Yek tanestuk! Nutukay Petrona Xemi, nutztuntukay Tapepechul. Naja ni Xemi. Naja nisiwayul Kuskatanchanej. Nineski tik Meshikatan, Kuskatan. Nunan neski tik Kuskatan. Nunoya, ne inan nunan, neski tik Estanzuelas, wan ne inan nunoya neski tik Estanzuelas nusan. Nutatanoy, ne itegu nunan, neski tik Kuskatan, wan ne inan nutatanoy neski tik Tepezunti. Nuteku se takat mestizo-sefardi neski tik Kuskatan. Iknewan nuteku nesiket tik Usulutan wan Morazan. Naja se nawamumachtiani.

Good day! My name is Petrona Xemi Tapepechul. You can call me Xemi. I am a Two-Spirit Transgender Womxn from Kuskatan, the land known internationally as El Salvador. I was born in Mejicanos, San Salvador. My mother was born in San Salvador. My maternal grandmother was born in Estanzuelas, and my grandmother's mother was born in Estanzuelas. My maternal grandfather was born in San Salvador, and his mother was born in Tepezontes. My father is a Mestizo-Sefardi man born in San Salvador. His family is from Usulutan and Morazan. I am a Nawat language student.

Naja ni Teatromawaltiani / I'm an Actor: 
trained at the National Conservatory of Dramatic Arts, and has been featured on various DC Theatre productions, including Angel Rose Artist Collective's The Cosmic Twins, Protect & Preserve, and Siwayul (Heart of a Womxn), a group I founded in 2015, and which I represent as the Artistic Director. 
 
Naja ni Teatrotakwiluani / I'm a Playwright:

who has had my original plays produced at theater festivals across the country, including: New Native Theatre's National Native American Ten Minute Play Festival; NextStop Theatre Company's DarkNights Festival; DC Queer Theatre Festival; Kennedy Center's Page-to-Stage Festival; and the DC Black Theatre & Arts Festival.

Naja ni Amachtakwilunai / I'm an Author:

of 2 published theatrical play scripts, and 2 published poetry books, including the Lambda Literary Award Nominee for Bisexual Poetry, My Woman Card is anti-Native & Two-Spirit Truths.

Naja ni Modeloj / I'm a Model:
and a #DovePartner that participated in Project #ShowUs, a worldwide beauty diversity campaign by Girlgaze, Dove, and Getty Images.
 

Naja ni Taketzalistekitiani wan nikneki nimuchiwa Miaktaketzaliani /
I'm a Language Worker & Aspiring Polyglot:

who interprets & translates Spanish & English professionally, and studies various oral and signed languages, including Nawat and Salvadoran Sign Language, two languages found only in El Salvador that are considered "at risk". I also study American Sign Language and Munsee-Lunaape, and have plans to study Sai i Putum (Salvadoran Lenca) in the near future as a way to honor my Eastern Salvadoran heritage.

Naja ni Tamachtiani / I'm an Educator:

certified as a Paraeducator (Praxis® ParaPro Score: 480), who facilitates workshops & appears on panels on healing through the arts, Indigenous & Transgender Justice, Two-Spirit Sovereignty, and more at various institutions and organizations including: Allied Media Conference; National LGBTQ Task Force's Creating Change Conference; University of Maryland- College Park; George Washington University; Northern Virginia Community College; the Melanin Collective DC, Equality Virginia; Human Rights Campaign; the DC Center for LGBT Community; OutWrite LGBT Book Festival; Girls Rock! DC; and many more.

Naja ni Premioishtiani/ I'm an Award Winner:

2018 Champion of the Ask Rayceen Show Annual Poetry Slam Competition; 2018 "Hispanic Heritage Legacy Award" from the Latino GLBT History Project; 2019 "40 Under 40: Queer Women of Washington" by the DC Mayor's Office of LGBTQ Affairs, the DC Mayor's Office of Women's Initiatives, and the Washington Blade; and the 2019 Engendered Spirit Award from the Capitol Pride Alliance.