First annual Girl Power Fest to be held this Saturday
Capt. Catalina Rosales will be one of the guest speakers at the Girl Power Fest this Saturday. Courtesy photo
Victoria G. Molinar,
Special to The Monitor:
This Saturday, Latinitas, a nonprofit organization geared toward empowering Hispanic girls between the ages of 11 and 17, will team up with the Women in Business Association and hold its first Girl Power Fest at the University of Texas at El Paso Business of College.
From 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., young girls of all ethnicities can bring their mothers and enjoy games, a fashion show, workshops on topics such as confidence and motivational speeches from guest speakers such as Capt. Catalina Rosales of Fort Bliss. Rosales will discuss her experiences as a young immigrant from Monterrey, Mexico, the obstacles she overcame as a woman in the Army and the importance of a higher education.
“More importantly, I want to convey to the Latinitas that I am not special; I was where they are sitting several years ago,” said Rosales. “Perseverance, dedication, hard work and most importantly, resiliency when things don’t go as planned is the message I want to send them.”
Starting in Austin 2002 then expanding to El Paso in 2008, Latinitas was established by a group of students from the University of Texas at Austin. They are the first organization to launch a digital magazine for Hispanic girls, where members share their photography, writing and other creative work. As an association driven by volunteers, the main goal of Latinitas is to provide resources and motivate young women to pursue their aspirations through workshops and guidance.
“Often times, some of these girls are receiving messages at home from their communities that the expectation for them is to get married and have children at a young age,” said Rosales. “Organizations like Latinitas serve to empower these youth by opening doors and showing them that marriage and pregnancy are not their only options. By seeing what other Hispanic women, who may have come from similar situations, have achieved, these girls can be empowered to make choices conducive to the kind of future they’ve dreamt for themselves.”
The Girl Power Fest is $5 in advance and $10 at the door. A military discount of two tickets for $5 is also offered. Those interested can register for the event by calling 219-8554. To learn more about Latinitas, visit LasLatinitas.com or watch the Girl Power Fest promotional video at www.youtube.com/watch?v=n09DLYM60dk.
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