What Most Excites Me

I have one of the most exciting jobs ever! I have the honor of working in partnership with young Latinas who want to change the world for themselves and for other young women in their communities. What excites me most about Web 2.0 is that it provides the young women that I work with, with the tools and a platform, to broaden the scope of their work and the impact that they can have on other young women. Over the course of the past year, the girls have taken to intentionally utilizing the tools available via Web 2.0 to reach young people where they’re at – on the internet. The girls have taken to utilizing the Web 2.0 platform - social media outlets, digital media and social media - to share information and engage young women in conversations about the issues impacting their lives, all while creating and strengthening the social support networks of young women in our community.

Web 2.0 creates access for girls and women to have a role in a global initiative to bring information, resources and the leadership opportunities to get involved in addressing the issues that we are most passionate about. Web 2.0 creates opportunities for girls and women to lift up their voices – to be heard and validated. It allows girls and women to see the possibilities in their lives, increasing the number of chances available to them. Chances that provide possibilities to positive outcomes in their lives - a chance at having basic needs met a chance at leading violence free lives, a chance to access higher education and a chance at self-sufficiency. Web 2.0 is a vehicle by which we can influence the lives of girls and women in ways that lead to changes in circumstances and outcomes. It allows us to reach and support girls and women to become successful in a world that can often be cruel and unforgiving.

Through my work as a youth practitioner, I work to intentionally increase young Latinas’ activism and advocacy by providing opportunities for them to become community leaders and to take action on the issues that matter most to them, their peers and families. Web 2.0 provides me the tools to work towards empowering young women to build an investment in ending violence against women and girls, addressing other critical community issues, and in building and supporting community networks of young women to address community issues. Web 2.0 has empowered me by increasing my ability to support young Latinas in their leadership, by increasing my ability to mentor and by increasing my reach in providing access to supports and resources that will help them live successful and healthy lives free of violence.