Maria’s transcultural background is central to her interests in design, equity, and participation. As a designer, educator, and researcher, she explores the potential of design and designers to shape the human experience positively. This led her to found the D4D Lab, an award-winning initiative to codesign with Indigenous Mexican entrepreneurs, subject matter experts, and design students. One result is a horizontal methodology to support designers to codesign with people in diverse social, economic, and cultural contexts. She is at work, with Raúl Sánchez, on a book project to frame this methodology. Recent publications include “Hacia una planeta pluriversal” in Diseño y Territorios and “Co-Designing for Development” in The Routledge Handbook of Sustainable Design. She has exhibited works in national and international juried exhibitions and received Fulbright and Sappi Ideas That Matter grants, among others. She teaches in the MFA and BFA programs in design.