Meet Yulissa
Yulissa with her beloved son.
For the past three years, Corrales, NM, has been Yulissa's home. She shares her life here with her husband (whose family is from Northern New Mexico), her son, and their beloved dachshund, Flora. While her roots stretch back to Florida and Puerto Rico, Yulissa has found a new home in our New Mexican desert oasis. From the unique landscapes to the dry heat, Yulissa loves it all and is here to stay.
Yulissa and I met after she responded quickly to my job posting. Her resume stood out given her extensive work experience writing grants for climate justice organizations. As was the case with Roxanna, I again thought to myself, “Why would this woman want to work in retail?”. I gave her a call and when she answered, I heard the distinct sound of a rowdy toddler in the background. As we chatted, she flexibly broke in and out of our English conversation to speak lovingly to her son in Spanish. And this, I quickly learned, was exactly why she was interested in the job.
Like Roxanna and me, becoming a mother had changed everything for Yulissa. While nonprofit work once fulfilled her heart, Yulissa had gotten married, moved cross country, and had a baby all during the pandemic. Her work never slowed down. In fact, as she proved herself more and more capable, more was demanded of her, as is the unfortunate case with many underfunded and understaffed organizations. She had, to her own surprise, left her job after the birth of her son and found sheer joy in being home with him for 18 months. After living in Boston for some time, her new home in Corrales became a nest she rarely wanted to leave. But fast forward to 2024 and as her baby was blossoming into an independent toddler, so too was her desire to once again be part of something outside of being, as she says, a ‘mami’.
Despite relating to this metamorphosis, Yulissa and I are quite different from one another. She’s outgoing while I’m introverted. She’s talkative; I tend to get lost in my own head. She’s a risk taker; I’m a planner. She is everything I need in an employee – someone who shares my same values but will approach things differently. And so, she came on board!
As I’ve gotten to know Yulissa better, I’ve learned that her love for Planet Earth is tangible. Though her prior work raising funds for environmental justice groups was computer and office based, her heart and hands have always been ‘in the field’. Yulissa is an avid gardener and despite the dry, desert soil that differs radically from the Puerto Rican tilth she grew up with, she’s managed to grow an incredible edible garden in her Corrales backyard bursting with hot chile varieties, juicy tomatoes, and fragrant herbs that she uses for cooking. Perhaps even more impressive are her vibrant flower beds - kaleidoscopes of colorful zinnias & bachelor's buttons, eye-catching amaranth, and stunning dahlias standing tall.
Yulissa working on her compost beds in Corrales, NM.
Yulissa refilling laundry powder at The Village Refillery.
Q&A with Yulissa
Where are your roots? Where do you consider home?
“I have come to realize that I am a nomad at heart, having lived in Florida, Boston, and Madrid, but I always say my ancestral home is Puerto Rico and my home is here in New Mexico. This state is the first place that’s truly felt like home and is a place I don’t ever want to leave.”
What languages do you speak?
“I speak Spanish fluently and took Brazilian Portuguese & Italian classes in college.”
What’s your favorite New Mexican dish?
“This is hard, I am always down for a New Mexican breakfast of eggs, potatoes, beans, and red Chimayo chile, but a second favorite is the blue corn pancakes from the Indian Pueblo Kitchen.”
What’s the best place to spend time outdoors in NM, in your opinion?
“I still have a lot of places to visit, but I do enjoy hiking the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The smell of Piñon and Juniper after a rain shower is intoxicating.”
What’s your must-have refill product from the shop?
“I’ve been really loving the Big Thicket Bug Spray from East Side Remedios. It is so effective and smells so good. I am also really into making sure I am protecting my family’s skin (and my own!) from harmful UVA/UVB rays, and can say that the All Good Mineral Sunscreen we carry is amazing.”
Why do you want to work for a Refillery/zero waste store?
“I’ve spent over a decade working with environmental and climate justice organizations across the globe, and one thing that I learned is that belonging to a local community is one of the best ways to combat the climate crisis. To me, The Village Refillery is a community hub where I can talk to my neighbors about supporting small businesses and making healthier incremental changes in our consumption. Also, it’s a lot of fun working here!”
Can you share your best zero waste home hack?
“I’ve recently switched over all my laundry to zero-waste/toxic free products. I am using refillable powder laundry detergent to be more water wise. I also ditched dryer sheets for wool dryer balls. They speed up drying time and I love adding a few essential oil drops to naturally scent my laundry. It’s a small luxury I really enjoy.”
Any other interesting things to know about you?
“ I love to be in my garden and see my plant babies grow. My husband was the one who got me into gardening and I haven’t looked back since. My dream is to become a micro-farmer to grow flowers and herbs I can use in all-natural beauty products (like the one’s Lauren makes for the Village Refillery!).”
For Yulissa, zero-waste is not a trendy movement, it’s her way of life. She has always believed in using natural resources responsibly (i.e reducing) and using creativity to give new life to old materials (i.e reusing). She makes her own planters from repurposed milk and egg cartons. She builds vegetable beds out of yard scraps and tends to her worm compost bin. She even makes her own herbal distillates, which we’re now using in our Hydrosol Face Toner!
Here at the Village Refillery we're thrilled to have her join our team and we’re sure you'll enjoy getting to know her just as we have! Stop by on a Tuesday, introduce yourself, and chat with Yulissa about how to embrace a more sustainable lifestyle.
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