At the age of 8 she attended theatre and dance classes with her mother at Pima Community College on the Pima reservation in Tucson, AZ. Her first acting gig was in Bertolt Brecht's, "Caucasian Chalk Circle". In Jr. High she attended the Theatre and Fine Arts Magnet School in Pacoima, CA where she received first place honors for her portrayal of Anne Frank in the Los Angeles County Drama competition.
These early experiences inspired her career as a social justice theatre practitioner.