May 2016 Blog Posts (16)

When I graduated high school I literally didn't know what to do next or even how to go about going to college. I was the first in my family to even attempt to go to college so there was no knowledge passed on to me, no advice to give me direction. So I asked: random strangers in line for Financial Aid and Counseling, the Go Center Advisor, my friend's older brothers and sisters, and the internet for advice. Through the years, I have compiled a pretty good amount of knowledge on the subject…

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Hi girls! I went to the XQ Institute event last week and interviewed a lot of girls about their ideal schools and thoughts about how can we reimage High School! These are different Latinas interested on STEM fields talking about how they imagine their ideal school and what they are doing right now to fulfill their dreams. Let’s read them all!

GUADALUPE CASTILLO: I am in twelve grade studying at El Paso. My ideal school would have everything that really inspires me. For example, my…

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I've had a lot on my mind recently and I thought it was about time I wrote another one of these babies. But, first and foremost, I would like to congratulate all of you reading this that have taken that first big step into adulthood and graduated! I wish each and every one of you the very best in whatever future adventures you choose to take part of.

Now...

For those of you who have already started your adventure, I have one question: What are you doing…

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Last week, I attended the Stay Teen event at the Housing Authority of El Paso. It was great all the things that emerged from that day.

I was told to read one of the poems I submitted for a contest. Stay Teem contest had three categories: Video, Art, or Writing. With your entry, you had to tell the audience why do you think the youth should stay away of the adult's problems or why we (teens) should stay the way we are and live our now. For the contest, I chose the category of Writing and…

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Since our infant years, we have been taught to depend on a set of individuals; our parents. For years and years we depend on their financial stability, their experiences and their emotional control since we take a long time to develop our own. As we get older, we learn to depend on our teachers, to show us the ropes of the education system, our friends to teach us valuable lessons, to listen to our problems, to always be there when we fall. We learn to depend on a significant other, and we…

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Hi Latinas! How many of you have been at schools from El Paso and Juarez? This blog is about the differences between these two regions. Find out about some of the differences you may encounter if you are changing school from any side of the border! 



Prom 

The most waited moment of the season girls. Prom is probably one of the things most of us dream about when we are little besides our weddings, but it is definitely more common on El Paso schools than in Juarez. At El Paso every… Continue

As we close off yet another school year, high school seniors are getting ready to make that big leap into the abyss. Yes, I said that. For months, they have sugar coated college for you and how it will be a great great experience, and don't get me wrong, by all means college is fun. You get to have a say in your life that you haven't before and all of a sudden you feel very, grown. But it seems as if everyone fails to give you the "side effects" of being in…

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Tomorrow we celebrate perhaps one of the most important days of the year. For most of us our moms are not only the most important and influential people in our lives but also our best friends and confidants.…

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Hi Latinas! How many of you celebrated Cinco de mayo? I bet all of your families did. 

The thing about this holiday in particular is that many US people doesn't know why is this celebration for. I saw a lot on the news yesterday on how the stereotype of sombreros, tacos, and margaritas are "essential" on this holiday. Let me tell you something Latinas: it is not.

Here you have 5 facts about Cinco de Mayo, from a Mexican chica who has lived all of her life at Mexico:

1. It is the… Continue

May 2 through May 6 is teacher appreciation week. This is a week to tell all the teachers why they matter, why they make an impact, and why they are like no other! So in the height of this celebration I asked the Interns of Latinitas why they appreciate their teachers.

They see your potential and set…

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Para mi mama, my first love... Happy Mother's Day!

Yours was the first shoulder I cried on and the first lap that I sat on.

You taught me to talk, and you taught me to walk.

You have shaped me, and  you have made me.

My personality, my behavior and my abilities, I owe them all to you.

You were the one to teach me...

That broken hearts are mendable and nothing is irreversible.

That sadness and happiness are two faces of the same…

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"We have to continue to fight for the families like the family that I saw inside. As I was being processed and I was being questioned; as I was trying to defend my rights and being pushed back on, I saw the faces of two children in one of the holding cells. That's why we have to continue to fight and that's why we're, you know,  going to say 'not one more' and dump Trump," said Jacinta Gonzalez, a US citizen who was arrested at one of Trump's rally in Arizona. 



This Latina attended…

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Last week, Latinitas hosted Chica Power Fest at the Miner Village of UTEP. I have never seen such an amazing and cooperative work from various organizations! I just fell in love with the decoration of the reception. You could see portraits, signs saying why leadership is important, tables with a lot of purple things; it was overwhelming to step in girls. We had a lot of…

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"Life Magazine actually sent photographers and painters to get the two perspectives from the war. These are different because with the camera you get to relieve the moment and with he painting you tell a whole story behind the colors and elements," said Elisa Garrido, Latina speaker at the 3rd Annual UTEP Art History Symposium. 



Last week I attended to this outstanding event! A symposium at UTEP in which three speakers talked about their past research on different subjects. It was an… Continue

Leader is a complex word. It causes stress to some girls and it also causes excitement to others. The question is not whether you feel comfortable with the word or not chica, but if you are what the word means. 

In various ocassions, we may experience situations in which we either have the total attention of an audience or situations in which we just stay silent in a crowded room thinking about why we are not enough. Throughout your life at a new culture, new country, new classmates and… Continue

Hello chicas! Let me give you the latest: Latinitas was present last Saturday April 30th at Anthony Middle School to present the workshop BeYounique. This workshop emphasized the controversy of body image and media, focusing on the low self-esteem some girls may experience concerning media photos or even images from models which are modified by the use of Photoshop.

One of the many activities presented at this workshop consisted of writing a letter for the editor of such magazines, the… Continue