Full Name: Sandra Piedra
Employer/ Position: Rio Grande Medical Group/ Family Nurse Practitioner
School/Major: University of Texas at El Paso/ Master of Science in Nursing: Family Nurse Practitioner

1. What is your volunteer position? Volunteer What volunteer projects have you helped with? I have helped with Latinitas information booth at Adventure for your Future at University Medical Center, Nutrition presentation at Self Esteem Workshop in Las Cruces, and I help promote Latinitas events in Las Cruces.

2. How long have you’ve been volunteering with Latinitas? I recently started volunteering with Latinitas in Jan 2013.

3. How did you become interested in volunteering for Latinitas? A good friend had been volunteering with Latinitas. She told me about the organization and I was immediately interested. I loved the idea of serving as a role model and mentor for young Hispanic girls.

4. What has been your most rewarding experience as a volunteer? I really enjoyed presenting nutritional information at The Self-Esteem workshop at the Las Cruces Branigan Library. The girls had so many questions about nutrition and were genuinely interested in eating healthier. I was glad I was able to help them make better nutritional choices and keep their bodies healthy.

5. What do you like most about being a volunteer for Latinitas? I enjoy serving as role model and mentor for the young girls we serve. I feel this is a great opportunity for me to impart my knowledge and help young girls make better health decisions.

6. Why do you think an organization like Latinitas is important? I feel it is important to have role models for young women and assist them in developing a healthy self-esteem. As females, we are pressured by societal norms, cultural and family traditions to look and behave a certain way. It is important for young females to understand that they have many more choices besides what is dictated by our society or culture. Latinitas is a great organization which empowers young women and makes a difference in their everyday lives.

7. Describe your other volunteer experience and/or civic involvement. I have volunteered with Girl Scouts as troop leader. I have volunteered for Latch Key Centers which is an after-school program in low income elementary schools. I participate in local running, cycling, and triathlon events in El Paso and Las Cruces.

What motivated you to volunteer with Latinitas:
My interest in volunteering with Latinitas is based on several motives. I share a common background and culture with the the young Hispanic women that Latinitas reaches out to. I am confident that organizations such as Latinitas make a momentous positive impact in young women’s lives. With challenges that young Latinas face in our community, it is critical that they have advocates and role models to guide them in reaching their full personal, academic and professional potential. I have a sincere desire to share my experiences and skills with young Hispanic women in our community and nationwide. Through board membership, I strive to contribute to the self-esteem building, advocating for education and leadership building for young Latinas.

Tell us about your background:
I am excited to share my skills in team building, event planning, strategic planning, networking and leadership with the organization. I have a background in business administration and am currently in the Executive MBA Program at the University of Texas at El Paso. I am currently the Senior Director for Continuing Medical Education at the Paul L. Foster of Medicine and specialize in event planning. Last, I am a a member of the Greater Association of Relators and maintain a large group of professional contacts. I have a passion for organizational development and leadership that I am interested in sharing to expand and help optimize the organization.

How do you support Latinitas:
I share my skills and experience in event planning, team building, organizational development and leadership. As a board member, I utilize my expertise in education, fundraising, marketing, public relations, budgeting and logistics to help the organization meet its mission.

Why do you believe Latinitas’ mission is important?
Important issues facing Latinas today range from poverty, high pregnancy rates, lack of education, broken homes, peer pressure, bullying and low self-esteem. Empowering young Latinas by building self-esteem, providing opportunities and advocating for education will help make huge strides toward reducing the pressing issues that Latina youth face.

Full Name: Yaisah Granillo
School/Major: UTEP/ Digital Media Production

1. What is your volunteer position? What volunteer projects have you helped with?
Volunteer video editor, I’ve helped with videos on topics such as Bullying, Proud to be Latinas, Stereotypes, That Girl Rocks, and a public service announcement.

2. How long have you’ve been volunteering with Latinitas?
I’ve been volunteering since late January 2013.

3. How did you become interested in volunteering for Latinitas?
I was going to do an internship last summer but I couldn’t after all but I still liked what Latinitas had to offer to young girls and I wanted to be a part of it so I decided to volunteer.

4. What has been your most rewarding experience as a volunteer?
Actually working with the girls is a lot of fun. I have really enjoyed the workshops I have gone to.

5. What do you like most about being a volunteer for Latinitas?
I love helping out the community but I really like being a volunteer for Latinitas because of the positive impact it has on young girls and if I could inspire or motivate them in any way to have a better future then it would truly warm my heart.

