- LATINITAS GETS THE RIGHT KIND OF EXTREME MAKEOVER
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Latinitas will celebrate its second anniversary re-launching Latinitas magazine (www.latinitasmagazine.org) with a whole new web interface face on May 13th (location to be announced). The event will feature a screening of Chispas: A Little Spark Within, a short documentary about Latinitas Club Latinitas program and Latinitas' feature segment on American Latino TV.
On the newly redesigned site, equipped now with a content management system, visitors will find a more user-friendly interface, with easier access to the improved Spanish-language version of the webzine. Visitors will also be able to sign up to become a volunteer, receive the newsletter, submit questions or join an outreach event through new online forms.
The new Web site hosts two forums for Hispanic youth: First, the online Latinitas (www.latinitasmagazine.org) and the Teen Latinitas bilingual magazines (www.teenlatinitas.org), in which Latina youth publish their creative works and share them nationally with their peers. Second, as a non-profit agency, Latinitas generates programming that cultivates young ladies' desire to write published articles and produce radio and television programs while learning how to use the technological equipment to do so. These outreach programs, an after school newsroom, a teen reporter intern program, community presentations and workshops, summer camps and a college intern program, will help Latinas build their self- confidence while working with role models and mentors.
"Latinitas website is the hub that connects our readership and outreach; our donors and volunteers" says Latinitas site designer Angie Ayala, "developing a content management will expedite publishing and open doors for the communities we serve and the ones we are aiming to reach."
Angie and Latinitas editor Alicia Rascon collaborated with volunteers from Coefficient Designs, a web management company based in San Marcos, Texas to redesign the website, creating an improved forum for young Latina writers to express their work and ideas.
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- EXPANDING LATINAS' HORIZONS
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On Saturday March 12 from 8:30am to 3:30pm Latinitas editors Alicia Rascon and Angie Ayala conducted two internet safety workshops for Expanding Your Horizons, a conference hosted by Tomorrow's Women In Science and Technology, Inc. (TWIST) at the University of Texas at Austin, whose mission is helping young women experience a career in science, math or any technology related field.
These workshops include hands-on experience for women led by women. Young girls work closely together on engineering projects such as creating roller coasters, electrical circuits, creating dental models and websites. More importantly, the girls get to meet new friends and work alongside women in various science fields. Latinitas volunteers provided girls with insights on how the web works and tips on being safe while using it.
According to the National Science Foundation (www.nsf.gov), in 2000, 55 percent of women who were enrolled in a four year undergraduate public institution majored in a scientific field. Out the 55 percent, only 8.75 percent were Hispanic women. Although the numbers are increasing, overall they are still relatively low.
Programs such as Expanding Your Horizons not only help women, but young Latinas, specifically, building their confidence and self-esteem by having them work with women who have achieved career success.
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- GIRL SPOTLIGHT: ARYANI MONTES, TEEN REPORTER
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Seventeen year old Austin High senior Aryani Montes ceases to limit herself in her pursuits and has managed to pair her academic interests with her passion for her culture. Aryani joined the Teen Reporter Intern Program (TRIP) associated with Teen Latinitas magazine about a year ago. A new publication, (www.teenlatinitas.org) Latinitas' staff was determined to provide content reflective of Latina issues, thoughts and interests. Aryani, already a committed student with goals to enter a pre-med program next year joined this advisory group and began suggesting stories and writing with exuberance.
Her first piece was a reflection of her experience as a first generation Hispanic-American, returning to her mother's birthplace Venezuela for a visit, but this time armed with a handle on the Spanish language. She had made a goal to learn more of her parents' native language in order to bridge a communication gap existing between her and her grandmother. Successful, the article was a heart-felt reflection of what it meant to be Latina for her.
Aryani's volunteerism is outstanding. A mentor for the Junior League's Hispanic Mother Daughter Program since 1999, Aryani was a team leader at JLHMDP's summer conference in 2003 and again in 2004, where Latinitas held workshops on resume writing, web design and newsletter writing and where she helped Latinitas by sitting on a "what's high school like" panel discussion.
In addition to JLHMDP, Aryani was a participant in the National Hispanic Institute's Young Leaders Conference as a member of the Lorenzo de Zavala Youth Legislative Session House of Representatives and a team member on the Championship winning team.
When Aryani is not assisting as a teacher aide and monitor at Fulmore Middle School, she is a member of the student council, orchestra, school newspaper, the lacrosse team and the national Honor Society (since 2003). She has been a member of most of these organizations since her freshman year and starting this school year, she has begun volunteering for the Peer Assisted and Leadership program (PALS) at Austin High where she tutors on average 10 hours a week at elementary and middle schools in Central Austin.
In addition to all of the above, Aryani volunteered at the Regency Village Nursing Home in 2000 assisting with the care of the residents and for two months in 2003, she was a teacher and administrative aide for the AISD immigrant summer program. An expert of balancing her time and pursuits, Aryani is a true role model! Latinitas feels fortunate to have such a committed citizen on its staff and predicts Aryani has just begun to make her impression on the world.
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- DONOR SPOTLIGHT: VIATRAN INC.
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Via-Tran Inc. generously donated t-shirts for girls in Club Latinitas and the TRIP program. A full service printing company, Viatran is located in the industrial park at 404 West Powell Lane Suite 301. Extra shirts are on sale for $10 by emailing latinitasld@yahoo.com. Adult and children's sizes are available. We strongly urge our volunteers to patronize Viatran for future printing needs and thank them for their fantastic in-kind donation and their commitment to helping Latina youth.
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- CINE LAS AMERICAS YOUTH FILM FESTIVAL
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Cine Las Americas, along with Latinitas, would like to invite you to the Emergencia Youth Film Festival. Emergencia Youth Film Festival is the youth segment of their annual film festival which goes from April 20th to 24th (www.cinelasamericas.org). This year's films span a wide variety of genres including: documentary, narrative short, and public service announcements.
The Emergencia Youth Film Festival is free to the public and will take place on Saturday April 23, 2005 from 12:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. at the Millennium Youth Complex here in Austin.
For more information regarding the Emergencia Youth Film Festival or if you are interested in bringing a group please feel free to contact Eddie Campos at 512-841-5930 or by e-mail, ebeelo79@yahoo.com
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- LAS COMADRES HOSTS NATIONAL CONFERENCE
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The Austin Community is proud to host Las Comadres exhibition On April 22- 23 from 9am to 10pm. This will be the first annual worldwide COMADRAZO. Artists are welcomed to exhibit their work that is for sale, while companies are welcomed to showcase their products or take orders. For more information about the agenda, reserving tables, or assure that your business meets the criteria to be apart of the event, please visit their website at www.lascomadres.org/fiestainfo4exhibit.html. Come out to meet and great your local comadres! If you aren't a comadre, don't worry. You can sign up to participate at http://www.lascomadres.org/fiestaform2.html.
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Latinitas, Inc. is an Austin-based nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering Hispanic girls in media and technology. We accomplish this by publishing a bilingual webzine for Hispanic girls, hosting innovative media workshops in the community, and facilitating an after-school program for junior reporters.
