Funhouse Latinx mentor program wraps up with leadership workshop

||| FROM TRILLIUM SWANSON for FUNHOUSE COMMONS |||

On June 26, The Funhouse Commons’ La Cima Latinx Mentor Program will culminate its first year of programming with a day-long leadership workshop for Latinx students from San Juan, Lopez and Orcas Island.

This day is an opportunity for participants to connect with other Latinx youth from across our county, to build skills in leadership, and to reflect together on their diverse experiences over the past year. It’s also a chance for youth who have been attending the weekly 2-hour long La Cima Mentor Program zoom sessions this school year, to finally meet the facilitators of that program in person! The day will be facilitated by Brenda Ochoa and Sergio Barrera of the Equity Institute, who have facilitated the weekly video-based La Cima mentoring sessions which began in October of 2020. The project has been funded through grants from the Health Care Authority of Washington and the Orcas Island Community Foundation.

The weekly zoom sessions have consisted of social emotional check-ins, and the exploration of social justice topics, students’ personal identity and leadership skills. Students have presented to one another on topics such as animal cruelty, collaborated to create spoken word poetry, and hosted a family night in which students asked their parents questions about different aspects of their parenting.

Beginning in February 2021, middle school students from Lopez Island began joining the weekly 2-hour zoom sessions, which was a great enrichment for the program. Shares a student from Lopez in 7th grade: “This was the first time I was in an organized group for just Latinx youth. It was so great! The 2 hours went so fast each week because I was so engaged and had so much fun.”

The Funhouse Commons, Lopez Island Resource Center and the Joyce Sobel Family Resource Center of San Juan Island have all shared resources to make the day-long June 26 workshop possible for Latinx middle and high school students from across the San Juans.

The Equity Institute, the organization behind the June 26 workshop, describes it as follows: “¡La Chispa! (The Spark) helps students build their self-confidence, strengthen their cultural identity and increase their academic success.” One significant element of the La Chispa workshop is its bilingual delivery in English and Spanish. Equity Institute explains:

“by delivering content in English and Spanish, students experience a function that actively practices the values of biculturalism (i.e., the ability to integrate attributes of two cultures and competently navigate between cultural systems). As a result, students affirm their self-worth and their bilingual assets and are encouraged to develop their speaking, reading and writing skills in both languages.”

This experience is designed to build the confidence and self worth of all participants. The youth who have signed up are excited for the day of games and activities. Shares an 8th grade participant from Lopez: “I am really looking forward to the La Cima in-person day on Lopez. I can’t wait to meet Brenda and Sergio.”

For more information about the Funhouse Commons Latinx Mentor Program, contact Program Coordinator Trillium Swanson at trillium@thefunhouse.org.