6. Why do you think an organization like Latinitas is important?
It is important because sometimes people need a little motivation in their lives. We want people to be aware of the negative statistics so that they can be the change and little by little change the statistics and Latinitas does a great job in providing girls with information as well as showing them a way to change that through interactive workshops and camps. This helps the girls to think twice about the way they want to live their lives.

7. Describe your other volunteer experience and/or civic involvement.
I have been a volunteer with a variety of organizations such as Advocacy Center of El Paso, Animal Rescue League, Boys and Girls club of El Paso, YWCA volunteer tutor, and the Therapeutic Horsemanship of El Paso. They have all been a rewarding experience because I love providing service to the community. All of these organizations required organizing stuff or cleaning except the YWCA because I was just a tutor.

Full Name: Vanessa de la Viña

Employer/ Position: KVIA-TV/ Reporter

1. What is your volunteer position? What volunteer projects have you helped with? I speak at Latinitas events/media camps when I am invited. I also participated in the Latinitas Fashion Show last year.

2. How long have you’ve been volunteering with Latinitas? About a year.

3. How did you become interested in volunteering for Latinitas? Gaby Loria, another reporter at KVIA, told me about Latinitas and I thought it sounded like a great group to get involved with.

4. What has been your most rewarding experience as a volunteer? Volunteering is a really great way to give back to the community and hope I am making a difference in some way.

5. What do you like most about being a volunteer for Latinitas? Speaking to the girls and answering their questions is always fun for me. I really enjoy hearing what the girls aspire to in life. I also love seeing the projects they create at Latinitas media camps. I hope I can help bring some positivity into their lives and show them they can achieve whatever they set their minds to.

6. Why do you think Latinitas is important? I think an organization like Latinitas is extremely important to show young Hispanic girls they are the future. Whatever they aspire to be, they can be it. It’s important to teach young girls to really value themselves and be confident.

7. Describe your other volunteer experience and/or civic involvement. I also volunteer with local animal shelters because I am a huge animal lover!aby Loria, another reporter at KVIA, told me about Latinitas and I thought it sounded like a great group to get involved with.

4. What has been your most rewarding experience as a volunteer?  Volunteering is a really great way to give back to the community and hope I am making a difference in some way.

5. What do you like most about being a volunteer for Latinitas? Speaking to the girls and answering their questions is always fun for me. I really enjoy hearing what the girls aspire to in life. I also love seeing the projects they create at Latinitas media camps. I hope I can help bring some positivity into their lives and show them they can achieve whatever they set their minds to.

6. Why do you think an organization like Latinitas is important? I think an organization like Latinitas is extremely important to show young Hispanic girls they are the future. Whatever they aspire to be, they can be it. It’s important to teach young girls to really value themselves and be confident.

7. Describe your other volunteer experience. I also volunteer with local animal shelters because I am a huge animal lover!

Full name: Dayna Valdez
Employer/position: Not currently employed
School/major: University of Texas at El Paso/ Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (RN)

1. What is your volunteer position? What volunteer projects have you helped with?I am a club mentor, helping my club leader with an on-going Latinitas after school club. Aside from meeting with the club every week for about two hours, I have also helped with with the Aim High Conference for girls.

2. How long have you’ve been volunteering with Latinitas? I started as soon as I first heard about this great organization in September of last year.

3. How did you become interested in volunteering for Latinitas? As a young Latina myself, I became interested in sharing my skills, experience, resources and heart to other young Latinita girls. To me there is nothing more rewarding than giving back to others, even if all people need is just a simple smile.

4. What has been your most rewarding experience as a volunteer Every experience is rewarding of itself. But when you realize you’ve made a small difference in someone life that is when an experience turns into a meaningful one. People will forget what you said or what you did but they will forget how you made them feel.

5. What do you like most about being a volunteer for Latinitas? I fall in love with people’s passion. The way their eyes light up when they talk about something they love or want and they fill with light. When the Latinitas girls talk about their future dreams of becoming lawyers and veterinarians with such passion reminds me of why I like being a volunteer in the first place.

6. Why do you think an organization like Latinitas is important? One of the many misconceptions of Hispanics, especially the female population, is that we are incompetent with today’s working society because we are lazy or we simple can’t do it. I believe that Latinos are hard-working people and are just as capable of accomplishing their dreams. Latinitas is a amazing organization that young girls can gain a lot from and help break these misconceptions that are formed at a young age.

7. Describe your other volunteer experience and/or civic involvement. I have always been involved with several other organizations during high school and now during my college career, I currently volunteer with VNA (Visiting Nursing Association). I do patient visits at assisted living facilities, as well as help with events for the elderly.

