Destiny reconnected her with her devoted husband, Tony Cho, in October 2008. What began as a deep soul connection blossomed into a sacred, alchemical union on 11-11-11—a date chosen for its numerological significance, reflecting the cosmic nature of their bond.

A passionate patron of the arts, environmental activist and community advocate, Ximena’s philanthropic work spanned the Friends of the New World Symphony, Bass Museum of Art, PAMM, ICA, YoungArts, wildpath, Path of the Panther, Amazon Watch, Two Worlds One Planet, The Chopra Foundation and more. Through the M1 Community arm at Metro 1 Properties, she and Tony supported socially responsible service and charitable giving. She championed causes that empowered youth and supported underserved families. 

Alongside her husband, Ximena was and continues to be a guiding light behind Cho Ventures, LP, the family office that owns and operates a portfolio of impact businesses focused on regenerative placemaking, including the Future of Cities, The Climate and Innovation HUB and Metro 1 Commercial in Miami, the Phoenix Arts and Innovation District in Jacksonville. She was also the Co-Founder of ChoZen Eco Retreat in Sebastian, Florida—a sanctuary for healing, learning, and re-connecting to nature.

On Earth Day of 2025, Ximena received the Visionary Earth Steward Award from Caminantes de la Nueva Tierra & Miami-Dade County and proudly launched her lasting legacy: the ChoZen Center for Regenerative Living (CCRL). As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, CCRL is a bioregional hub dedicated to protecting biodiversity, restoring native ecosystems, empowering regenerative agriculture and small local businesses, and uplifting Indigenous voices from the Amazon and beyond. Ximena’s spiritual collaborations with tribes such as the Kogi, Yawanawa, Asháninka, and Huni Kuin reflected her unwavering devotion to Mother Earth and humanity. 

Even amid her illness, she called cancer her “greatest teacher,” and in her final days, worked alongside Tony to consciously prepare for her sacred transition, showing the depth of her spiritual maturity and selflessness. Her final wish was that we nurture peace within our hearts and across humanity—that we become devoted caretakers of one another and devoted protectors of this Earth we all call home.

Ximena was a daughter of the Earth, her fiercest protector, the love of Tony’s life, and his best friend. Her legacy lives in every flower and forest, in art and ritual, in acts of service and expressions of compassion. May we all carry her light forward and walk gently in her footsteps—embodying the grace, power, and love that defined her. Her passing, after an eight-year courageous battle with breast cancer, leaves an immeasurable void in the hearts of all who knew her. Yet, her radiant spirit and profound “SOFT POWER” continue to inspire.

She is survived by her devoted husband, Tony Cho; their beloved dog, Aki Cho; her loving brother, Andres Castillo; and her parents, Ernesto Castillo and Maria Lopez Varela and a global constellation of lightworkers and earth stewards who continue to carry her mission of healing and harmony.

To honor and carry forward her life’s work, the Ximena Cho Legacy Fund has been established through the Miami Foundation. This fund will continue Ximena’s service to future generations by supporting the arts, protecting nature, amplifying Indigenous voices, and uplifting underserved communities. Through this living legacy, her spirit will continue to inspire beauty, healing, and justice for generations to come.