Bernadette Valencia was born in El Paso, Texas, but raised in Chihuahua, Mexico. She moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, when she was 12. Later, as a high school senior at South Valley Academy, she needed to come up with a project that serves the community.
    Bernadette decided to combine her interests in safe trash disposal and journalism to create audio and video Public Service Announcements for Albuquerque residents. Thus began her collaboration with the South Valley Partners for Environmental Justice, the Community Environmental Health Program (CEHP) at the University of New Mexico's College of Pharmacy, and producer Deborah Begel.
    Since her graduation, Bernadette has been taking classes at Central New Mexico Community College.