By Itzel Santos, Fellow Class of 2018
Metropolitan State University of Denver
I graduated a year and a half ago, and I am still thinking, “What do I want to be when I grow up.” A question I believe most well-established adults still ask themselves or should ask themselves. This is all part of learning more about ourselves; making every day a learning experience.
My objective has always been to disrupt the school-to-prison pipeline, but I have struggled to figure out where to start. Recently, I had a conversation with my mentor about the work that I have been doing and I realized that I have been doing it but not in the way I had imagined.
I received a promotion at Colorado Circles for Change after working as a Program Assistant for six years. My new role consists of facilitating my own program. I will admit, the idea of leading my own program made me feel nervous. Actually, it was nerve-wracking! Although, I had been assisting in facilitating programs in my previous position, doing it on my own would be very different. Managing a middle school mentoring program has been an extremely rewarding experience. I believe middle school is one of the most important developmental periods of a young person’s life. That is why I believe it is crucial to invest in youth at an early age to eliminate the violence in their lives and support them in their matriculation into high school. By equipping youth with tools, coping skills, and strategies they will be able to navigate through an education system that often discriminates against kids of color. Having my own mentorship provided me with the skills and tools to be able to be that trust adult in these kids’ lives.
I am grateful for the opportunity to provide a safe space for youth to find peace within themselves and to let go of their “cargos” (baggage/harm), to heal wounds they carry from experiencing racism, xenophobia, hateful rhetoric, and chromic stress, and most importantly all through a multi-cultural aspect. By investing in our youth, I hope to help them reach their full potential and slowly but surely eliminate the school-to-prison pipeline.
It is important to continue exploring what lights your fire. Growth is momentous and asking yourself “why” will put you in a position to think about your core values and beliefs. I am certain my “why’s” will continue to shape what I do next, and currently, they bring me joy.