Full Name: Dana Renteria

Employer/ Position: Kids Planet Learning Center/ daycare teacher

School/Major: University of Phoenix/ Early childhood education k-8 grade

1. What is your volunteer position? What volunteer projects have you helped with?
I am a mentor for Latinitas and I’ve volunteered in the Creative Expression Saturday Camp at the Judge Marquez library. I got to be a part of the downtown mural project and the girl talk workshop for the juvenile probation department. I have also volunteered at the Aim High Conference; where I was also I guest speaker and I got to talk about my college experiences.

2. How long have you’ve been volunteering with Latinitas?
I started volunteering with Latinitas since October of 2012.

3. How did you become interested in volunteering for Latinitas?
I found Latinitas at volunteer match. When I went into the website I liked what Latinitas stood for but it was at the volunteer orientation that I got to know more about the program that I really became interested in being part of the organization.

4. What has been your most rewarding experience as a volunteer?
The most rewarding experience is seeing that the girls are learning the message that you are trying to convey. It is rewarding that after the workshop you ask them what they learned and when the say what you strongly expressed, really makes me feel so excited that the got the message.

5. What do you like most about being a volunteer for Latinitas?
What I like the most is the hands on activities that we do with the girls is what gets the girls engaged, makes it fun, and they get the message a lot better. I like working with the girls and getting to know them and their experiences.

6. Why do you think an organization like Latinitas is important?
The organization is important because it teaches girls to have a voice, that they can achieve anything, gives them information about college, show them a different alternatives, and things they can achieve. It informs young girls that there are several opportunities out there for them to take advantage of. Overall it is a great organization to be involved in.

7. Describe your other volunteer experience and/or civic involvement.
I really enjoyed my volunteer experience at the aim high conference because it really moved me to finish college. I am still currently attending school and when i heard the stories of the women who had their careers and their stories, it really moved me. I am anxious now to finish school. I also got the chance to speak to the girls about my college experience and I just hope that I was able to make a difference in someone that they really want to go to college.

Name : Jessica Salcedo

School/Major:
Senior at UTEP. Multimedia journalism major with Spanish minor

1. What is your volunteer position? What volunteer projects have you helped with?
I volunteered with the art murals at downtown, Chicas in Advancing Media and beYOUnique workshop.

2. How long have you’ve been volunteering with Latinitas?
I started volunteering with Latinitas in September.

3. How did you become interested in volunteering for Latinitas?
I needed to do volunteering hours for a class at UTEP and the Center for Civil Engagement told me about Latinitas. I saw the website and I knew that it was meant for me because I like interacting with young girls.

4. What has been your most rewarding experience as a volunteer?
Just giving my time to help and improve the community, especially young Latinas like me.

5. What do you like most about being a volunteer for Latinitas?
I like that thanks to Latinitas I can interact with other Latinas and that I have the opportunity of meeting new people that are similar like me.

6. Why do you think an organization like Latinitas is important?
Any organization that helps the community is important. I think Latinitas is important because “Latinos” in general are the largest minority group in the United States and we are underrepresented in the media. It is important to teach the young girls that they can accomplish their dreams and that they need to fight against the negative stereotypes that society puts for Latinas.

7. Describe your other volunteer experience and/or civic involvement.
For the past couple of years, I spend my summers in Durango, Mexico, volunteering at an elementary school in which I teach the kids English. During High School, I was involved with Student Council, Technical Honor Society and I was the vice-president of the French club. Now, I volunteer as a Zumba assistant instructor and event planner at Zumba Cool and Gold Fitness.

Special thanks to our amazing team of summer interns who have helped in publishing our digital magazine with girl power articles and in serving as camp counselors in our organizing and leading our multimedia arts summer camps.

MULTIMEDIA & EDITORIAL INTERNS:

Adriana Candelaria was born and raised in the Pueblo of Socorro in El Paso, Tx. Adriana is attending Texas State University in San Marcos where she currently studies Journalism with a minor in Business and plans to apply her major in the future to work as a Photojournalist in Texas. “What I like most about Latinitas is that it portrays itself as a very classy and fun magazine that is filled with nothing but positive messages to its audience,” shared Adriana.

Kimberly Kerr is currently pursuing a degree in English literature at Cornell University. She is a self-professed magazine junkie and hopes to begin her career in the magazine industry after she receives a Masters degree in business.  She is passionate about matters specific to minority women as well as providing guidance for young girls. Kimberly sounds off on media literary:  “It’s important for young girls to see realistic representations of themselves in media. Since there are limited  representations of Latinas in pop culture, a home-grown media base like Latinita can help give more variety and truthfulness to what ‘Latina’ means.”

