Howdy! My name is Hector Santiago, and I am excited to join the Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls as the Integral Ecology Graduate Assistant.
I was born in Guayama, Puerto Rico; our family initially moved to the United States when my father joined the Army. I spent most of my formative years with my family living in the South (Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia) and began to travel across this beautiful country on my own when I enlisted in the Army right after graduating high school. During my 10 years of military service, I had the opportunity to live in California, Texas, Maryland, and Washington state; I also deployed to Afghanistan with the First Cavalry Division in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Western Washington’s natural beauty compelled me to end my military service to find a more fulfilling career where I could work directly in and with nature. I started my civilian journey by working with Fort Lewis’ Department of Fish and Wildlife as an intern focused on restoring and maintaining the critically imperiled Garry Oak prairie ecosystem of the South Puget Sound. I then spent another season working on a small family-owned tree farm on the Olympic Peninsula learning how to sustainably grow, maintain, and harvest forest plots of Douglas Fir and Western Red Cedar. I found this work extremely fulfilling and personally enriching. Working outside and interfacing with nature helped me work through some of the trauma I had suffered during my deployment. After this experience, I resolved to find a way to invite other combat veterans into communion with the beauty of nature so they could seek and find healing of their own hearts.
FSLF's commitment to "the reality that we are all interconnected and that the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor are in the end the same cry" deeply resonates with my own work and values.
After working outdoors for a few seasons, I sought a Bachelor of Arts in Theology from St. Martin’s University in Lacey, Wash. In my studies, I focused on the intersection of Catholic social teaching and restorative community service, with a particular interest in how community-led initiatives can drive meaningful personal and social change. I was deeply inspired by Dorothy Day and the Catholic Worker Movement, which prompted me to write my undergraduate thesis advocating for the establishment of a similar faith-based social movement to support disabled combat veterans and their families in Western Washington.
I am now attending St. John’s University pursuing a Master of Divinity with a concentration in Lay Ministry. I am eager to apply my skills in research, writing, and communication to help further the mission here.
My wife, Clara, and two baby boys, James and John, keep me grounded and motivated to continue working hard to make our world a better place for all. We enjoy camping, rock climbing, fishing, and riding bicycles (although I prefer motorcycles).
I look forward to contributing to program development and supporting the community's advocacy efforts. I am also eager to learn from the Franciscan spiritual tradition and uphold the FSLF's mission of promoting human rights and building communities of peace and justice in all aspects of my work. I am confident that my passion for nature, community service, and Catholic social teaching will allow me to serve and support this important work in a meaningful way.
