Life & Work with Ana Miriam Barragan Santoyo of Los Angeles, California

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ana Miriam Barragan Santoyo.

Hi Ana Miriam, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Thank you for this beautiful question. Reflecting back on it, the desire to create my own business started as wishful thinking in 2016 when I traveled to El Salvador for an educational program. I was a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipient, and the opportunity to travel outside of the United States changed my life completely.

Arriving in a new country gave me a sense of freedom I had never felt before. It allowed me to reflect on what liberation meant for me, and I started questioning liberation beyond immigration status. And I felt so free among the trees, the history, and among the community I was traveling with. I felt free to be. I felt free to cry. I felt free to be loud. I felt free to be seen. I felt free from work and the routine. I felt free among strangers. I couldn’t name the feeling then, but I now recognize it every time I think about freedom.

How could I not want to create a similar space for others to feel the same?

This trip also informed the way I approached my work. I was focusing on building sustainable resources for undocumented students in higher education, lobbying to advocate for state policies, and being part of state-wide discussions impacting immigrants. I spent a significant amount of my time training and supervising students, creating meaningful events for their academic, professional, and personal development. I share all of this because I absolutely loved this part of my job. It was about the intentionality behind every space we co-created with students and the collective magic that was generated among the community.

The following 7 years since traveling to El Salvador were a rollercoaster. I married, changed employers, became a green card holder, then a U.S. citizen, failed at creating a business with my best friend, separated, lost several friendships, and was diagnosed with having an autoimmune disorder.

I felt physically and emotionally sick all the time, and in August 2024, I finally left my job and began a personal journey of healing and building community among strangers. Almost a year later, I began submitting the paperwork to legalize Casa Caracol LLC as the sole proprietor.

I officiated the birth of this new journey on Nov. 19, 2025 with a post title “paso a pasito.” The interpretation of this is “one step at a time” or “baby steps.” I took a lot of steps before getting here and more than anything I wanted to remind myself to go at my own pace, to enjoy the journey, to continue building a home that I am proud of, and to leave behind a trail of shiny magic and glitter along the way. Just like the caracol.

I know many people think translate the world caracol as a snail, but for me, it is beyond that. I love the symbolism to carry my home everywhere I go, but I chose it because it also means shell and spiral. I interpret the shell as a powerful tool to call out the masses for community gatherings, and I see the spiral as the constant opportunity for growth and expansion. So, Casa Caracol is an invitation for everyone to focus on themselves and their growth, to build a home they are proud of, and to always do it with community.

It doesn’t matter whether I am delivering a speech, hosting presentations or training sessions for non-profit organizations, colleges, or universities, or whether I am hosting a community event in my backyard, or whether I am taking people on travel adventures to experience the beauty of this world, I always uphold love and community in motion.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I had unrealistic expectations building Casa Caracol LLC, and things were taking a lot longer to be accomplished than I expected. One knows that starting a business will be hard, but I did not prepare for the many roles I was going to take. Now, it feels like I am the executive director, the spokesperson, the administrative assistant, the account, the communications and marketing coordinator, human resources, the creative designer, the social media guru… and the list goes on. And let’s talk about the financial insecurities that kick in when you are trying to find the capital to create a strong business foundation while paying all the personal bills, too. It is definitely challenging to manage and run a successful business.

Without a doubt, this journey has its perks, and it is a blessing because I have been able to create a really good balance for myself. I have also met inspiring groups of women who are in their entrepreneurial journey, and I have learned to rely on experts who can help me expand and grow my business. Now, I learn along the way, give myself grace, and move on the best way I can. The reality is that I LOVE having my own business, and it has truly created a balance that works for me.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Casa Caracol LLC specializes in the power of storytelling and curated spaces. We bring people together through engaging keynote speaking opportunities, community events, and group travel. Our ultimate goal is collective liberation.

We are known for centering immigrants and women in most of our work. Our keynote speaking engagements are meant to inspire and motivate people while our presentations, workshops, and training sessions empower our audience through knowledge and valuable resources. Our community gatherings and events are created to share services and promote financial opportunities for small businesses, and our group travels offer deep connections and adventure.

Our most popular work with non-profits and higher education institutions include presentations on how to establish a business regardless of immigration status or how to financially plan for graduate school. We are also known for hosting support groups titled “Liberation Letters” and community events to highlight small businesses owned by immigrants, women, queer, Black, and indigenous people. Next week, we are hosting a Love, Share, & Swap event and in November, we are hosting a vendors’ fair.

I am most proud of centering historically marginalized communities in all the work we are involved in. Our community is growing, and they clearly understand the end goal is collective liberation. Those who are following our work, have participated in our workshops and support groups, and those who have traveled with us fully understand our commitment is to uplift one another through love and community in motion.

Any big plans?
Casa Caracol LLC is shifting priorities in 2027. We are focusing more on keynote speaking engagements and group travels.

Group traveling starts with “Amor Propio” in February for women and femmes who are interested in exploring self-love in community. We are inviting graduating college and university students to travel with us to celebrate themselves in late June. We are also organizing a group hike to The Narrows in Zion National Park while another group is meeting in Guadalajara to release sexual trauma and discuss sexual liberation. We end the year in Guatemala to explore our connection to the elements, and in El Salvador to learn more about Afro Resistance and Wisdom within the country.

For now, we hope to continue having a lot more opportunities to share our story, to inspire others, share resources, and continue creating meaningful connections around the world.

Pricing:

• Entrance to our community events are free; and we encourage love donations for those can contribute something)
• Group Travel ranges from $1,600 – $2,220 per person
• Speaking engagements range from $2,000 – $20,000
• Presentations & Workshops from $750 – $2,500
• Pricing for project-based work is provided upon request.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.TheCasaCaracol.com
• Instagram: TheCasaCaracol
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ana-miriam-barragan-santoyo-794444b5/