Claudia was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. She grew up without a father in the home. Her mother worked long hours to support them both. Claudia spent much of her childhood alone. During those years, she struggled with feelings of emptiness, searching desperately for acceptance and a sense of belonging.

At age 12, Claudia became involved with gangs. She hoped to find the connection she felt was missing. Around the same time, she began experimenting with drugs. Her substance use started with marijuana and later progressed to harder drugs. By age 19, she was struggling with heroin addiction, homelessness, and crime. At just 20 years old, she had already served time in prison. During those difficult years, she found a strength she did not know she had.  She never imagined that years later, she would lose her daughter, Desiree, to a counterfeit pill containing fentanyl.

Claudia has struggled to understand how half a pill could take her daughter’s life. Her own experience with opioid addiction made the loss especially difficult to understand. Since Desiree’s passing, she has turned toward education and advocacy. Claudia is now a certified substance use disorder counselor working with the incarcerated population, helping them reenter society. She earned an Associate of Arts degree in Sociology. She is now working toward her bachelor's in social work at Pacific Oaks College. 

Her mission is to support individuals as they find hope, healing and build a new path forward in life.