Cristina Facundo is a proud Austin native. After graduating from the University of Texas with a degree in Education, she went on to teach for 5 years. Wrapping up the last three years of teaching in Harlem, she was inspired by the arts and culture of New York City and enrolled in the Fashion Institute of Technology. After graduating, she returned to Austin to pursue her dreams of becoming a fashion stylist. Cristina is the lead wardrobe stylist for Austin Monthly Magazine and has styled the likes of Norah Jones and Esperanza Spalding. When she isn’t styling, you can find Cristina running around Lady Bird Lake with her dog, Ranger, or taking day trips around central Texas, mostly to wineries, with her boyfriend Michael.

My Challenge

Cristina’s Big Brave challenge is to learn the Spanish language.

“Oh, Spanish. The language of romance and the language of my personal torment for the last 20 years. I have attempted to learn the Spanish language many times throughout my life. Beginning in grade school, the r’s rolled easily and the new vocabulary was exciting. But, if you don’t use it, you lose it, and I quickly did. While in college, I studied abroad in Granada, Spain, living with a family who did not speak a word of English. I left with a greater foundation of the language, but again, I quickly lost it after returning home. Now older, I see the importance and value of learning the language that is the foundation of my Mexican heritage. I also want to show girls that no matter how daunting something may be, by setting a goal and committing to it, they too can take on anything. Armed with my old Spanish textbooks and Rosetta Stone, puedo hacerlo!”

100% of all Big Brave donations will go directly towards benefitting GENaustin.