Chicago home since 2016. Though she was born in Los Angeles and raised in South East Asia, Christian has a soft spot for the Midwest. They've been working with youth in multicultural settings throughout their entire career, as a teaching artist, mentor, and youth organizer. Christian believes that young people deserve equitable, community-centered learning environments where they can be their full selves. They are the founder and Creative Director of Luya, a poetry organization that centers the stories and experiences of people of color. Their debut collection of poetry, The Water We Swim In was published by Sampaguita Press in 2023. When they're not writing poems, you can find them in deep discussions about sci-fi, cooking with their friends, or performing around the city.