I always wanted to be Batman too, so I’d swing
from a rope in my yard and practice cartwheels
until I was blue in the face, but Batman never
happened (Ha!). I come from a traditional Latin
family that stayed very much in their comfort
zone. We never really left southern California,
so the idea about getting out was something I
was always curious about. I’d dream about
boating across the ocean, making friends with
all the animals and creatures that inhabit the
planet, and meeting all the different kinds of
people. I remember watching Jeff Corwin,
Steve Irwin and the Travel Channel and think-
ing, one day when I’m grown up, I’m going to
go see the world just like them. Little did I
know…
FT: You’re also a journalist. How did this hap-
pen? What topics do you enjoy covering the
most, and why?
JG: Journalism just happened to me. I’m al-
ways thinking, reflecting, and trying to make
sense of people and our world. Having a pen
and paper just came naturally to me and since
my early 20s, I’ve remained a huge writer, al-
ways have been. My journals are all handmade
by me, from the binding to the cover, and of
course all the thoughts and ideas I document
are mine, too. Most of my writings are self-re-
flective, scholarly essays, or a fresh perspec-
tive about my passions: environmentalism,
plant-based nutrition and animal welfare. I post
a lot of these in my Instagram captions.
“
I wasn’t ever taught
to dream big as a child.
The idea of doing what
I love for work is
something I had to figure
out on my own.
“