Cisternas, who became blind while she was in college has worked to increase access for people with disabilities in Chile and at the United Nations (UN).
[2] Becoming blind was difficult for Cisternas to accept, but eventually she started working to secure the rights of people with disabilities.
[1] In 2001, she was part of a team that fought a lawsuit on behalf of the Deaf community to demand the inclusion of sign language and closed captions on television in Chile.
[2] Cisternas also created a group called Corporación Pro Ayuda al Débil Visual (COPRADEV) and served as president.
[4] Cisternas was appointed the Special Envoy on Disability and Accessibility by the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres in 2017.