The enthusiastic and outspoken Latinitas at Ysleta Public Library in El Paso, TX  have not only learned but demonstrated what it takes to be an empowering Latina teen. Their charismatic and witty personalities meant the room was always full of laughter and discussions on the lessons and of their personal lives. The meek and quiet Latina stereotype is long-gone in the girls minds, even the shyest girl broke out of her shell within a month or two. These girls did not lack confidence and their big hearts shone in everything that they did. Throughout the spring semester, the girls scripted and recorded their own Latinitas talk show and sounded off on what it meant to be a true friend. Other projects included writing their own song and making a music video, drawing a comic about their emotions, tapping into their fashionista skills by upcycling and designing outfits, and created a how-to video on how to draw a cat. The tutorial of drawing a cat was my favorite activity, mostly because the girls had their own director, artist, camera-WOMAN, speaker, and script writer for the video– they went above and beyond with the lesson. With minimal guidance, the girls worked together to create an awesome tutorial.

An unforgettable moment was the persistence and determination to raise money towards the Autism Community Network of El Paso as their Global Youth Service Day project. Even though the club meeting on Good Friday was cancelled, the girls begged to come in to work on the Autism poster PSAs and concession stand flyers.Unfortunately, terrible news hit the next meeting, when the city of El Paso did not grant us the permits to sell concessions. Smile on their faces and willingness to overcome this, the girls rallied together and decided to raise the donation on their own. I admire their dedication towards making a difference in the community. I am super proud of them because they raised a whopping $115!!! For the project, not only did they decorate a frame with an autism awareness portrait, they also raised money for a cause that is important to them.

What they learned cannot be measured on paper. They learned different media and writing skills, but their creativity and confidence grew with each lesson.  I was their mentor, but I became their friend, someone they could rely on to talk about their friendship or family problems.  As their mentor, their enthusiasm for Latinitas grew, but as their friend I saw a change in each and every one of them. They had more confidence to be themselves and speak their mind. Friendships grew within the club and the club acted as a mini-support group for anyone going through a hard time.  The girls have inspired me to keep working with Latinitas and know my girls at Ysleta have a bright future ahead of them and are destined for bigger and better things in their lives.

Tays Housing Authority in El Paso, TX  invited Latinitas Club during the Spring 2012 semester for six weeks full of media and lots of fun.Tuesdays were the days we met.I must say they were very excited to have us since the beginning. When I arrived to the first club meeting, they were already waiting for me. As the weeks went by we worked on a “how to” video tutorial, discussed the benefits of being healthy,  learned how to deal with emotions and had our very own  fashion show at the club. The girls had a blast with all the cool activities Latinitas Club offered. They were able to express their thoughts about issues such as the importance of inner beauty. The inner beauty lesson was one of the girls’ favorites because they learned that not all beauty lies on the outside, but it also comes from within. We worked on a service project for approximately two weeks and the outcome was extraordinary. The girls went door to door around their neighborhood, collecting cans for the West Texas Food Bank. Personally, this lesson was one of my favorites because the girls had the opportunity to help others in their own community. Discussions are a big part of the lesson plans which I think are very important because it allows the girls to understand each other better. Above all, the best part of this wonderful experience is realizing that on the first day you come in as a club leader and as the weeks go by you become their friend. The girls liked the club so much that they are hoping to have more fun with Latinitas soon!

I’ve had the pleasure of working with the Latinitas girls at Irving Schwartz Public Library for the past two semesters (Fall 2011, Spring 2012). The girls at the Club are so full of energy and positive attitude that it just seems contagious. Fridays are a day I look forward to just to see my girls and have some fun with them. Throughout the spring semester the girls were able to learn about health and fitness, record their own radio talk show giving advice on friendship, make a how to video and explore healthy ways of dealing with emotions. Along with these projects, we got to participate in the Global Service Youth Day where we were able to make goodie  bags and a portrait that would be donated to the Autism Awareness Society in El Paso. While being with the girls this semester, I watched them grow into beautiful, confident young ladies. The most shy girls could be seen coming out of their shells and becoming more comfortable in their own skin and with those around them. I truly believe the club has helped the girls realize the potential they have and how beautiful individuality can be. Not only did the girls learn something this semester, they also taught me that everyone can make a difference in the world no matter how young. I went into this hoping to make a difference in a girl’s life, but they ended up impacting mine more than they will ever know. It has been an honor and privilege to have met them.