Hi everyone, my name is Isabella and I am a sophomore at East High School. I first joined CYLs’ changemaker meetings at the start of my freshman year because of my interest in making a positive impact on our community.
This year, I took up a leadership position on the CYL Youth Advisory Board, and participated in changemaker meetings for central Denver. At changemaker meetings, we worked towards identifying a need in our community and brainstorming about how to address that need. Since I joined CYL, I have always been aspiring to support underrepresented groups such as my Latino community. When thinking about the biggest issue in Denver, the first thing I thought about was supporting my community regarding our recent flows of immigration.
As a Latina who is fortunate enough to be a U.S. citizen and have access to high-quality healthcare and resources, I am deeply interested in the success and health of Latino migrant families who have immigrated to Colorado. Many of these families also have children who have had a traumatic childhood experience. I strongly believe that they should have the opportunity to grow up in a healthy environment, supported by our community here in Denver. They are going to be the next generation of changemakers in our society and need the appropriate support to lead us into a better future.
On the day of our chapter project, youth volunteers and speakers came together to pack 500 hygiene bags to later be distributed to the migrant population. Our project serves as the first building block that works to support our growing Latino community in Denver, and also helped me understand which group I am most passionate about uplifting. After engaging in our changemaker project, I feel more engaged in my community and confident in our ability to come together and create positive change.
Si lo puedes soñar, lo puedes hacer.
Thank you
End of School Year Celebration, Speech, Bella C. CYL ’26, May 2024