Hi, I'm Maria. But some people call me Rafiki, because I'm a huge Lion King fan.

I was born in Casablanca, Morocco but raised all over the world. I'm a traveler, an adventurer, & a huge fan of life. I love being outdoors, whether it's doing anything from hiking to rowing to biking. I intend to travel the world & experience as much of it as possible.

One of the greatest decisions of my life was going to The University of Texas at Austin, where I am second year student, double majoring in Psychology and Sociology. People ask me what I want to do with my degrees in the future, it's simple... everything.

My family was always very close, we were a tight-knit group of extraordinary people who loved to spend time together, and I knew that nothing could ever change that. Growing up, I spent a lot of time with my aunts and uncle. One day out of the blue, my uncle fell to the floor, little did I know that day would change everything.

After weeks of continuous testing, hospital visits, and doctor’s appointments, they found out he had a cancerous brain tumor. Through several treatments, he survived through cancer, however he still suffers from permanent damage due to the late diagnosis and the lack of advanced treatments that were available. This once healthy man in his early fifties was a father, a husband, an uncle, a son, and a brother; He always worked out, he maintained a very healthy diet, and lead a balanced life.

Through my experiences, I came to realize that no one is immune to cancer. I ride for my uncle, for who he once was & for who he is today. I ride for the mothers & fathers, uncles & aunts, grandmas & grandpas, sons & daughters, husbands & wives, who have all been touched by cancer.

Almost everyone I know has somehow been affected by cancer, and for that I am riding. Because if we don’t have each other, then we have nothing at all.