Marifer Ruiz-Pineda is a Freshman attending the University of Texas at El Paso. She is majoring in Anthropology and Business and plans on obtaining her Bachelor’s degree in the next three years. She advises teens to “always try to do the right thing and to be considerate of others.”

Cynthia Amaya is currently an undergraduate student at Texas A&M University where she is pursuing a degree in English literature. She hopes to work in the publishing or editing industry. She is involved in different organizations that seek to promote diversity and cultural awareness on campus and in the community. She enjoys reading, singing poorly along to the radio, arts and crafts, and taking power naps. Words of wisdom from Cynthia: “I would advise young girls to not get discouraged by unfortunate circumstances or people. There will always be someone that does not want to see you succeed and it is important to prove those people wrong.”

Marlett Mojica is a senior at Bel Air High School. She plans on attending Sul Russ University to study art. Self-less, driven, and passionate, Marlett is an exemplary role model for Latina Youth. When asked what she likes most about Latinitas, she states: “I like that girls here can interact with one another and learn new things about their culture. Also it helps those girls who are shy break from their shell and gain confidence to meet other girls. It also helps them to show other people and express their talent to other people.”

OUTREACH INTERN:

Olga Ochoa is currently an undergraduate at the University of Texas at El Paso . She is a Senior who will be graduating in a year as a double major in Sociology and Anthropology. As a graduate Olga plans to continue with school and apply for a Master’s Program in Sociology at the University of Texas at El Paso. One day she plans to have a job in which she can motivate, help, guide, and inspire people to fulfill their dreams just like she fulfilled hers. Her advice to Latina youth: “The amount of advice I could give is endless to young girls but to make it short ” Work hard for what you want, never give up, and any obstacle in your way I promise you that with strong will and a strong heart you can overcome anything that comes between you and your goals.”

We would like to spotlight Ms. McKinney for helping out in our summer camp. She volunteered with Latinitas and shared her valuable time and knowledge with all the girls. As an Independent Avon Representative, she hosted a beauty workshop for our summer campers to help girls feature their own true beauty and provided goody bags to our participants. Here is the highlights she provided to introduce herself to the rest of the Latinitas family.

She is retired from Federal Bureau of Prisons after 22 years. She is a veteran of the U.S. Army veteran and proudly served for 6 years. She graduated from Baldwin Senior High School and took some college courses before joining the Army.

What volunteer projects have you helped with? (Summer Camp)
1. I participated in the make-up portion of the class.

How long have you’ve been volunteering with Latinitas?
2. This summer was my first experience with Latinitas.

How did you become interested in volunteering for Latinitas?
3. I noticed a flyer about the skin care portion of the 1 day class and thought it would be a lot of fun to work with young ladies who are just learning about make-up, their self esteem and liking themselves in general. As an Independent Avon Representative, I have lots of make-up, skin care and nail polishes on hand and thought this would be a great opportunity to participate in a program that was not available when I was young.

What has been your most rewarding experience as a volunteer?
4. I just loved watching the girls experiment with the make-up and nail polishes and it was wonderful to see how they helped each other. I love living in El Paso and enjoy giving back to my community.

What do you like most about being a volunteer for Latinitas?
5. Everyone I have spoken with that works for Latinitas really care sabout the girls and want to give them the tools to use as they get older to be successful and accomplished women not only for their community but for themselves.

Why do you think an organization like Latinitas is important?
6. There is too much information on the internet that is not age appropriate for young ladies. They may try to aspire to unrealistic dreams about being thin enough, wearing the “right” clothing or bring the wrong type of attention to themselves in regards to dating vs. learning how to be friends with boys. This program also teaches the girls to like themselves and support each other as they are growing up and how to be a positive influence among their peers and younger girls.

Describe your other volunteer experience and/or civic involvement.
7. I have recently retired and have time to give back to a wonderful community. I have opened and run a food bank at my local Church, I volunteer for the USO at Ft. Bliss, and have recently started to work with Latinitas. I am an active member of the Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce and I have recently achieved one of my dreams and opened an Avon Shoppe in El Paso.

For more information about Alecia McKinney and her Shoppe, visit www.youravon.com/aleciamckinney

Brenda Reyes has been very supportive of Latinitas. She recently was part of our career panel for the Spring Break Camp and she looked beatiful as one of the professional models at our Fashion Show. Due to her big heart and her support, Latinitas want to thank her and share some of her experiences with us. Here is what Brenda had to say about us: