My name is Maria Pritchard and I am from, and currently reside on, Ynys Môn.
I have been a supporter of Welsh independence ever since I can remember, but wasn't introduced to Yes Cymru until 2018, while en route to a Nations League game in Cardiff!
I have always felt that Wales receives a poor deal from Westminster, exploited for its resources, while the country derives little benefit.
Time again, we are shown to be little more than an afterthought to Westminster.
In terms of skills that I feel I can bring to the Board, I possess a degree in Law, so feel that the knowledge gained can provide me with strategic oversight of the constitution and its application.
Since May 2022, I have also been the lead writer for the weekly Yes Cymru columns published in the Pembrokeshire Herald.
The aim of the column is to get more people in the region thinking about independence.
The column involves analysing data and research to present a compelling case for independence.
The column has featured notable studies from the likes of Professor John Doyle for instance, who concluded in October 2022, that a deficit of an independent Wales would be far lower than the oft-cited £13bn quoted by the UK Government.
I feel that my research and data-analysis skills could be useful to my role as a Board member for Yes Cymru.
For instance, I would like to see YesCymru develop a long-term strategy to establish how it can engage with communities in our most populous regions, those who are likely to determine the outcome of a referendum.
With polls recently hitting highs of around 36% and the Constitutional Commission declaring that independence IS a viable option, I believe now is the opportunity to grasp the nettle.
It is essential that we all work in unity, not just for the sake of the movement, but for the betterment of us all in furtherance of an independent Wales.